381,857 papers found

The scientific interest and the number of papers dealing with vitamin D supplementation has greatly grown in the last decades. Unfortunately, expert consensus on many clinical aspects of this topic is still lacking. In addition, data coming from recent clinical trials and meta-analyses seem to strongly put into doubt t…

OBJECTIVES: Systematic reviews are one of the major building blocks of evidence-based medicine. This overview is an introduction to conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) represent the most robust form of design in the h…

Network meta-analyses (NMAs) of seasonal vaccines face distinct challenges that can compromise the validity and relevance of findings. While established frameworks offer guidance for evaluating the feasibility of NMAs, they do not address factors specific to seasonal vaccines. This study aims to highlight unique method…

INTRODUCTION: Depression is a common complication of stroke that adversely affects functional recovery. Although a wide range of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are used in clinical practice, evidence regarding their comparative efficacy and acceptability remains inconclusive. Therefore, we will c…

INTRODUCTION: Exergaming shows great potential in the intervention of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, further research is needed on the use of exergaming in people with MCI. The current evidence of the use of exergaming in MCI has conflicting results. Which kind of exergaming is the most effe…

BACKGROUND: Intravenous loop diuretics are the cornerstone of acute heart failure treatment. Diuretic resistance limits the efficacy and reduces the effectiveness of decongestion, which is associated with increased mortality in AHF patients. We aim to investigate the effect of adding hypertonic saline solution (HSS) to…

BACKGROUND: In China, sodium cantharidinate/vitamin B6 (SC/VB6) injection has been approved since 2002 for the treatment of lung cancer and primary liver cancer. In addition to these authorized indications, clinical application of SC/VB6 is also common in various other types of cancer. However, there is a lack of compr…

INTRODUCTION: Chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) stands as a predominant factor contributing to disability worldwide. In the recent past, the sphere of medical research has witnessed a burgeoning interest in exploring the therapeutic potential of dynamic neuromuscular stabilisation (DNS) techniques for this con…

BACKGROUND: The incidence and mortality of lung cancer is the highest among malignant tumors worldwide, and it seriously threatens human life and health. Surgery is the primary radical treatment for lung cancer. However, patients often experience discomfort, changes in social roles, economic pressures, and other postsu…

INTRODUCTION: Chronic post-thoracotomy pain (CPTP) is a persistent and disabling condition affecting a significant proportion of patients after thoracotomy and posing a challenge for clinicians, despite advances in surgical and pain management strategies. Esketamine, the S-enantiomer of ketamine, has emerged as a promi…

OBJECTIVES: To test whether the use of a web application (www.metaHelper.eu) can reduce errors and time needed for statistical transformations commonly performed for meta-analysis. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We developed an R package and a corresponding web application to streamline statistical transformations in meta-…

INTRODUCTION: Coughing during extubation can lead to several postoperative complications, including surgical site bleeding, intracranial hypertension and high intraocular pressure. Currently, various pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are employed in clinical practice to reduce coughing during extuba…

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is a disease that affects people of all skin shades and can impact their quality of life. Reliable evidence on the effectiveness and adverse events associated with the recent use of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors to treat vitiligo is needed. This protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis se…

BACKGROUND: Selective outcome reporting and publication bias threaten the validity of systematic reviews and meta-analyses and can affect clinical decision-making. A rigorous method to evaluate the impact of this bias on the results of network meta-analyses of interventions is lacking. We present a tool to assess the R…

BACKGROUND: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with structural brain abnormalities. Studies have reported less cerebral tissue and more cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in individuals with AN relative to healthy controls, although findings are variable and inconsistent due to variations in sample size, age, and disease state…

BACKGROUND: Back pain is a widespread health problem that accounts for substantial disability and high costs. The workplace is considered to critically affect the occurrence and persistence of back pain and therefore offers an important opportunity for preventive interventions. Various work-related intervention strateg…

BACKGROUND: Suicide is a leading cause of death in children and youth, with suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts (referred to as non-fatal suicidal behaviors (NFSB)) being among its strongest predictors. Positive parenting (e.g., warmth, responsiveness), negative parenting (e.g., control, hostility), and parent-child…

Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and extreme temperatures are among the major risk factors of adverse birth outcomes and with potential long-term effects during the life course. Although low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are most vulnerable, there is limited synthesis of evidence in such settings. This…

AIM: To assess the up-to-date evidence of acupuncture for the management of cancer-related and cancer treatment-related outcomes among people with advanced cancer. DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analyses involving multidimensional outcomes. METHODS: The protocol of this systematic review has been registered in P…

INTRODUCTION: Mounting evidence now indicates that preoperative opioid use is associated with an array of complications following total joint replacement (TJR). However, evidence of these risks remains fragmented. A comprehensive and well-integrated understanding of this body of evidence is necessary to appropriately i…