我国居民糖尿病与脑卒中的关系——Metaanalysis

采用随机效应模型 (D -L法 )对检索到的国内 1 1篇有关糖尿病与脑卒中关系的研究文献进行综合定量分析 ,以评价二者之间的联系。结果总合并比值比 ( 95%可信区间 )为 3 3 9%( 2 2 7～ 5 0 6) ;按脑卒中类型分层合并分析 ,结果糖尿病与缺血性和出血性脑卒中联系的比值比分别为 4 56( 3 2 5～ 6 4 0 )和 2 79( 0 79～ 9 82 )。文中对该研究结果及本次Meta

Diabetes mellitus carries a risk of gastric cancer:A metaanalysis

AIM:To investigate the association and quantify the relationship between diabetes mellitus(DM) and gastric cancer(GC) by an updated meta-analysis.METHODS:The initial PubMed search identified 1233publications. Studies not reporting GC or those not reporting actual number of GC were excluded. Twelve pertinent studies were retrieved from the PubMed database or from a manual search and considered for the meta-analysis. Pooled risk ratios and 95%CI were estimated by a random-effects model. Subgroup analysis was performed according to gender or geographical regions. Heterogeneity and publication bias were evaluated by I2and funnel plot analysis,respectively.RESULTS:DM was significantly associated with GC with a RR of 1.41(P = 0.006)(95%CI:1.10-1.81).Subgroup analyses revealed that both sexes showed a significant association with GC,with a greater magnitude of risk in females(RR = 1.90; 95%CI:1.27-2.85;P = 0.002) than in males(RR = 1.24; 95%CI:1.08-1.43;P = 0.002). In addition,the link between DM and GC was significant in East Asian DM patients(RR = 1.77;95%CI:1.38-2.26; P < 0.00001) but not in Western DM patients(RR = 1.23; 95%CI:0.90-1.68; P = 0.2).There was no evidence of publication bias,but the results indicated significant heterogeneity.CONCLUSION:This updated meta-analysis has provided evidence of positive DM-GC associations. The limited information on potentially important clinical confounding factors in each study deserves further investigation.

Prophylactic intra-peritoneal drain placement following pancreaticoduodenectomy:A systematic review and metaanalysis

AIM:To conduct a meta-analysis comparing outcomes after pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD)with or without prophylactic drainage.METHODS:Relevant comparative randomized and nonrandomized studies were systemically searched based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.Postoperative outcomes were compared between patients with and those without routine drainage.Pooled odds ratios(OR)with 95%CI were calculated using either fixed effects or random effects models.RESULTS:One randomized controlled trial and four non-randomized comparative studies recruiting 1728patients were analyzed.Patients without prophylactic drainage after PD had significantly higher mortality(OR=2.32,95%CI:1.11-4.85;P=0.02),despite the fact that they were associated with fewer overall complications(OR=0.62,95%CI:0.48-0.82;P=0.00),major complications(OR=0.75,95%CI:0.60-0.93;P=0.01)and readmissions(OR=0.77,95%CI:0.60-0.98;P=0.04).There were no significant differences in the rates of pancreatic fistula,intraabdominal abscesses,postpancreatectomy hemorrhage,biliary fistula,delayed gastric emptying,reoperation or radiologic-guided drains between the two groups.CONCLUSION:Indiscriminate abandonment of intraabdominal drainage following PD is associated with greater mortality,but lower complication rates.Future randomized trials should compare routine vs selective drainage.

Who benefits from percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale vs medical therapy for stroke prevention? In-depth and updated metaanalysis of randomized trials

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 vs medical therapy in different groups of patients presenting with stroke, we performed this meta-analysis of RCTs.METHODS Electronic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, CINAHL and ProQuest Central and manual search were performed from inception through September 2018 for RCTs. Ischemic stroke(IS), transient ischemic attack(TIA), a composite of IS, TIA and systemic embolism(SE), mortality, major bleeding,atrial fibrillation(AF) and procedural complications were the major outcomes.Random-effects model was used to perform analyses.RESULTS Meta-analysis of 6 RCTs including 3560 patients showed that the PFOC,compared to medical therapy reduced the risk of IS [odds ratio: 0.34; 95%confidence interval: 0.15-0.78; P = 0.01] and the composite of IS, TIA and SE [0.55(0.32-0.93); P = 0.02] and increased the AF risk [4.79(2.35-9.77); P < 0.0001]. No statistical difference was observed in the risk of TIA [0.86(0.54-1.38); P = 0.54],mortality [0.74(0.28-1.93); P = 0.53] and major bleeding [0.81(0.42-1.56); P = 0.53]between two strategies. Subgroup analyses showed that compared to medical therapy, PFOC reduced the risk of stroke in persons who were males, ≤ 45 years of age and had large shunt or atrial septal aneurysm.CONCLUSION In certain groups of patients presenting with stroke, PFOC is beneficial in preventing future stroke compared to medical therapy.

Prognostic value of c-Met in colorectal cancer:A metaanalysis

AIM: To assess the prognostic value of c-Met status in colorectal cancer. METHODS: We conducted a search in Pub Med, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library covering all published papers up to July 2014. Only studies assessing survival in colorectal cancer by c-Met status were included. This meta-analysis was performed by using STATA11.0.RESULTS: Ultimately, 11 studies were included in this analysis. Meta-analysis of the hazard ratios(HR)indicated that patients with high c-Met expression have a significantly poorer overall survival(OR)(HR = 1.33, 95%CI: 1.06-1.59) and progression-free survival(PFS)(HR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.03-1.91). Subgroup analysis showed a significant association between high c-Met expression and poorer overall survival in the hazard ratio reported(HR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.08-1.74).CONCLUSION: The present meta-analysis indicated that high c-Met expression was associated with poor prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer.

Sleep-associated movement disorders and the risk of cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and metaanalysis

AIM:To investigate whether an association exists between sleep-associated movement disorders and cardiovascular disease(CVD).METHODS:Several studies have observed the relationship of sleep-associated movement disorders such as restless legs syndrome(RLS)and periodic limb movements during sleep with CVD,but the results were still contradictory.We performed an extensive literature search on Pub Med,Medline and Web of Science published from inception to December 2014.Additional studies were manually searched from bibliographies of retrieved studies.Meta-analyses were conducted with Stata version 12.0(Stata Corp,College Station,Texas).Pooled odds ratios(ORs)and 95%CIs were calculated to assess the strength of association using the random effects model.Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed to explore the underlying sources of heterogeneity.The publication bias was detected using Egger’s test and Begg’s test.RESULTS:A total of 781 unique citations were indentified from electronic databases and 13 articles in English were finally selected.Among these studies,nine are cohort studies;two are case-control studies;and two are cross-sectional studies.The results showed that the summary OR of CVD associated with sleepassociated movement was 1.51(95%CI:1.29-1.77)in a random-effects model.There was significant heterogeneity between individual studies(P for heterogeneity=0.005,I2=57.6%).Further analysis revealed that a large-scale cohort study may account for this heterogeneity.A significant association was also found between RLS and CVD(OR=1.54,95%CI:1.24-1.92).In a fixed-effects model,we determined a significant relationship between sleep-associatedmovement disorders and coronary artery disease(CAD)(OR=1.34,95%CI:1.16-1.54;P for heterogeneity=0.210;I2=30.0%).Our meta-analysis suggests that sleep-associated movement disorders are associated with prevalence of CVD and CAD.CONCLUSION:This finding indicates that sleep-associated movement disorders may prove to be predictive of underlying CVD.

Efficacy and safety of transhepatic arterial chemoembolization with drug-loaded microspheres in unresectable primary liver cancer

BACKGROUND Transhepatic arterial chemoembolization(TACE),as a local treatment,has been widely used in the treatment of unresectable liver cancer.The introduction of drug carrier microspheres has brought new hope for the therapeutic effect of TACE.Microspheres can realize the slow release and directional delivery of drugs,reduce systemic toxicity and improve local curative effect.AIM To compare the effectiveness of traditional transcatheter arterial chemoembolization against microsphere-assisted transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma that is incurable.METHODS We searched the PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,and CNKI databases for clinical trials of drug-luting beads TACE(DEB-TACE)vs conventional TACE(cTACE)for the treatment of unresectable liver cancer.We screened references based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and then selected valid data for meta-analysis using RevMan 53 software.The complete response(CR)rate,partial response(PR)rate,postoperative stable disease(SD)rate,and 6-month and 12-month survival rates were compared.RESULTS A total of 12 articles were included,including 1177 patients,519 of whom received DEB-TACE and 658 of whom received cTACE.The CR rate in the DEB-TACE group was much greater than that in the cTACE group[relative risk(RR)=1.42,95%CI:1.18-1.72,P=0.0002].The 12-month survival rate significantly increased(RR=1.09;95%CI:1.01-1.17,P=0.03);the PR rate(RR=1.13;95%CI:0.97-1.30,P=0.12);the SD rate(RR=0.82;95%CI:0.64-1.05,P=0.12);and the 6-month survival rate(RR=1.05;95%CI:1.00-1.10,P=0.07).There was no significant difference(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Compared with those of iodized oil TACE,the drug-loaded microspheres tended to have therapeutic advantages.

Efficacy and safety analysis of continued nursing of complications in discharged patients after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage

BACKGROUND Percutaneous hepatobiliary drainage(PTCD)is an effective method for the treatment of biliary obstruction and other diseases,but postoperative complications are still one of the important problems faced by patients.Continuous nursing is a comprehensive nursing model that plays an important role in postoperative recovery.The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of continuous nursing on the incidence of complications in patients after PTCD surgery through meta-analysis and to evaluate its efficacy and safety.AIM To evaluate the effect of extended nursing on the incidence of complications in discharged patients after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD).METHODS Randomized controlled studies on PTBD postdischarge extended care were identified in the CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,CBM,PubMed,Cochrane Library,Embase,Web of Science,and other databases.The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute of Australia literature quality evaluation tool,and a meta-analysis of the included studies was performed with RevMan 5.4 software.RESULTS Finally,9 studies were included,with a total sample size of 854 patients(425 patients in the control group and 429 patients in the intervention group).Meta-analysis revealed that extended care effectively reduced biliary tract infection(RR:0.42,95%CI:0.30-0.57),puncture wound infection(RR:0.19,95%CI:0.06-0.65),catheter protrusion or displacement in discharged patients after PTBD(RR:0.31,95%CI:0.18-0.54),catheter blockage(RR:0.23,95%CI:0.13-0.42),skin infection around the drainage tube(RR:0.30,95%CI:0.12-0.77),and catheter-related readmissions(RR:0.34,95%CI:0.18-0.65)(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Compared with conventional discharge care,extended care can effectively reduce the occurrence of complications such as biliary tract infection,puncture wound infection,catheter prolapse or displacement,catheter blockage,skin infection around the drainage tube,and catheter-related readmission in discharged patients after PTBD.

Enhancing ulcerative colitis treatment with traditional Chinese medicine

Inflammatory bowel disease,particularly ulcerative colitis(UC),poses significant treatment challenges due to its chronic nature and potential for severe complications.This editorial reviews a recent network meta-analysis that evaluated the efficacy of and highlighted the superior outcomes achieved by combining each of five traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)formulations with mesalazine for the adjuvant treatment of UC.Clinical outcomes included enhanced mucosal healing,improved quality of life,and reduced recurrence rates.Additionally,the combination therapy resulted in a lower incidence of adverse reactions compared with mesalazine monotherapy.Despite these promising results,limitations such as variability in study quality and TCM dosage highlight the need for further highquality,large-sample,multicenter randomized controlled trials.This editorial underscores the potential of TCM in enhancing UC management and calls for more rigorous research to substantiate these findings and refine clinical guidelines.

Prognostic factors associated with gastrointestinal dysfunction after gastrointestinal tumor surgery:A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Explore the risk factors of gastrointestinal dysfunction after gastrointestinal tumor surgery and to provide evidence for the prevention and intervention of gastrointestinal dysfunction in patients with gastrointestinal tumor surgery.AIM To investigate the potential risk factors for gastrointestinal dysfunction following gastrointestinal tumor surgery and to present information supporting the prevention and management of gastrointestinal dysfunction in surgery patients.METHODS Systematically searched the relevant literature from PubMed,Web of Science,Cochrane Library,Embase,CNKI,China Biomedical Database,Wanfang Database,and Weipu Chinese Journal Database self-established until October 1,2022.Review Manager 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis after two researchers independently screened literature,extracted data,and evaluated the risk of bias in the included studies.RESULTS A total of 23 pieces of literature were included,the quality of which was medium or above,and the total sample size was 43878.The results of meta-analysis showed that the patients were male(OR=1.58,95%CI:1.25-2.01,P=0.002)and≥60 years old(OR=2.60,95%CI:1.76-2.87,P<0.001),physical index≥25.3 kg/m2(OR=1.6,95%CI:1.00-1.12,P=0.040),smoking history(OR=1.89,95%CI:1.31-2.73,P<0.001),chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(OR=1.49,95%CI:1.22-1.83,P<0.001),enterostomy(OR=1.47,95%CI:1.26-1.70,P<0.001),history of abdominal surgery(OR=2.90,95%CI:1.67-5.03,P<0.001),surgical site(OR=1.2,95%CI:1.40-2.62,P<0.001),operation method(OR=1.68,95%CI:1.08-2.62,P=0.020),operation duration(OR=2.65,95%CI:1.92-3.67,P<0.001),abdominal adhesion grade(OR=2.52,95%CI:1.90-3.56,P<0.001),postoperative opioid history(OR=5.35,95%CI:3.29-8.71,P<0.001),tumor TNM staging(OR=2.58,95%CI:1.84-3.62,P<0.001),postoperative blood transfusion(OR=2.92,95%CI:0.88-9.73,P=0.010)is a risk factor for postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction in patients with gastrointestinal tumors.CONCLUSION There are many factors affecting gastrointestinal dysfunction in gastrointestinal patients after surgery.Clinical staff should identify relevant risk factors early and implement targeted intervention measures on the basis of personalized assessment to improve the clinical prognosis of patients.

Evaluating effectiveness and safety of combined percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage and laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis patients:Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Acute cholecystitis(AC)is a common disease in general surgery.Laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC)is widely recognized as the"gold standard"surgical procedure for treating AC.For low-risk patients without complications,LC is the recommended treatment plan,but there is still controversy regarding the treatment strategy for moderate AC patients,which relies more on the surgeon's experience and the medical platform of the visiting unit.Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder puncture drainage(PTGBD)can effectively alleviate gallbladder inflammation,reduce gallbladder wall edema and adhesion around the gallbladder,and create a"time window"for elective surgery.AIM To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of LC or PTGBD combined with LC for treating AC patients,providing a theoretical basis for choosing reasonable surgical methods for AC patients.METHODS In this study,we conducted a clinical investigation regarding the combined use of PTGBD tubes for the treatment of gastric cancer patients with AC.We performed searches in the following databases:PubMed,Web of Science,EMBASE,Cochrane Library,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,and Wanfang Database.The search encompassed literature published from the inception of these databases to the present.Subsequently,relevant data were extracted,and a meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software.RESULTS A comprehensive analysis was conducted,encompassing 24 studies involving a total of 2564 patients.These patients were categorized into two groups:1371 in the LC group and 1193 in the PTGBD+LC group.The outcomes of the meta-analysis revealed noteworthy disparities between the PTGBD+LC group and the LC group in multiple dimensions:(1)Operative time:Mean difference(MD)=17.51,95%CI:9.53-25.49,P<0.01;(2)Conversion to open surgery rate:Odds ratio(OR)=2.95,95%CI:1.90-4.58,P<0.01;(3)Intraoperative bleeding loss:MD=32.27,95%CI:23.03-41.50,P<0.01;(4)Postoperative hospital stay:MD=1.44,95%CI:0.14-2.73,P=0.03;(5)Overall postoperative compli-cation rate:OR=1.88,95%CI:1.45-2.43,P<0.01;(6)Bile duct injury:OR=2.17,95%CI:1.30-3.64,P=0.003;(7)Intra-abdominal hemorrhage:OR=2.45,95%CI:1.06-5.64,P=0.004;and(8)Wound infection:OR=0.These find-ings consistently favored the PTGBD+LC group over the LC group.There were no significant differences in the total duration of hospitalization[MD=-1.85,95%CI:-4.86-1.16,P=0.23]or bile leakage[OR=1.33,95%CI:0.81-2.18,P=0.26]between the two groups.CONCLUSION The combination of PTGBD tubes with LC for AC treatment demonstrated superior clinical efficacy and enhanced safety,suggesting its broader application value in clinical practice.

WARM NEEDLING FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND METAANALYSIS

The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of warm needle treatment of osteoarthritis.Fourteen databases were searched from their inception through April 2015.Randomized clinical trials(RCTs)were included if a warm needle was used either as the sole treatment or as a part of a combination therapy for osteoarthritis.Risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane criteria.Of the articles that were identified

GLP-1 receptor agonist for type 2 diabetes mellitus:an overview of systematic reviews/Metaanalysis

Objective To overview the published systematic reviews/Meta-analysis based on the efficacy and safety of GLP-1 receptor agonist in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods A literature search was conducted with The Cochrane Library,Pub Med,EMBASE,CBM,Wanfang Data and CNKI from inception through December 2019.

Timing of surgical operation for patients with intra-abdominal infection:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Intra-abdominal infections(IAIs)is the most common type of surgical infection,with high associated morbidity and mortality rates.In recent years,due to the use of antibiotics,various drug-resistant bacteria have emerged,making the treatment of abdominal infections more challenging.Early surgical exploration can reduce the mortality of patients with abdominal infection and the occurrence of complications.However,available evidence regarding the optimal timing of IAI surgery is still weak.In study,we compared the effects of operation time on patients with abdominal cavity infection and tried to confirm the best timing of surgery.AIM To assess the efficacy of early vs delayed surgical exploration in the treatment of IAI,in terms of overall mortality.METHODS A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed,EMBASE,Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials,Ovid,and ScienceDirect.The systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses method.Based on the timing of the surgical operation,we divided the literature into two groups:Early surgery and delayed surgery.For the early and delayed surgery groups,the intervention was performed with and after 12 h of the initial surgical intervention,respectively.The main outcome measure was the mortality rate.The literature search was performed from May 5 to 20,2021.We also searched the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform search portal and ClinicalTrials.gov on May 20,2021,for ongoing trials.This study was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews.RESULTS We identified nine eligible trial comparisons.Early surgical exploration of patients with IAIs(performed within 12 h)has significantly reduced the mortality and complications of patients,improved the survival rate,and shortened the hospital stay.CONCLUSION Early surgical exploration within 12 h may be more effective for the treatment of IAIs relative to a delayed operation.

Is metaphyseal ulnar shortening osteotomy superior to diaphyseal ulnar shortening osteotomy in the treatment of ulnar impaction syndrome?A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Although metaphyseal ulnar shortening osteotomy(MUSO)is safer for the treatment of ulnar impaction syndrome(UIS)than diaphyseal ulnar shortening osteotomy(DUSO),DUSO is widely used for UIS treatment.AIM To evaluate the effectiveness of DUSO and MUSO for UIS treatment and determine the factors that should be considered when choosing surgical treatment for UIS.METHODS Articles comparing the effectiveness of DUSO and MUSO for UIS treatment were systematically retrieved from MEDLINE(Ovid),PubMed,EMBASE,and Cochrane Library.The demography,incidence of complications,secondary operation rate,postoperative DASH score,wrist pain on the visual analogue scale,and grip strength improvement were also evaluated.In addition,the correlation between the improvement of grip strength and the shortening of osteotomy length of ulna was analyzed.The outcome of the patient was discontinuous,and the odds ratio,risk ratio(RR),and 95%CI were calculated and analyzed via RevMan5.3 software.RESULTS Six studies,including 83 patients receiving MUSO(experimental group)and 112 patients receiving DUSO(control group),were included in the meta-analysis.The second operation rate was significantly higher after DUSO than after MUSO.The DASH scores were slightly lower in the MUSO group than in the DUSO group.The patients receiving MUSO had slightly better pain relief effect than patients receiving DUSO.However,the incidence of complications and improvement of grip strength were not significantly different between the two groups.CONCLUSION Although DUSO and MUSO provide similar effects for UIS,MUSO is associated with a lower secondary operation rate,slightly lower postoperative DASH scores and slightly better pain relief effect than DUSO,indicating that MUSO can effectively be used for UIS treatment.

Enhanced recovery after surgery programs in patients undergoing hepatectomy:A meta-analysis

AIM:To evaluate the impact of enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS) programs in comparison with traditional care on liver surgery outcomes.METHODS:The Pub Med,EMBASE,CNKI and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for randomized controlled trials(RCTs) comparing the ERAS program with traditional care in patients undergoing liver surgery. Studies selected for the meta-analysis met all of the following inclusion criteria:(1) evaluation of ERAS in comparison to traditional care in adult patients undergoing elective open or laparoscopic liver surgery;(2) outcome measures including complications,recovery of bowel function,and hospital length of stay; and(3) RCTs. The following exclusion criteria were applied:(1) the study was not an RCT;(2) the study did not compare ERAS with traditional care;(3) the study reported on emergency,non-elective or transplantation surgery; and(4) the study consisted of unpublished studies with only the abstract presented at a national or international meeting. The primary outcomes were complications. Secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay and time to first flatus.RESULTS:Five RCTs containing 723 patients were included in the meta-analysis. In 10/723 cases,patients presented with benign diseases,while the remaining 713 cases had liver cancer. Of the five studies,three were published in English and two were published in Chinese. Three hundred and fifty-four patients were in the ERAS group,while 369 patients were in the traditional care group. Compared with traditional care,ERAS programs were associated with significantly decreased overall complications(RR = 0.66; 95%CI:0.49-0.88; P = 0.005),grade?Ⅰ?complications(RR = 0.51; 95%CI:0.33-0.79; P = 0.003),and hospitallength of stay [WMD =-2.77 d,95%CI:-3.87-(-1.66); P < 0.00001]. Similarly,ERAS programs were associated with decreased time to first flatus [WMD =-19.69 h,95%CI:-34.63-(-4.74); P < 0.0001]. There was no statistically significant difference in grade Ⅱ-Ⅴ complications between the two groups.CONCLUSION:ERAS is a safe and effective program in liver surgery. Future studies should define the active elements to optimize postoperative outcomes for liver surgery.

Laparoscopic VS open hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM To perform a meta-analysis on laparoscopic hepatectomy VS conventional liver resection for treating hepatolithiasis.METHODS We conducted a systematic literature search on Pub Med,Embase,Web of Science and Cochrane Library,and undertook a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic hepatectomy V S conventional open liver resection for local hepatolithiasis in the left or right lobe. Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes(time,estimated blood loss,blood transfusion rate,postoperative intestinal function recovery time,length of hospital stay,postoperative complication rate,initial residual stone,final residual stone and stone recurrence) were analyzed systematically.RESULTS A comprehensive literature search retrieved 16 publications with a total of 1329 cases. Meta-analysis of these studies showed that the laparoscopic approach for hepatolithiasis was associated with significantly less intraoperative estimated blood loss [weighted mean difference(WMD): 61.56,95% confidence interval(CI): 14.91-108.20,P = 0.01],lower blood transfusion rate [odds ratio(OR): 0.41,95%CI: 0.22-0.79,P = 0.008],shorter intestinal function recovery time(WMD: 0.98,95%CI: 0.47-1.48,P = 0.01),lower total postoperative complication rate(OR: 0.52,95%CI: 0.39-0.70,P < 0.0001) and shorter stay in hospital(WMD: 3.32,95%CI: 2.32-4.32,P < 0.00001). In addition,our results showed no significant differences between the two groups in operative time(WMD: 21.49,95%CI: 0.27-43.24,P = 0.05),residual stones(OR: 0.79,95%CI: 0.50-1.25,P = 0.31) and stone recurrence(OR: 0.34,95%CI: 0.11-1.08,P = 0.07). Furthermore,with subgroups analysis,our results proved that the laparoscopic approach for hepatolithiasis in the left lateral lobe and left side could achieve satisfactory therapeutic effects. CONCLUSION The laparoscopic approach is safe and effective,with less intraoperative estimated blood loss,fewer postoperative complications,reduced length of hospital stay and shorter intestinal function recovery time than with conventional approaches.

Effects of entecavir and lamivudine for hepatitis B decompensated cirrhosis: Meta-analysis

AIM:To compare the effects of entecavir(ETV)and lamivudine(LAM)for the treatment of hepatitis B decompensated cirrhosis using a meta-analysis.METHODS:We conducted a literature search for all eligible studies published prior to May 30,2013 using PUBMED,MEDLINE,EMBASE,the China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),the VIP database,the Wanfang database and the Cochrane Controlled Trial Register.Randomized controlled trials(RCTs)comparing ETV with LAM for the treatment of hepatitis B decompensated cirrhosis were included.The data were analyzed with Review Manager Software 5.0.2.We used RR as an effect measure,and reported its95%CI.The meta-analysis was performed using either a fixed-effect or random-effect model,based on the absence or presence of significant heterogeneity.Two reviewers assessed the risk of bias and extracted data independently and in duplicate.The analysis was executed using the main outcome parameters including hepatitis B virus(HBV)DNA undetectability,HBV DNA level,hepatitis B e antigen(HBeAg)seroconversion,alanine aminotransferase(ALT)level,albumin level,total bilirubin(TBIL)level,prothrombin time activity(PTA)level,Child-Turcotte-Pugh(CTP)score,mortality,drugresistance,and adverse reactions.Meta-analysis of the included trials and subgroup analyses were conducted to examine the association between pre-specified characteristics and the therapeutic effects of the two agents.RESULTS:Thirteen eligible trials(873 patients in total)were included and evaluated for methodological quality and heterogeneity.Of these studies,all had baseline comparability,12 of them reported baseline values of the two treatment groups in detail.Following various treatment durations(12,24,36,48 and>48 wk),both ETV and LAM significantly reduced HBV DNA level,however,reductions were greater in the ETV group(MD=-0.66,95%CI:-0.83-0.50,P<0.00001),(MD=-0.93,95%CI:-1.36-0.51,P<0.0001),(MD=-1.4,95%CI:-1.78-1.01,P<0.00001),(MD=-1.18,95%CI:-1.90-0.46,P=0.001),(MD=-0.14,95%CI:-0.17-0.11,P<0.00001,respectively).At 12,24 and48 wk of treatment,ETV had a significant effect on the rate of HBV DNA undetectability(RR=1.55,95%CI:1.22-1.99,P=0.0004),(RR=1.25,95%CI:1.13-1.38,P<0.0001),(RR=1.2,95%CI:1.10-1.32,P<0.0001,respectively).Although HBeAg seroconversion in the ETV group was more pronounced than that in the LAM group at 24 wk(27.90%vs 26.19%)and 48 wk(31.52%vs 25.00%)of treatment,there was no statistically significant difference between them(RR=1.49,95%CI:0.98-2.28,P=0.07),(RR=1.27,95%CI:0.98-1.65,P=0.07,respectively).Following various treatment durations,both the ETV group and the LAM group showed significantly improved liver function(ALT,AIB,TBIL,PTA and CTP levels)and reduced mortality(ETV 6.37%,LAM 7.89%).The effects in the ETV group(0.33%)were statistically lower than those in the LAM group(14.33%)regarding the rate of drug-resistance(RR=0.1,95%CI:0.04-0.24,P≤0.00001).In addition,no severe adverse reactions were observed in the two treatment groups.CONCLUSION:ETV and LAM significantly improved liver function and reduced mortality.Both drugs produced similar serological responses,and were safe and well tolerated.However,ETV resulted in a better virological response and lower drug-resistance,but is more expensive.

A systematic review of effi cacy and tolerability of mebeverine in irritable bowel syndrome

We evaluated the eff icacy and tolerability of mebeverine, a musculotropic antispasmodic agent, in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and compared its usual dosages by meta-analysis. Medical databases and all relevant literature were searched from 1965 to June 2009 for any placebo-controlled clinical trials of mebeverine, using search terms such as mebeverine, clinical trials, and IBS. Eight randomized trials met our criteria, including six trials that compared mebeverine with placebo and two that compared mebeverine tablets with capsules. These eight trials included 555 patients randomized to receive either mebeverine or placebo with 352 (63%)women and 203 (37%) men in all subtypes of IBS. The pooled relative risk (RR) for clinical improvement of mebeverine was 1.13 (95% CI: 0.59-2.16, P = 0.7056) and 1.33 (95% CI: 0.92-1.93, P = 0.129) for relief of abdominal pain. The efficacy of mebeverine 200 mg compared to mebeverine 135 mg indicated RRs of 1.12 (95% CI: 0.96-1.3, P = 0.168) for clinical or global improvement and 1.08 (95% CI: 0.87-1.34, P = 0.463) for relief of abdominal pain. Thus, mebeverine is mostly well tolerated with no signif icant adverse effects; however, its eff icacy in global improvement of IBS is not statistically signif icant.

FDG-PET in diagnosis, staging and prognosis of pancreatic carcinoma: A meta-analysis

AIM: To investigate the potential role of positron emission tomography (PET) in the diagnosis, staging and prognosis predicting of pancreatic carcinoma (PC). METHODS: A systematic review of relevant literatures in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library was performed. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic and staging studies, and HRs for prognosis predicting studies were pooled. The bivariate model was used for diagnostic studies and the random-effect model for prognostic studies. Heterogeneity between included studies was tested using χ 2 test, and subgroup analysis was performed to explain the heterogeneities. All of the calculations were performed using Stata version 11.0.RESULTS: A total of 39 studies were included. The pooled sensitivity of PET in diagnosing PC (30 studies, 1582 patients), evaluating N stating (4 studies, 101 patients) and liver metastasis (7 studies, 316 patients) were 0.91 (95%CI: 0.88-0.93), 0.64 (95%CI: 0.50-0.76), and 0.67 (95%CI: 0.52-0.79), respectively; and the corresponding specificity was 0.81 (95%CI: 0.75-0.85), 0.81 (95%CI: 0.25-0.85), and 0.96 (95%CI: 0.89-0.98), respectively. In prognosis analysis (6 studies, 198 patients), significant difference of overall survival was observed between high and low standardized uptake value groups (HR = 2.39, 95%CI: 1.57-3.63). Subgroup analysis showed that PET/CT was more sensitive than PET alone in evaluating liver metastasis of PC, 0.82 (95%CI: 0.48-0.98) and 0.67 (95%CI: 0.52-0.79), respectively. CONCLUSION: PET can be used as a valuable diagnostic and predictive tool for PC, but its effect in the staging of PC remains indeterminate.