5,000,403 papers found

First discovered by Friedenstein in 1976, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells found throughout the body that share a fixed set of characteristics. Discovered initially in the bone marrow, this cell source is considered the gold standard for clinical research, although various other sources-including adip…

The Gold Standards Framework aims to optimize primary palliative care for patients nearing the end of their lives. This paper critically reviews the impact of the Gold Standards Framework since its introduction in 2001 and indicates direction for further research and development. Literature was accessed using specific…

OBJECTIVES: Author contact can enhance the quality of systematic reviews. We conducted a systematic review of the practice of author contact in recently published systematic reviews to characterize its prevalence, quality, and results. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Eligible studies were systematic reviews of efficacy publ…

Parkinson's disease (PD) occurs worldwide, but little is known about PD in Africa. We systematically reviewed publications on PD in Africa, with emphasis on epidemiologic and genetic studies. Articles published between 1944 and December 2004 were identified using several strategies. The studies emanated from 13 African…

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To review existing quality assessment tools for diagnostic accuracy studies and to examine to what extent quality was assessed and incorporated in diagnostic systematic reviews. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for tools to assess the quality of studies of diagnostic accuracy or gu…

Recommendations for treatment of pediatric epileptic patients issued by three different sources are analyzed. 1) The review on treatment-resistant epilepsy published in 2003 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. 2) Articles written by the Cochrane Epilepsy Group available in January 2004. 3) A personal rev…

PURPOSE: The objective was to make an inventory of systematic reviews in the field of prosthodontics and to assess the strength of evidence yielded by these studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The literature was searched using MEDLINE (keywords "dental" in subset combined with "meta-analysis" in publication type, and "den…

The practice of evidence-based medicine involves the critical application of current best evidence to the care of individual patients. This process requires clinicians to be able to efficiently locate, critically appraise and appropriately apply the best available evidence to particular clinical scenarios. The current…

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to provide an overview of technologies (devices, tools, or software applications) used to facilitate remote rehabilitation of adults with deconditioning, musculoskeletal conditions, stroke, or traumatic brain injury, and to summarize the quantitative evidence of their efficac…

BACKGROUND: Medication errors are one of the leading avoidable sources of harm to hospital patients. In hospitals, a range of interventions have been used to reduce the risk of errors at each of the points they may occur, such as prescription, dispensing and/or administration. Systematic reviews have been conducted on…

TOPIC: A synthesis of the current knowledge on risk factors for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This review advances understanding, guides future research, and informs strategies for preventing and treating POAG. METHOD: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and t…

Mental health problems are the leading cause of childhood disability worldwide, resulting in poor outcomes for children and young people that persist into adulthood. It is essential that those young people most at risk of developing mental health problems receive effective preventative interventions. Whilst there have…

BACKGROUND: Young people are disproportionately more likely than other age groups to use substances. The rise in substance use and related harms, including overdose, during the Covid-19 pandemic has created a critical need for more innovative and accessible substance use interventions. Digital interventions have shown…

Inflexible use of evidence hierarchies confuses practitioners and irritates researchers. So how can we improve the way we assess research?

OBJECTIVES: To collate and appraise evidence from existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses on interventions to prevent stillbirth and reduce perinatal mortality across the reproductive continuum, including preconception, antenatal, intrapartum and immediate newborn periods. DESIGN: Umbrella review synthesising ev…

QUESTION: This review of reviews synthesises qualitative evidence on the experiences of receiving and providing care and treatment for mental health conditions in non-specialist settings in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), and the factors that influence the provision and uptake of such services. STUDY S…

The purpose of this study was to review the evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of pharmacological therapies currently available for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).A literature search using MEDLINE from 1966 through to April 2005 and a hand search of abstracts from the American College of Rheumatol…

INTRODUCTION: Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been conducted on the risk and protective factors of youth crime. This study aims to consolidate this evidence using an umbrella review methodology. METHODS: A systematic electronic search was conducted using multiple electronic databases. Strength of ass…

BACKGROUND: Evidence supports the benefits of exercise for patients with cancer; however, specific guidance for clinical decision making regarding exercise timing, frequency, duration, and intensity is lacking. Efforts are needed to optimize clinical recommendations for exercise in the cancer population. OBJECTIVES: T…