The analgesic efficacy of pregabalin for shoulder arthroscopy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Introduction:The efficacy of pregabalin for pain management of shoulder arthroscopy remains controversial. We conduct this meta-analysis to explore the influence of pregabalin versus placebo on the postoperative pain intensity of shoulder arthroscopy.Methods:We have searched PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases through November 2019 for randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of pregabalin versus placebo on pain control of shoulder arthroscopy. This meta-analysis was performed using the random-effect model.Results:Three randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with control group for shoulder arthroscopy, pregabalin remarkably decreased pain scores at 0 to 1 hour (Std. MD = −0.57; 95% CI = −1.04 to −0.09; P = .02) and 12 hours (Std. MD = −0.37; 95% CI = −0.72 to −0.02; P = .04), as well as analgesic consumption (Std. MD = −1.84; 95% CI = −2.24 to −1.44; P < .00001), but showed no notable influence on pain scores at 24 hours (Std. MD = −0.54; 95% CI = −1.47 to 0.38; P = .25), nausea or vomiting (RR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.53–1.33; P = .45), dizziness (RR = 1.14; 95% CI = 0.89–1.47; P = .30).Conclusions:Pregabalin may benefit to pain control after shoulder arthroscopy.     

Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of chronic prostatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective:Chronic prostatitis (CP) is a common disease in the outpatient department of males and urology. Clinical studies have found that acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has achieved good results in treating CP, but its efficacy and safety are not completely clear. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with TCM in the treatment of CP.Methods:Randomized controlled trials of acupuncture combined with TCM in treating CP were screened by searching PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, etc. The retrieval time was from the database establishment date to March 31, 2021. The Cochrane Collaborative Risk Bias Assessment tool was used to evaluate literature''s methodological quality of the literature. The RevMan5.4 software was used for the meta-analysis of outcome indicators. The TSA v0.9 software was used for sequential trial analysis (TSA) of effectiveness.Results:In this study, 19 related randomized controlled trial studies were included, with a total of 1831 cases. The results of the meta-analysis showed that acupuncture combined with TCM could significantly improve the clinical efficacy of CP (OR = 3.76, 95%CI: 2.82 to 5.02, P < .00001), reduce the total score of The National Institutes of Health chronic prostatitis symptom index (MD = −4.00, 95%CI: −4.67 to 3.33, P < .00001), and improve patients’ urination symptoms (MD = −1.10, 95%CI: −1.23 to −0.97, P < .00001), alleviated the pain symptoms of patients (MD = −2.38, 95%CI: −2.41 to −2.35, P < .00001), improved the quality of life of patients (MD = −1.69, 95%CI: −1.97 to −1.41, P < .00001), decreased the scores of TCM symptoms of patients (MD = −2.39, 95%CI: −3.45 to −1.33, P < .00001), and did not increase the adverse reactions of patients (MD = 1.09, 95%CI: 0.57 to 2.06, P = .8). The results of publication bias showed that this study was not affected by publication bias, and the conclusion was reliable. TSA showed that acupuncture combined with TCM was effective in treating CP.Conclusion:Acupuncture combined with TCM is safe and effective for alleviating CP. It can be used as an effective treatment for chronic prostatitis in the clinic.Registration number: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/Z8FJM.     

Comparison between acupuncture and antidepressant therapy for the treatment of poststroke depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:In this paper, a systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to compare the efficacies of acupuncture and antidepressant therapy for the treatment of poststroke depression (PSD).Methods:The research team searched RCTs published on PubMed; Medline; Cochrane library; Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI); Wanfang; Embase; Scopus, and Sinomed from their respective establishments to January 2019. We evaluated the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) scores, Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) scores, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, and total clinical efficacy using fixed effects models.Results:Fourteen RCTs, representing a total of 1124 patients, were studied. Results showed that acupuncture was more effective in improving HAMD scores at 3 weeks after administration (mean difference [MD] = −1.17, 95%CI = −2.18 to −0.16), at 4 weeks (MD = −4.44, 95% CI = −5.64 to −3.23), at 6 weeks (MD = −1.02, 95% CI = −1.68 to −0.36), and at 8 weeks (MD = −4.33, 95% CI = −4.96 to −3.70). Similarly, acupuncture more dramatically decreased NIHSS scores (MD = −2.31, 95% CI = −2.53 to −2.09), and TESS scores (MD = −4.70, 95% CI = −4.93 to −4.48) than conventional Western medicinal therapy. Further, the total clinical efficacy in the acupuncture group was significantly higher than in the antidepressants group (risk ratio [RR] = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.08–1.21).Conclusions:The results of this study suggest that acupuncture not only can reduce the severity of PSD, but also has significant effects on decreasing the appearance of other adverse events.     

Analgesic comparison of dezocine plus propofol versus fentanyl plus propofol for gastrointestinal endoscopy: A meta-analysis

Introduction:As the adjunctive anesthesia to propofol, both dezocine and fentanyl showed some potential for gastrointestinal endoscopy. This meta-analysis aimed to compare their efficacy and safety.Methods:PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases were systematically searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of dezocine versus fentanyl for the anesthesia of patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy were included.Results:Five RCTs involving 677 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with fentanyl plus propofol for gastrointestinal endoscopy, dezocine plus propofol resulted in the reduction in propofol dose(mean difference [MD] = −11.72; 95% confidence interval [CI] = −22.83 to −0.61; P = .04), awakening time (std. MD = −1.79; 95% CI = −3.31 to −0.27; P = .02) and hypopnea (risk ratio [RR] = 0.16; 95% CI = 0.06–0.41; P = .0002), but had no remarkable effect on induction time (MD = 1.20; 95% CI = −0.98 to 3.39; P = .28), postoperative pain score (MD = −0.38; 95% CI = −1.00 to 0.24; P = .24), nausea or vomiting (RR = 0.45; 95% CI = 0.10–1.98; P = .29).Conclusion:Dezocine plus propofol may be better for the anesthesia of gastrointestinal endoscopy than fentanyl plus propofol.     

Comparison of laparoscopic and open living donor hepatectomy: A meta-analysis

Laparoscopic donor hepatectomy (LDH), accepted as a minimally invasive approach, has become increasingly popular for living donor liver transplant. However, the outcomes of LDH remain to be fully clarified when compared with open living donor hepatectomy. Thus, our meta-analysis was designed to assess the efficacy of laparoscopic in comparison with conventional open donor hepatectomy.The PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase electronic databases were searched to identify the articles concerning the comparison of the efficacy of laparoscopic versus open surgery in treatment of living donor liver transplantation updated to March, 2020. The main search terms and medical Subject Heading terms were: “living donor,” “liver donor,” “minimally invasive,” “laparoscopic surgery,” and “open surgery.” After rigorous evaluation on quality, the data was extracted from eligible publications. The outcomes of interest included intraoperative and postoperative results.The inclusion criteria were met by a total of 20 studies. In all, 2001 subjects involving 633 patients who received laparoscopic surgery and 1368 patients who received open surgery were included. According to the pooled result of surgery duration, the laparoscopic surgery was associated with shorter duration of hospital stay (MD = −1.07, 95% CI −1.85 to −0.29; P = .007), less blood loss (MD = −57.57, 95% CI −65.07 to −50.07; P < .00001), and less postoperative complications (OR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.44–0.85; P = .003). And the open donor hepatectomy achieved a trend of shorter operation time (MD = 30.31, 95% CI 13.93–46.69; P = .0003) than laparoscopic group. Similar results were found in terms of ALT (P = .52) as well as the AST (P = .47) peak level between the 2 groups.LDH showed the better perioperative outcomes as compared with open donor hepatectomy. The findings revealed that LDH may be a feasible and safe procedure for the living donor liver transplantation.     

Treatment for overactive bladder: A meta-analysis of transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation versus percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation

Background:We aim to compare the safety and effectiveness of transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) versus percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) in treating overactive bladder.Methods:A systematical search on PubMed, Embase, clinicalTrial.gov, and Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials from January 1, 1999 to November 1, 2020 was performed. The primary outcomes were the changes in a 3-day voiding diary. Quality of life scores were also evaluated. Review Manager 5.3 (Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, UK) was applied to conduct all statistical analyses.Results:A total of 4 trials (2 randomized controlled trials, 1 retrospective study, and 1 before-after study) with 142 patients were eventually enrolled. Compared with PTNS, TTNS had a similar performance in the voiding frequency in 24 hours (mean difference [MD] = −0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.35 to 0.05, P = .07), the number of urgency episodes in 24 hours (MD = 0.13, 95% CI: −0.36 to 0.62, P = .60), the number of incontinence episodes in 24 hours (MD = 0.01, 95% CI: −0.13 to 0.14, P = .93), as well as in the nocturia frequency (MD = −0.14, 95% CI: −0.52 to 0.24, P = .47). Moreover, comparable results were observed regarding HRQL scores (P = .23) and incontinence quality of life scores (P = .10) in both groups. The total complication rate in the current study was 2.1% (3/142). No adverse events were identified in the TTNS group.Conclusion:Current data supported that TTNS is as effective as PTNS for the treatment of overactive bladder, moreover, with no reported adverse events. However, the evidence is low-grade and well-designed prospective studies with a large sample size are warranted to verify our findings.     

Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy compared with other surgeries for lumbar disc herniation: A meta-analysis

Objective:This meta-analysis was performed to investigate whether percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) had a superior effect than other surgeries in the treatment of patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH).Method:We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science through February 2018 to identify eligible studies that compared the effects and complications between PELD and other surgical interventions in LDH. The outcomes included success rate, recurrence rate, complication rate, operation time, hospital stay, blood loss, visual analog scale (VAS) score for back pain and leg pain, 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF12) physical component score, mental component score, Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score, Oswestry Disability Index. A random-effects or fixed-effects model was used to pool the estimate, according to the heterogeneity among the included studies.Results:Fourteen studies (involving 2,528 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with other surgeries, PELD had favorable clinical outcomes for LDH, including shorter operation time (weight mean difference, WMD=−18.14 minutes, 95%CI: −25.24, −11.05; P < .001) and hospital stay (WMD = −2.59 days, 95%CI: −3.87, −1.31; P < .001), less blood loss (WMD = −30.14 ml, 95%CI: −43.16, −17.13; P < .001), and improved SF12- mental component score (WMD = 2.28, 95%CI: 0.50, 4.06; P = .012)) and SF12- physical component score (WMD = 1.04, 95%CI: 0.37, 1.71; P = .02). However, it also was associated with a significantly higher rate of recurrent disc herniation (relative risk [RR] = 1.65, 95%CI: 1.08, 2.52; P = .021). There were no significant differences between the PELD group and other surgical group in terms of success rate (RR = 1.01, 95%CI: 0.97, 1.04; P = .733), complication rate (RR = 0.86, 95%CI: 0.63, 1.18; P = .361), Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score score (WMD = 0.19, 95%CI: −1.90, 2.27; P = .861), visual analog scale score for back pain (WMD = −0.17, 95%CI: −0.55, 0.21; P = .384) and leg pain (WMD = 0.00, 95%CI: −0.10, 0.10; P = .991), and Oswestry Disability Index score (WMD = −0.29, 95%CI: −1.00, 0.43; P = .434).Conclusion:PELD was associated with better effects and similar complications with other surgeries in LDH. However, it also resulted in a higher recurrence rate. Considering the potential limitations in the present study, further large-scale, well-performed randomized trials are needed to verify our findings.     

Nebulized versus invasively delivered surfactant therapy for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Pulmonary surfactant (PS) is commonly used for the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have evaluated the role of nebulized versus invasively delivered PS, yet the results remained inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to conduct this meta-analysis to evaluate the effects and safety of nebulized versus invasively delivered PS in the treatment of NRDS.Methods:We searched PubMed et al databases from inception date to May 15, 2020 for RCTs that compared nebulized vs invasively delivered PS. Two authors independently screened the studies and extracted data from the published articles. Summary odd ratios (OR) or mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for each outcome by means of fixed- or random-effects model.Results:Two RCTs with a total of 95 preterm neonates were identified, with 48 neonates received PS nebulization and 47 neonates undergone invasive PS administration. There was no significant difference in the SpO₂ level (MD = −0.44, 95% CI −6.01 to 5.12) and the A/APaO₂ level (MD = 0.01, 95% CI −0.02 to 0.05) 1 hour after treatment among 2 groups. But the duration of mechanical ventilation in the nebulization groups was significantly less than that of invasive group (MD = −30.70, 95% CI −41.45 to 19.95).Conclusions:Given the limited evidences, the effects and safety of nebulized versus invasively delivered PS still need further verification.     

Effect of perioperative intravenous lidocaine for patients undergoing spine surgery: A meta-analysis and systematic review

Background:Perioperative intravenous lidocaine has been reported to have analgesic and opioid-sparing effects in many kinds of surgery. Several studies have evaluated its use in the settings of spine surgery. The aim of the study is to examine the effect of intravenous lidocaine in patients undergoing spine surgery.Methods:We performed a quantitative systematic review. Databases of PubMed, Medline, Embase database and Cochrane library were investigated for eligible literatures from their establishments to June, 2019. Articles of randomized controlled trials that compared intravenous lidocaine to a control group in patients undergoing spine surgery were included. The primary outcome was postoperative pain intensity. Secondary outcomes included postoperative opioid consumption and the length of hospital stay.Result:Four randomized controlled trials with 275 patients were included in the study. postoperative pain compared with control was reduced at 6 hours after surgery (WMD −0.50, 95%CI, −0.76 to −0.25, P < .001), at 24 hours after surgery (WMD −0.50, 95%CI, −0.70 to −0.29, P < .001) and at 48 hours after surgery (WMD −0.57, 95%CI, −0.96 to −0.17, P = .005). The effect of intravenous lidocaine on postoperative opioid consumption compared with control revealed a significant effect (WMD −15.36, 95%CI, −21.40 to −9.33 mg intravenous morphine equivalents, P < .001).Conclusion:This quantitative analysis of randomized controlled trials demonstrated that the perioperative intravenous lidocaine was effective for reducing postoperative opioid consumption and pain in patients undergoing spine surgery. The intravenous lidocaine should be considered as an effective adjunct to improve analgesic outcomes in patients undergoing spine surgery. However, the quantity of the studies was very low, more research is needed.     

LigaSure hemorrhoidectomy versus the procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background:LigaSure hemorrhoidectomy and the procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) are both relatively new treatments for managing symptomatic hemorrhoids. This review aimed to evaluate and compare their short-term outcomes.Methods:We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database for randomized controlled trials comparing the LigaSure procedure and PPH published in any language from 1998 to October 2013.Results:A total of 5 studies involving 397 participants were included in this review. Pooled analysis showed that the LigaSure procedure was associated with significantly lower recurrence rate [relative risk (RR) = 0.21, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.06 to 0.72, P = .01] and significantly shorter operating time [mean difference (MD) = −6.39, 95% CI: −7.68 to −5.10, P < .001]. The analysis showed no significant difference in postoperative pain between the two techniques (MD = 0.55, 95% CI: −0.15 to 1.25, P = .12] or in time off work or away from normal activity [standard MD = 0.13, 95% CI: −1.80 to 2.06, P = .9]. The two techniques did not show significant differences in postoperative complications or other patient-related outcomes (P > .05).Conclusions:Our review indicates that both LigaSure hemorrhoidectomy and PPH are safe alternatives for the management of hemorrhoids. Available evidence suggests that the LigaSure technique is associated with shorter operating time and lower hemorrhoid recurrence rate, but these conclusions should be further confirmed in large, multicenter randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up.     

The analgesic evaluation of gabapentin for arthroscopy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Introduction:The efficacy of gabapentin for pain management of arthroscopy remains controversial. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the influence of gabapentin versus placebo on the postoperative pain intensity of arthroscopy.Methods:We search PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases through April 2020 for randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of gabapentin versus placebo on pain control of arthroscopy. This meta-analysis is performed using the random-effect model.Results:Five randomized controlled trials are included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with control group for arthroscopy, gabapentin remarkably decreases pain scores at 24 hour (standard mean difference [SMD]=-0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]=-1.15 to -0.02; P = .21), analgesic consumption (SMD = -18.24; 95% CI=-24.61 to -11.88; P < .00001), nausea and vomiting (OR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.21 to 0.84; P = .01), but has no obvious influence on pain scores at 6 h (SMD = −1.30; 95% CI = −2.92 to 0.31; P = .11) or dizziness (OR = 1.12; 95% CI = 0.56 to 2.24; P = .75).Conclusions:Gabapentin is effective for pain control after arthroscopy.     

Effect of liuzijue qigong on patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Backgrounds:Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common, preventable disease of airflow limitation that accounts for the third leading deaths of any disease process in the worldwide. Health benefits of liuzijue qigong (LQG) on patients with stable COPD has been assessed. This study was designed to perform a systemic review and meta-analysis of the effect of Liuzijue breathing exercise on patients with stable COPD.Methods:Published articles from 1970 to December 2020 were conducted using electronic searches. Two independents reviewers conducted data extraction. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies.Results:A total of 16 eligible trials with 1039 patients with stable COPD were identified. Compared with control group, the pool meta-analysis of LQG showed a significant improvement in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (MD = −0.16, 95% CI [0.09, 0.23], P < .00001), FEV1% (MD = 9.71, 95% CI [8.44, 10.98], P < .00001), the ratio of forced expiratory volume to forced vital capacity in the first second (FEV1/FVC [%]) (MD = 4.81, 95% CI [2.12, 7.51], P = .0005), 6 minutes walking distance (6MWD) (MD = 21.89, 95% CI [14.67, 29.11], P < .00001), health-related quality of life (SMD = −0.84, 95% CI [−1.12,-0.55], P < .00001) and modified medical research council dyspnea scale (mMRC) (MD = −0.73, 95% CI [−0.96, −0.50], P < .00001). The observed effect was more pronounced for short term and medium-term duration interventions of study. It also showed improvements in the secondary outcome measures by LQG.Conclusions:In this systematic review and meta-analysis, LQG can improve lung ventilation function, exercise endurance and health-related quality of life of patients with stable COPD.Ethic and dissemination:This study is a systematic review and it does not involve harming to the rights of participants. Ethical approval will not be require for this study. The research results may be published in a peer-reviewed journals.     

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for urinary retention after hysterectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective:The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of urinary retention after hysterectomy in women.Methods:This research searched for 6 database documents, and the deadline is July 23, 2020. This study included a randomized controlled trial of women with urinary retention after hysterectomy. These randomized controlled trials compare acupuncture with bladder function training or other nonacupuncture treatments, and measure urodynamics, effectiveness (BR), and urinary tract infection rates (UIR). Four independent reviewers participated in data extraction and evaluation. Assess the risk of bias in each article, and conduct a meta-analysis according to the type of acupuncture. The result is expressed as a mean difference (MD) or relative risk (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).Results:The meta-analysis contains 12 studies. Most studies indicate low risk or unknown risk, but the GRADE scores of the combined results show low or moderate levels. After the combined analysis, we found that acupuncture versus bladder function exercise and other nonacupuncture therapies can significantly improve the values of post voided residual urine (PVR) (MD = −25.29; 95% CI [−30.45 to −20.73]), maximal cystometric capacity (MD = 39.54; 95% CI [10.30–68.78]), bladder capacity for first voiding desire (MD = −61.98; 95% CI [−90.69 to −33.26]) and maximal flow rate (MFR) (MD = 7.58; 95% CI [5.19–9.97]). And compared with the control group, acupuncture still has advantages in BR (RR = 1.36; 95% CI [1.18–1.56]) and UIR (RR = 0.22; 95% CI [0.08–0.82]). These heterogeneities have been resolved through subgroup analysis, and their main sources are related to different intervention times, the time to start the intervention, and different PVR requirements.Conclusions:There is insufficient evidence that acupuncture can increase the patient''s MFR, BR, and UIR. However, acupuncture can effectively improve the PVR, maximal cystometric capacity, and bladder capacity for first voiding desire values of patients with urinary retention after hysterectomy. Although limited due to the quality and methodological limitations of the included studies, acupuncture can still be used as an effective and safe treatment for women with urinary retention after hysterectomy.Registration:The research has been registered and approved on the PROSPERO website. The registration number is CRD42019119238.     

Efficacy and safety of riociguat in the treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary arterial hypertension: A meta-analysis

Background:Riociguat is a novel soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator, and has been widely used for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Some studies found that riociguat had better effects on CTEPH and proved to be safe, but the results were not utterly consistent. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of riociguat in the treatment of CTEPH.Methods:Randomized controlled trials on riociguat for the treatment of CTEPH were searched through such electronic databases as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China national knowledge internet, and Wanfang. The outcomes included exercise capacity, pulmonary hemodynamics, and side effects. The fixed-effects or random-effects models were used to analyze the pooled data, and heterogeneity was assessed by the I² test.Results:Four studies involving 520 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with the placebo group, riociguat significantly improved the hemodynamic indexes and increased 6-min walking distance (P < .0001, standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.24, 95%CI −0.35 to −0.12; P < .00001, SMD = 0.52, 95%CI 0.33 to 0.71), and decreased the Borg dyspnea score (P = .002, SMD = −0.31, 95%CI −0.51 to −0.12). In addition, riociguat could also significantly reduce the living with pulmonary hypertension scores and increase the EQ-5D scores (P = .01, SMD=−0.23, 95%CI −0.42 to −0.05; P < .00001, SMD = 0.47, 95%CI 0.27 to 0.66), but there was no significant difference in the change level of N-terminal pro-hormone B-type natriuretic peptide in patients with riociguat (P = .20, SMD = −0.24, 95%CI −0.61 to −0.13). The common adverse events of riociguat were dyspepsia and peripheral edema, and no other serious adverse reactions were observed.Conclusions:We confirmed that riociguat had better therapeutic effects in improving the hemodynamic parameters and exercise capacity in patients with CTEPH without inducing serious adverse events. This will provide a reasonable medication regimen for the treatment of CTEPH.     

Arthroscopy versus nonoperative treatment of symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Presently, hip arthroscopy is a widely adopted surgical intervention for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). However, there is insufficient evidence regarding which between arthroscopy and nonoperative treatment is more optimal for symptomatic FAI.Methods:MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched for studies that compared arthroscopy and nonoperative interventions for FAI treatment from inception to August 4, 2020. We included studies that directly compared surgical and nonsurgical treatment for symptomatic FAI and excluded those that did not use arthroscopic treatment as a surgical technique and studies performed on patients with concomitant diagnoses instead of pure FAI. We compared the following clinical outcome scores at 6 and 12 months of follow-up: International Hip Outcome Tool 33 (iHOT-33), hip outcome score (HOS), EuroQol-visual analog scale (EQ-VAS), modified Harris hip score (mHHS), and nonarthritic hip score (NAHS).Results:Five studies totaling 838 patients were included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis; 382 patients underwent hip arthroscopy, and 456 patients were treated by nonoperative interventions. At 6 months of follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences in iHOT-33 ratings (mean difference [MD] = 7.92, P = .15), HOS (MD of HOS-ADL = 5.15, P = .26 and MD of HOS-Sports = 2.65, P = .79, respectively), and EQ-VAS (MD = 1.22, P = .76) between the 2 treatment strategies. At 12 months of follow-up, the arthroscopy group had a greater mean improvement in iHOT-33 score than the conservative treatment group (MD = 8.42, P = .002), but there was no difference between the groups in terms of mHHS rating (MD = −0.24, P = .83) and NAHS (MD = −2.08, P = .09).Conclusion:Despite arthroscopy being associated with significantly superior iHOT-33 scores after 12 months of follow-up, we were unable to discern the difference between the treatment strategies using other scoring methods, such as HOS, EQ-VAS, mHHS, and NAHS. Further studies will be needed to conclusively determine if 1 strategy is superior to the other for treating FAI.     

Treatments of unruptured brain arteriovenous malformations: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:The best therapeutic option for unruptured brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) patients is disputed.Objective:To assess the occurrence of obliteration and complications of patients with unruptured bAVMs after various treatments.Methods:A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and so on to identify studies fulfilling predefined inclusion criteria. Baseline, treatment, and outcomes data were extracted for statistical analysis.Results:We identified 28 eligible studies totaling 5852 patients. The obliteration rates were 98% in microsurgery group (95% confidence interval (CI): 96%–99%, I² = 74.5%), 97% in surgery group (95%CI: 95%–99%, I² = 18.3%), 87% in endovascular treatment group (95%CI: 80%–93%, I² = 0.0%), and 68% in radiosurgery group (95%CI: 66%–69%, I² = 92.0%). The stroke or death rates were 1% in microsurgery group (95%CI: 0%–2%, I² = 0.0%), 0% in surgery group (95%CI: 0%–1%, I² = 0.0%), 4% in endovascular treatment group (95%CI: 0%–8%, I² = 85.8%), and 3% in radiosurgery group (95%CI: 3%–4%, I² = 82.9%). In addition, the proportions of hemorrhage were 2% in microsurgery group (95%CI: 1%–4%, I² = 0.0%), 23% in endovascular treatment group (95%CI: 7%–39%), and 12% in radiosurgery group (95%CI: 12%–13%, I² = 99.2%). As to neurological deficit, the occurrence was 9% in microsurgery group (95%CI: 6%–11%, I² = 94.1%), 20% in surgery group (95%CI: 13%–27%, I² = 0.0%), 14% in endovascular treatment group (95%CI: 10%–18%, I² = 64.0%), and 8% in radiosurgery group (95%CI: 7%–9%, I² = 66.6%).Conclusions:We found that microsurgery might provide lasting clinical benefits in some unruptured bAVMs patients for its high obliteration rates and low hemorrhage. These findings are helpful to provide a reference basis for neurosurgeons to choose the treatment of patients with unruptured bAVMs.     

Comparison of clinical efficacy of robotic right colectomy and laparoscopic right colectomy for right colon tumor: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of robotic right colectomy (RRC) and laparoscopic right colectomy (LRC) in the treatment of right colon tumor.Methods:We systematically searched PubMed, Web of science, EMBASE ClinicalTrials.gov and Cochrane Central Register for studies (studies published between January 2011 and June 2020). The included studies compared the clinical efficacy of RRC and LRC in the treatment of right colon tumor, and analyzed the perioperative data.Results:Our meta-analysis included 10 studies involving 1180 patients who underwent 2 surgical procedures, RRC and LRC. This study showed that compared with LRC, there was no significant difference in first flatus passage (weighted mean difference [WMD]: −0.37, 95% CI: −1.09–0.36, P = .32), hospital length of stay (WMD: −0.23, 95% CI: −0.73–0.28, P = .32), reoperation (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 0.67–4.10, P = .27), complication (OR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.60–1.14, P = .25), mortality (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.02–11.22, P = .63), wound infection (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.34–1.25, P = .20), and anastomotic leak (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.33–1.63, P = .44). This study showed that compared with LRC, the lymph nodes retrieved (WMD: 1.47, 95% CI: −0.00–2.94, P = .05) of RRC were similar, with slight advantages, and resulted in longer operative time (WMD: 65.20, 95% CI: 53.40–77.01, P < .00001), less estimated blood loss (WMD: −13.43, 95% CI: −20.65–6.21, P = .0003), and less conversion to open surgery (OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.17–0.54, P < .0001).Conclusions:RRC is equivalent to LRC with respect to first flatus passage, hospital length of stay, reoperation, complication, and results in less conversion to LRC.     

Pooled-analysis of efficacy and safety of minimally invasive versus standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy

Background:This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy (MPCNL) versus standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients with renal and upper ureteric stones.Methods:We conducted a pooled analysis on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The eligible RCTs were selected from the following databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. The reference lists of retrieved studies were also investigated.Results:Our analysis included 10 RCTs with 1612 patients. Pooled data from 10 RCTs revealed the following: stone-free rate (odds ratio = 1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.12,1.88], P = .004), operative time (mean difference [MD]  = 4.10, 95% CI [–1.37,9.56], P = .14), length of hospital stay (MD = –15.31, 95% CI [–29.43,–1.19], P = .03), hemoglobin decrease (MD = –0.86, 95% CI [–1.19,–0.53], P < .00001), postoperative fever (MD = 0.83, 95% CI [0.49,1.40], P = .49), and urine leakage (MD = 0.59, 95% CI [0.25,1.37], P = .22). Besides, we performed sub-group analysis based on vacuum suction effect and multiple kidney stones. For vacuum suction effect, it revealed the following: stone-free rate in vacuum suction group (P = .007) and in non-vacuum suction group (P = .19). Operative time in vacuum suction group (P = .89), non-vacuum suction group (P = .16). Postoperative fever in vacuum suction group (P = .49), non-vacuum suction group (P = .85).Conclusion:This pooled analysis indicated that MPCNL was a safe and effective method for treating renal stones compared with standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Besides, the vacuum suction effect in MPCNL played a more important role. When it comes to multiple or staghorn stones, the longer operative time in MPCNL could not be ignored.     

Balanced crystalloids versus saline in critically ill patients: The PRISMA study of a meta-analysis

Objective:To compare the safety of balanced crystalloids and saline among critically ill patients in intensive care unit (ICU).Methods:The Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched from the inception dates to May 17, 2020 in order to identify randomized controlled trials which evaluated the safety of balanced crystalloids and saline in critically ill patients. The primary outcome was major adverse kidney events within 30 days (MAKE30). The second outcomes included 30-day mortality, ICU mortality, In-hospital mortality, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, creatinine highest before discharge (mg/dl) and needs for renal replacement therapy (RRT).Results:A total of nine randomized controlled trials involving 19,578 critical ill patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The outcomes of this meta-analysis showed that balanced crystalloids treatment shared the same risk of MAKE30 with saline treatment among critical ill patients [RR = 0.95; 95%CI, 0.88 to 1.01; Z = 1.64 (P = .102)]. The clinical mortality which included 30-day mortality [RR = 0.92; 95%CI, 0.85 to 1.01; Z = 1.78 (P = .075)], ICU mortality [RR = 0.92; 95%CI, 0.83 to 1.02; Z = 1.67 (P = .094)] and In-hospital mortality [RR = 0.93; 95%CI, 0.71 to 1.21; Z = 0.55 (P = .585)] were similar between balanced crystalloids treatment and saline treatment among critical ill patients. Patients who received balanced crystalloids treatment or saline treatment needed the same length of ICU stay [WMD = 0.00; 95%CI, −0.09 to 0.10; Z = 0.09 (P = .932)] and hospital stay [WMD = 0.59; 95%CI, −0.33 to 1.51; Z = 1.26 (P = .209)]. Critical ill patients who received balanced crystalloids treatment or saline treatment had the same level of creatinine highest before discharge [WMD = 0.01; 95%CI, −0.02 to 0.04; Z = 0.76 (P = .446)] and needs for RRT [RR = 1.04; 95%CI, 0.75 to 1.43; Z = 0.21 (P = .830)]. Similar results were obtained in subgroups of trials stratified according to the age of patients (children or adults).Conclusions:When compared with saline, balanced crystalloids could not reduce the risk of MAKE30, 30-day mortality, ICU mortality and in-hospital mortality, could not reduce the length of ICU stay, length of hospital stay, the level of creatinine highest before discharge and the needs for RRT among critical ill children and adults. Therefore, it was still too early for balanced crystalloids to replace normal saline among critical ill patients.     

Efficacy and Safety of Bisphosphonates for Low Bone Mineral Density After Kidney Transplantation: A Meta-Analysis

In patients with low bone mineral density (BMD) after kidney transplantation, the role of bisphosphonates remains unclear. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy and safety of bisphosphonates.We retrieved trials from PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from inception through May 2015. Only randomized controlled trials that compared bisphosphonate-treated and control groups of patients with low bone mineral density after kidney transplantation were included. The primary outcomes were the percent change in BMD, the absolute change in BMD, and the BMD at the end of study at the lumbar spine. The results were expressed as the mean difference (MD) or relative risk (RR) with the 95% confidence interval (CI). We used a random-effects model to pool the outcomes.We included 17 randomized controlled trials with 1067 patients. Only 1 included trial was found to be at low risk of bias. The rest of the included studies were found to have high to uncertain risk of bias. Compared with the control group, those who received bisphosphonates had a significant increase in percent change in BMD (mean difference [MD] = 5.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.22–7.79, P < 0.00001) and absolute change in BMD (MD = 0.05, 95% CI 0.04–0.05, P < 0.00001), but a nonsignificant increase in BMD at the end of the study (MD = 0.02, 95% CI −0.01 to 0.05, P = 0.25) at the lumbar spine. Bisphosphonates resulted in a significant improvement in percent change in BMD (MD = 4.95, 95% CI 2.57–7.33, P < 0.0001), but a nonsignificant improvement in absolute change in BMD (MD = 0.03, 95% CI −0.00 to 0.06, P = 0.07) and BMD at the end of the study (MD = −0.01, 95% CI −0.04 to 0.02, P = 0.40) at the femoral neck. No significant differences were found in vertebral fractures, nonvertebral fractures, adverse events, and gastrointestinal adverse events.Bisphosphonates appear to have a beneficial effect on BMD at the lumbar spine and do not significantly decrease fracture events in recipients. However, the results should be interpreted cautiously due to the lack of robustness and the heterogeneity among studies.