Objective To overview the systematic reviews about the efficacy and safety of respiratory fluoroquinolones for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods We electronically searched databases including China National Knowledge Internet, WanFang Data, VIP, PubMed, Embase and The Cochrane Library to collect systematic reviews or Meta-analyses about respiratory fluoroquinolones for CAP from inception to November 2, 2017. Two reviewers independently screened literatures, extracted data, and then AMSTAR tool was used to assess the methodological quality of included studies. Results A total of 18 systematic reviews/Meta-analyses were included. The results of quality assessment indicated the scores ranged from 5 to 10. Among the 11 items, the item 1 of " Was an ‘a priori’ design provided” and item 4 " Was the status of publication (i.e. grey literature) used as an inclusion criterion” appeared to be the most problematic. The results of overview suggested that: the efficacy of respiratory fluoroquinolones might be similar to β-lactams plus macrolides combination treatment for CAP. However, respiratory fluoroquinolones might be more safety. In addition, the efficacy of respiratory fluoroquinolones sequential therapy for CAP was similar to that of continuous intravenous therapy, but the adverse reactions of the former were fewer. Conclusions Respiratory fluoroquinolones might be similar in efficacy for CAP to other antibiotics recommended by the guidelines with less adverse reactions. However, it can increase multi-drug resistance and potential tuberculosis drug resistance, we should strictly follow the principle of rational use of antibiotics to avoid abuse.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of aerosolized aminoglycoside antibiotics in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) by meta-analysis.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP and Wanfang Data for the Chinese and English literature on aerosolized aminoglycoside antibiotics for VAP until May, 2018. After data extraction and quality evaluation, RevMan 5.2 software was performed for meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 9 randomized controlled trials and a total of 543 patients were included in this study. Compared with patients treated with non-atomized inhaled aminoglycoside antibiotics, meta-analysis showed that aerosol inhalation of amikacin significantly improved the clinical cure rate of patients with VAP ［odds ratio (OR)=2.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.50, 3.75), P=0.000 2］, nebulized tobramycin ［OR=2.30, 95%CI (0.92, 5.78), P=0.08］ and two or more antibiotics ［OR=2.00, 95%CI (0.62, 6.46), P=0.25］ had no significant effect on the clinical cure rate of patients with VAP; aerosolized aminoglycoside antibiotics had no significant effect on mortality of patients ［OR=1.17, 95%CI (0.66, 2.07), P=0.59］ and tracheal spasm rate ［OR=2.39, 95%CI (0.94, 6.11), P=0.07］ and renal dysfunction rate ［OR=0.62, 95%CI (0.32, 1.21), P=0.16］ in patients with VAP.ConclusionInhalation of amikacin can significantly improve the clinical cure rate of patients with VAP, but it can not reduce the mortality rate of patients; the safety of aerosolized aminoglycoside antibiotics is good, and the risk of tracheal spasm and renal function damage in patients with VAP is not increased.
To investigate the mechanisms of hepatic injury after biliary obstruction. After a rat model of complete biliary obstruction(CBO) was induced, hepatocyte mitochondria was isolated and the calcium content of mitochondria, the contents of liver malondialdyhyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), the levels of serum T-Bil, ALT, ALP and GGT were measured in each group. Results: After CBO, mitochondrial calcium content, liver MDA and serum T-Bil, ALT, ALP, GGT became increased progressively, compared with control group (Ｐ＜0.05); the liver SOD was decreased markedly (Ｐ＜0.05). Mitochondrial calcium content was highly positively correlated with liver MDA content, serum ALT and ALP, r values were 0.967, 0.924 and 0.919 respectively (Ｐ＜0.01). The liver MDA content was highly positively correlated with serum ALT and ALP, r values were 0.949 and 0.843 respectively (Ｐ＜0.01). Conclusions: Mitochondrial calcium overload and liver lipid peroxidation may be the important mechanisms of hepatic injury induced by biliary obstruction.
Objective Currently, there are few researches on lordosis associated with scol iosis. To explore the effects of nickel-titanium memory alloy staple (Staple) on the growth of thoracic lordosis by observing the histological changes of cartilage cells in the osteoepiphysis of the thoracic vertebrates in goats. Methods Eighteen 2-3 months old female goats, weighing 8-12 kg, were randomly divided into long staple group (n=6), short staple group (n=6), and blank control group (n=6). Long staple (7 mm) and short staple (4 mm) were implanted into T6-11 segments of goats in long and short staplegroups by anterior approach, respectively. The blank control group was not treated. The X-ray examination was performedpre-operatively and at 3 months post-operatively to observe the changes of Cobb angle. Then the growth plates and inferior facet processes of the apex vertebral body were harvested to observe the histological grades of cartilage by HE staining, and to observe prol iferation and apoptosis of chondrocytes through immunohistochemistry double label ing staining with poly-ADPribose- polymerase-p85 and prol iferating cell nuclear antigen. Results At 3 months after operation, the T6-11 Cobb angles were significantly higher than those of pre-operation in short staple group and long staple group, which were significantly higher than those in blank control group (P lt; 0.05), but there was no significant difference between short staple group and long staple group (P gt; 0.05). The results of HE staining and immunohistochemistry double staining showed that the number of chondrocytes were reduced obviously with irregular columnar arrangement and increased volume ratio of surrounding extracellular matrix in prol iferative zone and hypertrophic zone of growth plate and inferior articular process in both long and short staple groups, and this tendency was more noticeable in long staple group. There were significant differences in the grades of prol iferation viabil ity of chondrocytes between 2 staple groups and blank control group (P lt; 0.05), but there was no significant difference tewteen long staple group and short staple group (P gt; 0.05). The prol iferation viabil ities of chondrocytes in growth plate and inferior articular process were significantly higher in blank control group than in 2 staple groups (P lt; 0.01), but there was no significant difference between long staple group and short staple group (P gt; 0.05). Conclusion The histological evidences prove that the Staple implantation by anterior approach can reduce prol iferation viabil ity of chondrocytes in growth plate and inferior articular process of the thoracic vertebrates in goats, which conduces the growth direction of thoracic vertebrates to kyphosis.
Mini health technology assessment (mini-HTA) is a decision support tool based on the principle and method of evidence-based medicine and traditional HTAs. It systematically reviews healthy technologies and provides references for decision makers at the hospital level in terms of introducing relevant health technologies. In order to provide a new insight to the decision makers, this paper briefly introduces the features of mini-HTA.
In evidence-based practice and decision, dose-response meta-analysis has been concerned by many scholars. It can provide unique dose-response relationship between exposure and disease, with a high grade of evidence among observational-study based meta-analysis. Thus, it is important to clearly understand this type of meta-analysis on software implementations. Currently, there are different software for dose-response meta-analysis with various characteristics. In this paper, we will focus on how to conduct dose-response meta-analysis by Stata, R and SAS software, which including a brief introduction, the process of calculation, the graph drawing, the generalization, and some examples of the processes.
The metacor, which is developed based on the classical frequentist theory, is a specified package for performing meta-analysis of correlation coefficients in R software. This package was officially launched in 2011. Based on the DerSimonian-Laird method and Olkin-Pratt method, correlation coefficients can be directly pooled by using this package. The metacor package also can be used to draw the forest plot and is easy to use; however, it still needs to be improved. This paper briefly introduced how to perform a meta-analysis of correlation coefficients using the metacor package in R software through an example.
Objective To assess the effectiveness of single-level lumbar pedicle subtraction osteotomy for correction of kyphosis caused by ankylosing spondylitis. Methods Between July 2006 and July 2010, 45 consecutive patients with kyphosis caused by ankylosing spondylitis underwent single-level pedical subtraction osteotomy. There were 39 males and 6 females with an average age of 36.9 years (range, 21-59 years). The average disease duration was 18.6 years (range, 6-40 years). All patients had low back pain, fatigue, abnormal gaits, and disability of looking and lying horizontally. Radiological manifestations included sacroiliac joints fusion, bamboo spine, pelvic spin, and kyphosis. Cervical spine was involved in 30 patients; thoracolumbar spine was affected in 15 patients. Results Wound hydrops and dehiscence occurred in 1 case, and was cured after debridement; primary healing of incision was obtained in the other patients. Two patients had abdominal skin blisters, which were cured after magnesium sulfate wet packing. Forty-two patients were followed up 24-74 months (mean, 30 months). All osteotomy got solid fusion. The average bony fusion time was 6.8 months (range, 3-12 months). All patients could walk with brace and looked or lied horizontally postoperatively. The Scoliosis Research Society-22 Patient Questionnaire (SRS-22) score, T1-S1 kyphosis Cobb angle, L1-S1 lordosic Cobb angle, sagittal imbalance distance, and chin-brow vertical angle at 1 week and last follow-up were significantly improved when compared with those at preoperation (P lt; 0.05), but no significant difference was found between at 1 week and last follow-up (P gt; 0.05). Conclusion Single-level pedicle subtraction osteotomy has satisfactory effectiveness for the correction of kyphosis caused by ankylosing spondylitis.