Limited number of studies have focused on the impact of pollen exposure on asthma. As a part of the EAACI Guidelines on Environment Science, this first systematic review on the relationship of pollen ...exposure to asthma exacerbations aimed to bridge this knowledge gap in view of implementing recommendations of prevention. We searched electronic iPubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases using a set of MeSH terms and related synonyms and identified 73 eligible studies that were included for systemic review. When possible, meta‐analyses were conducted. Overall meta‐analysis suggests that outdoor pollen exposure may have an effect on asthma exacerbation, but caution is needed due to the low number of studies and their heterogeneity. The strongest associations were found between asthma attacks, asthma‐related ED admissions or hospitalizations, and an increase in grass pollen concentration in the previous 2‐day overall in children aged less than 18 years of age. Tree pollen may increase asthma‐related ED visits or admissions lagged up to 7‐day overall in individuals younger than 18 years. Rare data show that among subjects under 18 years of age, an exposure to grass pollen lagged up to 3 days may lower lung function. Further research considering effect modifiers of pollen sensitization, hay fever, asthma, air pollution, green spaces, and pre‐existing medications is urgently warranted to better evaluate the impacts of pollen on asthma exacerbation. Preventive measures in relation to pollen exposure should be integrated in asthma control as pollen increase continues due to climate change.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
To advance oral health policies (OHPs) in the World Health Organization (WHO) African region, barriers to and facilitators for creating, disseminating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating OHPs in ...the region were examined.
Global Health, Embase, PubMed, Public Affairs Information Service Index, ABI/Inform, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, Scopus, Dissertations Global, Google Scholar, WHO's Institutional Repository for Information Sharing (IRIS), the WHO Noncommunicable Diseases Document Repository and the Regional African Index Medicus and African Journals Online were searched. Technical officers at the WHO Regional Office for Africa were contacted. Research studies and policy documents reporting barriers to and facilitators for OHP in the 47 Member States in the WHO African region published between January 2002 and March 2024 in English, French or Portuguese were included. Frequencies were used to summarize quantitative data, and descriptive content analysis was used to code and classify barrier and facilitator statements.
Eighty-eight reports, including 55 research articles and 33 policy documents, were included. The vast majority of the research articles and policy documents were country-specific, but they were lacking for most countries. Frequently mentioned barriers across policy at all stages included financial constraints, a limited and poorly organized workforce, deprioritization of oral health, the absence of health information systems, inadequate integration of oral health services within the overarching health system and limited oral health literacy. Facilitators included a renewed commitment to establishing national OHPs, recognition of a need to diversify the oral health workforce, and an increased understanding of the influence of social determinants of health among oral health care providers.
Most countries lack a country-specific body of evidence to assist policymakers in anticipating barriers to and facilitators for OHPs. The barriers and facilitators relevant to disparate subnational, national, and regional conditions and circumstances must be considered to advance the creation, dissemination, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of OHPs in the WHO African region.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Background
Evidence-informed oral health policies (OHP) can be instrumental in ending the neglect of oral health globally. When appropriately developed and implemented, OHP can improve the efficiency ...of healthcare systems and the quality of health outcomes. However, more than half of the countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) African region do not have an oral health policy or even the existence of a policy in need of additional and more national-specific OHP as part of non-communicable diseases and universal health coverage agendas. The objective of this protocol's study is to determine the barriers to and facilitators for the creation, dissemination, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of OHP in the WHO Africa region.
Methods
We will conduct a systematic search in Global Health, Embase, PubMed, PAIS, ABI/Inform, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, Scopus, databases that index gray literature, and the WHO policy repositories. We will include qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research studies and OHP documents published since January 1, 2002, which address stakeholders' perceptions and experiences regarding barriers to and facilitators for the creation, dissemination, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of OHP in countries part of the WHO African region. We will produce descriptive statistics (frequencies and proportions) for quantitative data and conduct descriptive content analysis for qualitative data.
Discussion
To effectively establish evidence-based OHP in the WHO African region, it is crucial to recognize existing challenges and opportunities for progress. The findings of this review will be relevant for Chief Dental Officers at ministries of health, administrators of dental schools, or academic institutions in the WHO African region and will inform a stakeholder dialogue meeting in Kenya in November of 2023.
Registration
Open Science Framework:
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/9KMWR
Provide a timely, rigorous, and continuously updated summary of the evidence on the role of lopinavir/ritonavir in the treatment of patients with COVID-19.
We conducted searches in the special L·OVE ...(Living OVerview of Evidence) platform for COVID-19, a system that performs regular searches in PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, and other 33 sources. We searched for randomized trials and non-randomized studies evaluating the effect of lopinavir/ritonavir versus placebo or no treatment in patients with COVID-19. Two reviewers independently evaluated potentially eligible studies, according to predefined selection criteria, and extracted data using a predesigned standardized form. We performed meta-analyses using random-effect models and assessed overall certainty in evidence using the GRADE approach. A living, web-based version of this review will be openly available during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our search strategy yielded 862 references. Finally, we identified 12 studies, including two randomized trials, evaluating lopinavir/ritonavir, in addition to standard care versus standard care alone in 250 adult inpatients with COVID-19. The evidence from randomized trials shows lopinavir/ritonavir may reduce mortality (relative risk: 0.77; 95% confidence interval: 0.45 to 1.3; low certainty evidence), but the anticipated magnitude of the absolute reduction in mortality, varies across different risk groups. Lopinavir/ritonavir also had a slight reduction in the risk of requiring invasive mechanical ventilation, developing respiratory failure, or acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, it did not lead to any difference in the duration of hospitalization and may lead to an increase in the number of total adverse effects. The overall certainty of the evidence was low or very low.
For severe and critical patients with COVID-19, lopinavir/ritonavir might play a role in improving outcomes, but the available evidence is still limited. A substantial number of ongoing studies should provide valuable evidence to inform researchers and decision-makers soon.
IntroductionEvidence-informed oral health policies are crucial to improving patient and population outcomes, but policymakers and organisational leaders infrequently systematically incorporate ...research evidence. Although there is indirect evidence regarding challenges in other healthcare sectors, the use of evidence-informed oral health policies remains unstudied in oral health. This study aims to assess policymakers’ perceived needs, barriers and facilitators in using research evidence to inform policies in oral health.Methods and analysisThis is a qualitative study situated within a phenomenological paradigm. We will conduct semistructured interviews with policymakers (5–10) affiliated with key organisations conducting guidance, policy statements, guidelines or any knowledge transfer deliverables in oral health. Organisations will be sampled purposively and with no geographical restrictions. All interviews will be recorded, and an audio transcript will be generated. Subsequently, a researcher will review and validate the transcripts. Data will be analysed using thematic analysis supported by ATLAS.ti software.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval was not sought because the study protocol met the criteria for exemption from such review according to the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau and the Spanish legislation (Law 14/2007 of 3 July, on biomedical research). Informed consent will be obtained from all subjects involved in this study. The findings of this study will be shared with participating organisations for feedback, disseminated in conferences and published in a peer-reviewed journal adopting open science practices.Study registrationOpen Science Framework (DOI:10.17605/OSF.IO/W4KG7).
The evidence on COVID-19 is being produced at high speed, so it is challenging for decision-makers to keep up. It seems appropriate, then, to put into practice a novel approach able to provide the ...scientific community and other interested parties with quality evidence that is actionable, and rapidly and efficiently produced.
We designed a protocol for multiple parallel systematic reviews and overviews of systematic reviews in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P). We will search for primary studies and systematic reviews that answer different questions related to COVID-19 using both a centralized repository (Epistemonikos database) and a manual search in MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We will also search for literature in several other sources. At least two researchers will independently undertake the selection of studies, data extraction, and assessment of the quality of the included studies. We will synthesize data for each question using meta-analysis, when possible, and we will prepare Summary of Findings tables according to the GRADE approach. All the evidence will be organized in an open platform (L·OVE - Living OVerview of Evidence) that will be continuously updated using artificial intelligence and a broad network of experts.
No ethics approval is considered necessary. The results of these articles will be widely disseminated via peer-reviewed publications, social networks, and traditional media, and will be sent to relevant international organizations discussing this topic.
Objectives: We aimed to determine the prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in children and adolescents from four districts of Santiago, Chile by using a six-question subscale from the ...Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders (SRBD) scale, which measures respiratory symptoms while sleeping. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional observational study. The six-question subscale of the SRBD scale was applied to the parents or guardians of the children and adolescents from four educational establishments in different districts of Santiago. Convenience sampling was used. This subscale allowed to divide the sample into two groups: one group with OSA and one at low risk of OSA. In addition, statistical tests were applied to evaluate the variation between gender and age range. Results: Of the total number of subjects (n=838, 4-18 years, mean: 11.3±4.2), 681 were included. According to the six-question subscale, 2.2% (CI 95% 1.64-2.76%) of the sample had OSA. There is a slight predominance in males, without statistically significant difference (p=0.083). In relation to the age of the participants, there was no statistically significant difference (p=0.512).Conclusion: The prevalence of OSA in Chilean children and adolescents was similar to previous reports. The results obtained by the analysis of the six-question subscale of the SRBD scale allow a more accurate detection of OSA. Future research should promote the translation of this questionnaire into the Chilean context and its use throughout the country.
Objetivos: Nuestro objetivo fue determinar la prevalencia de la apnea obstructiva del sueño (AOS) en niños y adolescentes de cuatro distritos de Santiago, Chile mediante el uso de una subescala de seis preguntas de la escala de trastornos respiratorios relacionados con el sueño (Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders, SRBD), que mide los síntomas respiratorios mientras dormido. Material y Métodos: estudio observacional transversal. La subescala de seis preguntas de la escala SRBD se aplicó a los padres o tutores de los niños y adolescentes de cuatro establecimientos educativos en diferentes distritos de Santiago. Se utilizó muestreo de conveniencia. Esta subescala permitió dividir la muestra en dos grupos: un grupo con OSA y otro con bajo riesgo de OSA. Además, se aplicaron pruebas estadísticas para evaluar la variación entre el género y el rango de edad. Resultados: Del número total de sujetos (n=838, 4-18 años, media: 11,3±4,2), se incluyeron 681. Según la subescala de seis preguntas, el 2,2% (IC 95% 1,64-2,76%) de la muestra tenía AOS. Hay un ligero predominio en varones, sin diferencia estadísticamente significativa (p=0,083). En relación con la edad de los participantes, no hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p=0,512). Conclusión: La prevalencia de AOS en niños y adolescentes chilenos fue similar a informes anteriores. Los resultados obtenidos mediante el análisis de la subescala de seis preguntas de la escala SRBD permiten una detección más precisa de OSA. Investigaciones futuras deberían promover la adaptación de este cuestionario al contexto chileno y su uso en todo el país..
Systematic reviews allow health decisions to be informed by the best available research evidence. However, their number is proliferating quickly, and many skills are required to identify all the ...relevant reviews for a specific question.
We screen 10 bibliographic databases on a daily or weekly basis, to identify systematic reviews relevant for health decision-making. Using a machine-based approach developed for this project we select reviews, which are then validated by a network of more than 1000 collaborators. After screening over 1,400,000 records we have identified more than 300,000 systematic reviews, which are now stored in a single place and accessible through an easy-to-use search engine. This makes Epistemonikos the largest database of its kind.
Using a systematic approach, recruiting a broad network of collaborators and implementing automated methods, we developed a one-stop shop for systematic reviews relevant for health decision making.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
The effects and the prescription parameters of therapeutic exercise are not clear. For this reason, is needed to determine the effect of therapeutic exercises on the motor function of ...children with Down Syndrome (DS) aged 0 to 3 years. The present study is systematic review and meta-analysis of effectiveness outcomes in this population: gait, balance, motor development, fine motor skills, and executive functions. The databases of PubMed, PEDro, EMBASE, SCIELO, Lilacs, Cochrane library were searched from January to December 2019. We recruited Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) which met the inclusion criteria in our study. Six studies and 151 participants were included. Two types of therapeutic exercises, aerobic and neuromuscular, were identified. Both types of exercise were effective in improving outcomes. There were no differences between the modes of application of the exercise. No differences were identified between the treadmill and the physiotherapy plan for the reduction of the time to reach independent walking, Mean Difference (MD) 46.79, 95% Confidence Interval (IC) (− 32.60, 126.19), nor for the increase in walking speed MD 0.10 IC (− 0.02, 0.21) m/s. This study suggests that aerobic exercise therapy has a potentially effective role to promote the gait and motor development of children with DS aged 0 to 3 years when it is applied using a treadmill with a frequency of 5 days, a duration of 6–8 min, and an intensity of between 0.2 and 0.5 m/s. Studies with less heterogeneity and larger sample sizes are required.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Carious lesions have traditionally been treated by non-selective (complete or total) removal of carious tissue. However, due to its risks and adverse effects, carious tissue removal techniques have ...been developed, based on the preservation of tooth tissue, including the stepwise removal. The objective of this summary is to clarify the uncertainty about the effectiveness and safety of the stepwise removal technique compared to complete removal.
To answer this question we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by searching multiple sources of information, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from identified reviews, reanalyzed data from primary studies, performed a meta-analysis, and prepared summary tables of results using the GRADE method.
We identified three systematic reviews that included five primary studies, four of them corresponding to randomized trials. We concluded that stepwise removal may reduce the risk of pulp exposure, the risk of signs and symptoms of pulp disease and the risk of restoration failure, but the certainty of the evidence is low.
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