Chemotherapy‐induced alopecia (CIA) is a highly distressing event for cancer patients, and hence, we here aimed to assess the efficacy of various interventions in the prevention of CIA. We searched ...PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library, from June 20, 2013 through August 31, 2013. Two of the authors independently reviewed and selected clinical trials that reported the efficacy of any intervention for prevention of CIA compared with that of controls. Two authors extracted data independently on dichotomized outcome in terms of CIA occurrence. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidential intervals (CIs) were calculated for efficacy of CIA prevention by using random‐effect or fixed‐effect models. Out of 691 articles retrieved, a total of eight randomized controlled trials and nine controlled clinical trials involving 1,098 participants (616 interventions and 482 controls), were included in the final analyses. Scalp cooling, scalp compression, a combination of cooling and compression, topical minoxidil and Panicum miliaceum were used as interventions. The participants were mainly breast cancer patients receiving doxorubicin‐ or epirubicin‐containing chemotherapy. Scalp cooling, which is the most popular preventive method, significantly reduced the risk of CIA (RR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.32–0.45), whereas topical 2% minoxidil and other interventions did not significantly reduce the risk of CIA. No serious adverse effects associated with scalp cooling were reported. Our results suggest that scalp cooling can prevent CIA in patients receiving chemotherapy. However, the long‐term safety of scalp cooling should be confirmed in further studies.
What's new?
Hair loss (alopecia) is a highly distressing side effect of chemotherapy. The authors performed a first meta‐analysis of different interventions published in the literature, involving more than 1000 participants, most often women with breast cancer treated with doxirubicin‐ or epirubicin‐containing chemotherapy. They found that scalp cooling, a popular intervention, significantly reduced the risk of chemotherapy‐induced alopecia (CIA) while other methods did not have a significant effect. These data underscore the efficacy of scalp cooling as a preventative treatment of CIA but the authors urge that more studies be conducted to establish the long‐term safety of the method.
Previous prospective studies have reported inconsistent findings on the association between coffee consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). This study aimed to investigate their ...association using a meta-analysis of prospective studies. We searched PubMed and EMBASE for prospective cohort studies of the association between coffee consumption and the risk of CHD in the general population. We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis and also subgroup meta-analyses by various factors. Of 870 studies searched from databases, 32 prospective cohort studies were included in the final analysis. In the main meta-analysis of all studies, no significant association between coffee consumption and the risk of CHD was observed (relative risk RR 1.05, 95% confidence interval CI 0.97 to 1.14, I2 = 64.9%). In the subgroup meta-analyses by gender, coffee consumption significantly increased the risk of CHD in men (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.35, n = 17), whereas a nonsignificantly decreased risk of CHD was observed in women (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.08, n = 11). Also, in the subgroup meta-analyses by follow-up period, coffee consumption significantly increased the risk of CHD in the follow-up of 20 years or longer (RR 1.16, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.27, n = 4) regardless of gender. In conclusion, in the current meta-analysis of prospective studies, we found that, overall, no significant association between coffee consumption and the risk of CHD was observed. However, coffee consumption showed a differential effect by gender, with an increased risk of CHD in men and a potentially decreased risk in women.
Though emerging evidence indicates that the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease is strongly correlated to the accumulation
and transmission
of α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates in the midbrain, no ...anti-aggregation agents have been successful at treating the disease in the clinic. Here, we show that graphene quantum dots (GQDs) inhibit fibrillization of α-syn and interact directly with mature fibrils, triggering their disaggregation. Moreover, GQDs can rescue neuronal death and synaptic loss, reduce Lewy body and Lewy neurite formation, ameliorate mitochondrial dysfunctions, and prevent neuron-to-neuron transmission of α-syn pathology provoked by α-syn preformed fibrils
. We observe, in vivo, that GQDs penetrate the blood-brain barrier and protect against dopamine neuron loss induced by α-syn preformed fibrils, Lewy body/Lewy neurite pathology and behavioural deficits.
Summary
Previous randomized controlled trials have reported inconsistent findings regarding the effects of high-dose vitamin D supplementation on a risk of falls and fractures. This meta-analysis of ...15 trials shows that intermittent or single high-dose vitamin D supplementation had no preventive effect on the risk of falls and fractures and might even increase the risk of falls.
Purpose
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have reported controversial findings regarding the associations between intermittent or single high-dose vitamin D supplementation and a risk of falls and fractures in adults. This study aimed to investigate those associations using a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Methods
We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library from inception to May 25, 2022. Data were extracted for a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate a pooled relative risk (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).
Results
Out of 527 articles
,
a total of 15 RCTs were included in the final analysis. In a meta-analysis of RCTs, intermittent or single high-dose vitamin D supplementation showed no significant beneficial effect in the prevention of either falls (RR, 1.03 95% CI, 0.98–1.09;
I
2
= 56.6%;
n
= 11) or fractures (RR, 0.99 95% CI, 0.87–1.14;
I
2
= 48.3%;
n
= 11). Among the subgroup meta-analyses by various factors, intermittent or single high-dose vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of fractures in the subgroup meta-analysis of RCTs that included fewer than 1000 participants (RR, 0.74 95% CI 0.57–0.96;
I
2
= 0.0%;
n
= 5). However, its beneficial effect was not observed in those including 1000 or more participants (RR, 1.06 95% CI 0.92–1.21;
I
2
= 57.5%;
n
= 6). In contrast, intermittent or single high-dose vitamin D3 supplementation increased the risk of falls on the borderline of statistical significance (RR, 1.06 95% CI 0.99–1.15; P = 0.051;
I
2
= 50.0%;
n
= 7).
Conclusions
Intermittent or single high-dose vitamin D supplementation had no preventive effect on the risk of falls and fractures and might even increase the risk of falls.
We performed a meta‐analysis to compare diagnostic performances of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET or PET/CT), for detection of ...metastatic lymph nodes in patients with cervical cancer. We searched MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE and the Cochrane Review database in December 2007. All articles were independently reviewed and selected by three evaluators. We estimated a summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curve. The area under the curve (AUC), Q*, and pooled weighted estimates of sensitivity and specificity for each modality by patient‐based and region‐ or node‐based data analyses and conducted pair‐wise comparisons between modalities using the two‐sample Z‐test. Forty‐one of 768 initially identified studies were included in the meta‐analysis. In a patient‐based data analysis, PET or PET/CT showed the highest pooled sensitivity (82%) and specificity (95%), while CT showed 50% and 92%; and MRI, 56% and 91%, respectively. The AUC (0.9641) and Q* (0.9106) of PET or PET/CT were significantly higher than those of MRI (AUC = 0.8270; Q* = 0.7599), both P < 0.001. In region‐ or node‐based data analysis, sensitivities of CT (52%) and PET or PET/CT (54%) were higher than that of MRI (38%), P < 0.02 and P < 0.001, respectively, while specificities of MRI (97%) and PET or PET/CT (97%) were higher than that of CT (92%), both P < 0.001. The AUC and Q* showed no significant difference among CT, MRI, and PET or PET/CT. PET or PET/CT had an overall higher diagnostic performance than did CT or MRI in detecting metastatic lymph nodes in patients with cervical cancer. (Cancer Sci 2010)
There remain inconclusive findings from previous observational epidemiological studies on whether consumption of artificially sweetened soft drinks (ASSD) increases the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) ...cancer. We investigated the associations between the consumption of ASSD and the risk of GI cancer using a meta-analysis.
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
PubMed and EMBASE were searched using keywords until May 2020 to identify observational epidemiological studies on the association between the consumption of ASSD and the risk of GI cancer.
Twenty-one case-control studies and seventeen cohort studies with 12 397 cancer cases and 2 474 452 controls.
In the random-effects meta-analysis of all the studies, consumption of ASSD was not significantly associated with the risk of overall GI cancer (OR/relative risk (RR), 1·02; 95 % CI, 0·92, 1·14). There was no significant association between the consumption of ASSD and the risk of overall GI cancer in the subgroup meta-analyses by study design (case-control studies: OR, 0·95; 95 % CI, 0·82, 1·11; cohort studies: RR, 1·14; 95 % CI, 0·97, 1·33). In the subgroup meta-analysis by type of cancer, consumption of ASSD was significantly associated with the increased risk of liver cancer (OR/RR, 1·28; 95 % CI, 1·03, 1·58).
The current meta-analysis of observational epidemiological studies suggests that overall, there is no significant association between the consumption of ASSD and the risk of GI cancer.
Aim
The aim is to assess the effect of desensitizing toothpaste on dentin hypersensitivity.
Methods
We searched PubMed, CENTRAL, and Embase on December 20, 2013.
Results
Out of the 626 articles ...searched, a total of 31 randomized controlled clinical trials were included. The Standardized mean differences (SMD) for potassium‐containing toothpaste (n = 8) was −1.28 (95% Confidence interval (CI) −2.05 to −0.51; I2 = 93%); Stannous fluoride‐ (n = 6) was −1.37 (95% CI, −2.30 to −0.44; I2 = 95%); Potassium and stannous fluoride‐ (n = 3) was −2.50 (95% CI, −4.10 to −0.91; I2 = 95%); Calcium sodium phosphosilicate‐ (n = 4) was −2.36 (95% CI, −3.72 to −1.00; I2 = 92%); Arginine‐ (n = 8) was −3.25 (95% CI, −3.87 to −2.63; I2 = 86%). The desensitizing effect was favoured in the intervention group treated with potassium‐, stannous fluoride‐, potassium and stannous fluoride‐, calcium sodium phosphosilicate‐, and arginine‐containing toothpaste compared to placebo. Whereas, strontium‐containing toothpaste (SMD, 0.05; 95% CI, −0.34 to 0.44; I2 = 64%) was found to have no statistically significant desensitizing effect in the meta‐analysis of four studies.
Conclusions
The study reports that there is sufficient evidence to support the use of potassium‐, stannous fluoride‐, potassium and stannous fluoride‐, calcium sodium phosphosilicate‐, and arginine‐containing desensitizing toothpastes for dentin hypersensitivity, but not the use of strontium‐containing desensitizing toothpaste.
Previous observational studies have focused on the link between type 2 diabetes and the risk of cancer. However, the association between type 1 diabetes and the risk of cancer has not been well ...addressed. This study aimed to investigate the association between type 1 diabetes and the risk of cancer by using a meta-analysis of observational studies.
We searched PubMed and EMBASE for observational studies that examined the association between type 1 diabetes and cancer in April 2017. We calculated the pooled odds ratios (ORs) or relative risks (RRs) with confidence intervals (CIs) from individual studies based on a random-effects model meta-analysis.
We included a total of 15 observational studies with two case-control studies and 13 cohort studies involving 31 893 cancer patients among a total of 1 915 179 participants in the final analysis. In the random-effects meta-analysis of all studies, patients with type 1 diabetes had an increased risk of cancer (OR or RR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.09-1.52; n = 15; I2 = 95.2%). In the subgroup meta-analysis by type of cancer, type 1 diabetes significantly increased the risk of cancers of stomach, lung, pancreas, liver, ovary and kidney, whereas it significantly decreased the risk of breast cancer (OR or RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.86-0.95; n = 9; I2 = 0%).
This meta-analysis suggests that type 1 diabetes is associated with the increased risk of several types of cancer and the decreased risk of breast cancer. However, the plausible mechanisms for the decreased risk of breast cancer remain unclear. Further prospective studies with proper adjustment for possible confounding factors are warranted.
This study aimed to assess whether night shift work is associated with the risk of depression by using a meta-analysis of observational studies. We searched PubMed and EMBASE in August, 2016 to ...locate eligible studies and investigated the association between night shift work and the risk of depression, reporting outcome measures with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) or relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In the meta-analysis of a total of 11 observational studies with 9 cross-sectional study, 1 longitudinal study, and 1 cohort study, night shift work was significantly associated with an increased risk of depression (OR/RR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.24-1.64; I² = 78.0%). Also, subgroup meta-analyses by gender, night shift work duration, type of occupation, continent, and type of publication showed that night shift work was consistently associated with the increased risk of depression. The current meta-analysis suggests that night shift work is associated with the increased risk of depression. However, further large prospective cohort studies are needed to confirm this association.
Background and Objectives: Previous prospective studies have reported inconsistent findings on the association between obesity and mortality in patients with COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate ...the association be- tween them by using a meta-analysis of prospective studies. Methods and Study Design: We searched PubMed and EMBASE to retrieve studies using keywords related to this topic on January 3, 2022. Data were extracted for a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate a pooled odds ratio (OR), relative risk (RR), or hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: In the meta-analysis of 15 prospective cohort studies, obesity significantly increased the risk of mortality in patients with COVID-19 (OR/RR/HR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.26 to 1.84; I2 equivalent 90.4%). Most of the included studies were conducted in European (n equivalent 10) and North American (n equivalent 4) countries. In the subgroup meta-analysis by continent, there was a significant association between them in European countries (OR/RR/HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.30 to 2.43; I2 equivalent 81.4%). Also, in the subgroup meta-analysis by data source, obesity was significantly associated with the increased mortality in patients with COVID-19 in both population-and hospital-based data. Conclusions: We found that obesity is associated with the increased risk of mortality in patients of COVID-19.
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