42,208 papers found

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc globally and still persists even after a year of its initial outbreak. Several reasons can be considered: people are in close contact with each other, i.e., at a short range (1 m), and the healthcare system is not sufficiently developed or does not have enough facilities to manag…

Endoscopic discectomies provide several advantages over other techniques such as traditional open lumbar discectomy (OLD) including possibly decreased complications, shorter hospital stay and an earlier return to work.An electronic database search including MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systemati…

BACKGROUND: Butylphthalide (NBP), approved by the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the treatment of ischemic stroke (IS), showed pleiotropic potentials against central nervous system (CNS) diseases, including neuroprotection and cognitive deficits improvement. However, the effects and correspon…

The effectiveness of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) in the treatment of oral yeast infections was examined many times in recent years. The authors of this review tried to address the question: "Should TBO (toluidine blue ortho)-mediated aPDT be considered a possible alternative treatment for oral candidiasis…

BACKGROUND: Caffeine is the most utilised psychoactive drug worldwide. However, caffeine withdrawal and the therapeutic use of caffeine in intensive care and in the perioperative period have not been well summarised. Our objective was to conduct a scoping review of caffeine withdrawal and use in the intensive care unit…

The purpose of the present study was to provide a systematic literature review and pool evidence on the efficacy of mupirocin-based decolonization protocol in reducing surgical-site infections (SSIs) in patients undergoing cardiothoracic (CT) surgery based on their(.)carrier state. The PubMed, Embase, Ovid, BioMed Cent…

BACKGROUND: Ibuprofen, a well-known analgesic, is commonly used as a component of a multimodal analgesic approach for postoperative pain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate whether a single-dose preoperative intravenous ibuprofen can reduce postoperative pain and opioid consumption. METHODS:…

BACKGROUND: Pain sensitization, defined as an increased responsiveness of nociceptive neurons to normal input, is detected in several musculoskeletal diseases, but there are no systematic reviews or meta-analyses about pain sensitization in shoulder pain. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to document pain sensitiza…

INTRODUCTION: Research has advanced our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cerebral edema and has propelled the development of novel antiedema therapeutics. Current evidence supports aberrant neuro-glial ion transport as a central mechanism that underlies pathological fluid accumulation after cen…

A number of meta-analyses have compared clinical outcomes following plate vs. intramedullary fixation for midshaft clavicle fractures (MSCF), but with conflicting results. There is a requirement for updated level-1 evidence to guide clinicians managing MSCF. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis wa…

OBJECTIVES: To compare progestin ovarian stimulation protocols with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (agonists and antagonists) protocols on newborn outcomes. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and BioMed Central databases were searched for studies comparing progestin p…

The prevalence of neuropathic pain is estimated to be between 7 and 10% in the general population. The efficacy of intravenous (IV) lidocaine has been studied by numerous clinical trials on patients with neuropathic pain. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of IV lidocaine c…

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of antioxidant vitamins, including vitamins E and C, on patients with diabetes and albuminuria by conducting a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. DESIGN: The PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL (the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials at the Cochrane Lib…

INTRODUCTION: A number of studies in low/middle-income countries (LMICs) have reported varying prevalence of suicide among medical professionals with low rates. This may be because of the methods used in suicide assessment and the stigma associated with it. For this study, the prevalence of suicidal ideation, attempt a…

BACKGROUND: A few randomized clinical trials (RCT) and their meta-analyses have found patent foramen ovale closure (PFOC) to be beneficial in prevention of stroke compared to medical therapy. Whether the benefit is extended across all groups of patients remains unclear. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of PFOC…

Chronic breathlessness is a common and distressing symptom of advanced disease with few effective treatments. Central nervous system mechanisms are important in respiratory sensation and control. Consequently, drugs which may modify processing and perception of afferent information in the brain may have a role. Antidep…

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of intravenous acetaminophen in multimodal pain management in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is controversial. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy of intravenous acetaminophen versus placebo in TKA. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or re…

BACKGROUND: Mechanical ventilation is a routine intervention for the critically ill but patients' experiences of this intervention are largely hidden from clinicians. A comprehensive understanding of Intensive Care Units survivors' accounts is required to provide health professionals with evidence about the patients' e…

BACKGROUND: B cell function and antibody production are crucial factors in host protection during inflammation. We aimed to synthesize the available evidence on the association between the reduction of circulating B cells and plasma immunoglobulin (IgM) levels and decreased survival during sepsis. METHODS: We performe…

BACKGROUND: Muslims comprise 4.8% of the national population in the UK and also form a significant proportion of its ethnic minority population, with trends set to continue for the foreseeable future. With ethnic minority health inequalities deepening further, there is an apparent lack of strategies to effectively tack…