Objective To retrospectively compare short-term outcomes and health economics of PHS versus UHS for inguinal hernia repair. Methods We included 105 patients suffering from reducible inguinal hernia hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Lanzhou University from September, 2007 and September, 2012. The referred hernia types involved direct and indirect hernia (unilateral and bilateral). Based on different repair materials, the patients were divided into two groups, PHS group (n=53) and UHS group (n=52). Outcome parameters for comparison included incidences of seroma and scrotum edema, hospital duration, costs, etc. Results There were no differences in age, sex, hernia type, incidences of seroma and scrotum edema after surgery, hospital duration and costs between the two groups. However, the patients in the PHS group spent less money than those in the UHS group regarding the costs of materials and hospitalization, with significant differences. Conclusion For inguinal hernia repair, PHS and UHS are alike in reducing short-term complications, but PHS can significantly reduce patients’ economic burden due to less costs.
Objective To evaluate the effect of standardized patient (SP) used in nursing fundamental. Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi randomized controlled trials (q-RCTs) about comparing standardized patients with traditional teaching method in nursing fundamental were searched from the following electronic databases: PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, CBM, VIP and so on. The methodological quality of the included RCTs was assessed according to the quality assessment scale developed by Smits PB, and the valid data were extracted and meta-analyzed with the Cochrane Collaboration’s RevMan 5.0.17 software. Results Five RCTs and one q-RCT involving 585 participants were included. The results of quality evaluation showed that the scores of five studies were more than or equaled 30. Descriptive analyses were only used because there was clinical heterogeneity between different studies. Comparing with traditional teaching method, SP teaching method in nursing fundamental improved the nursing procedure skills, the communication ability with patients and the ability of clinical judgment for nursing students. Conclusion The standardized patient teaching method is a prospective teaching mode. Because of the lack of RCTs about SP used in nursing fundamental, and the big difference of the teaching method and examine criteria in different studies, it is necessary to be verified in future by unified assessment methods and more researches with high quality.
Objective Investigate the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) in teaching of evidence-based medicine for undergraduates.Methods Participating students from four of eight classes with major of clinical medicine in Grade 2006 were assigned to the lecture-lased learning (LBL) group (50 students) and the PBL group (46 students), and each group had two classes. The examination scores, questionnaire, and seminars were used in combination to evaluate the teaching effectiveness. SPSS 11.5 software was used for statistical analyses. Results The baseline characteristics were balanced between the two groups because no difference was found in aspects of taking part in literature or information retrieval training, research project, undergraduate starting an undertaking plan and social survey, as well as getting known of evidence-based medicine, clinical epidemiology and PBL. The evaluation results of teaching effectiveness showed that, a) About the examination score, there was a significant difference between the two groups (Plt;0.05); the score of the PBL group was higher than that of the LBL group in aspects of fundamental knowledge, issuing question, retrieving evidence, evaluating evidence, applying evidence and total score; and b) About the attitude towards LML, there was a significant difference between the two groups about whether the LBL was beneficial or not to improve positive study, study interest, participation willingness, aggregate analysis ability, speech ability, self-study ability, information acquisition ability, information analyses and utilization ability, problem analyses and solving ability, combination of theory and clinic, communication between teachers and students, team cooperation and so on; but there was no significant difference between the two groups (Pgt;0.05) in aspects of improving learning efficiency, better understanding theory leader from class, improving writing ability and practicing ability; 97.83% of the students in the PBL group thought that PBL was suitable for themselves which should be introduced into other course teaching; 48.00% of the students in the LBL group thought that the current LBL teaching mode was not suitable for undergraduate, while 28.00% of the students in the LBL group thought that the current teaching mode should get reformed. Conclusion The PBL teaching mode is beneficial for undergraduates to better training clinical thinking, improve the ability of problem construction, aggregate analyses, literature retrieval, language express and exploratory innovation, and fully improve the quality of evidence-based medicine teaching. The PBL teaching method is suitable for teaching of evidence-based medicine for undergraduate medical students.
Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of low-dose urokinase plus conventional treatment versus conventional treatment alone in patients with unstable angina. Methods We searched the database PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, SCI, CBM, CNK, VIP and Wanfang database on line by computer, and handsearched relevant professional journals by two independent screening and extract information. The quality of the included documents was evaluated by the criterion of Cochrane handbook 4.2.6. The cochrane collaboration’s Revman 4.2.10 software was used for data analyses. Results A total of 19 randomized controlled trials were included (2 273 patients) Meta-analyses showed that the low-dose urokinase group was better than the conventional treatment group in efficiency [OR= 4.18, 95%CI (3.24, 5.41)] and ECG [OR= 2.81, 95%CI (2.04, 3.88)], and there were no differences between the two groups in cardiovascular outcomes [OR= 0.74, 95%CI (0.44,1.24)], mucocutaneous bleeding [OR= 1.43, 95%CI (0.90, 2.28)], gums bleeding [OR= 1.88, 95%Cl (0.46, 7.70)] and microscopic hematuria [OR= 3.82, 95%CI (0.77, 18.92)]. Conclusion The low dose urokinase group is higher efficient than the conventional treatment group. As the samples of the included studies are small and their quality is low, more randomized, double-blind, high-quality and big- sample trials are required.
Objective To systematically evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of raltitrexed plus cisplatin in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) when compared with other chemotherapy regimens. Methods We electronically searched PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library and Chinese Biomedicine Database to March, 2007. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs were identified, and Revman 4.2.10 was applied for statistical analyses. Results One RCT involving 250 patients was included, which compared raltitrexed plus cisplatin versus cisplatin alone in the treatment of MPM. In the intention-to-treat population, the median survival time was statistically longer in the raltitrexed plus cisplatin group as compared to cisplatin alone group. (11.4 versus 8.8 months, P=0.048). The incidence of grade 3/4 toxicities was similar between the two groups. Conclusion The current evidence available showed that, the combination of raltitrexed and cisplatin may prolong the survival time for MPM patients, with a low incidence of grade 3/4 toxicities. However, more high-quality RCTs are required to further define its clinical effectiveness.
OBJECTIVE: To comprehend the progress of tissue engineering research and speculate its developmental trends. METHODS: MEDLINE search was conducted to retrieve the papers published between 1987 to 1999 under the main headings of tissue engineering. Years, nationalities, languages, journals, authors and heading frequencies of 314 papers were analyzed by bibliometrics. RESULTS: Since 1990, the number of tissue engineering research literatures had doubled, and papers between 1998 and 1999 made up 57.96% of the total papers. All papers came from 15 nations, in 6 languages and 140 journals; 64.97% came from United States and 25.79% from England, Netherlands and Germany; 93.95% was in English; 42.04% was published on 15 journals. Vacanti JP and 19 other authors presented 5 to 24 papers. Heading frequencies were cytology 22.89%, transplantation 13.30%, scaffolds and extracellular matrixes 11.72%, implanting 10.60%, polymers 8.91%, potential applications 8.91%, artificial substitutes 6.88%, tissue culture 6.70% and biogenetics 4.96%. CONCLUSION: Tissue engineering literatures mainly come from United States, England, Netherlands and Germany. English is the major language. J Biomed Mater Res and 14 other journals are important journals about tissue engineering research. Vacanti JP and 19 other authors are prolific authors. Cytology, transplantation, scaffolds and extracellular matrixes and implanting are hot topics and key points on tissue engineering research.
Objective To assess the safety and effectiveness of direct stenting (DS) versus conventional stenting (CS) with predilation in clinical practice. Methods Such databases as PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library (Issue 3, 2011), CBM, VIP and CNKI were searched from the date of their establishment to April 2011, to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on DS vs. CS. The quality of RCTs was critically appraised, and the data were extracted and cross-checked by two reviewers independently. Meta-analyses were conducted using RevMan 5.0 software. Results A total of 24 RCTs involving 6 666 patients were included. The results of Meta-analyses showed that DS took shorter operative time compared with CS (MD=–3.36, 95%CI –4.41 to –2.30, Plt;0.000 01) with acute gain (luminal diameter) during operation (MD=–0.01, 95%CI –0.04 to 0.02, P=0.64). But there were no significant differences in the incidence of major adverse cardiac events during six-month follow-up (OR=0.89, 95%CI 0.69 to 1.14, P=0.35) and restenosis (OR=1.02, 95%CI 0.82 to 1.26, P=0.88). Conclusion Current evidence shows that DS is not superior to CS. This conclusion still needs to be further proved by well-designed and large scale RCTs with longer follow-up duration.
Objective To assess the clinical effectiveness of vacuum-formed versus Hawley retainers in the period of retention. Methods PubMed, The Cochrane Library, EMbase, CBM, CNKI, VIP, and WanFang Data were searched from the date of their establishment to December 31, 2011, to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the clinical effectiveness of vacuum-formed versus Hawley retainers. The quality of the included studies was evaluated by two reviewers independently, and meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.1.4 software. Results Six RCTs including 935 patients were identified. The results of meta-analyses showed significantly fewer changes in irregularity of the maxillary incisors (MD=0.13, 95%CI 0.04 to 0.21) and mandibular incisors (MD=0.29, 95%CI 0.24 to 0.33) in the vacuum-formed group than in the Hawley group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in maxillary intercanine width (MD=?–0.01, 95%CI –0.03 to 0.01), mandibular intercanine width (MD=0.04, 95%CI –0.02 to 0.10), maxillary intermolar width (MD=?–0.01, 95%CI –0.03 to 0.00) and mandibular intermolar width (MD=?–0.02, 95%CI –0.08 to 0.04). The results of qualitative analysis were consistent with the results of meta-analysis and there were no significant differences in overjet and overbite. Conclusion Vacuum-formed retainers are more effective than Hawley retainers at maintaining position of incisors in the period of retention. In other aspects, they are similar. In consideration of the factors such as the limited quality and incomplete measure index of primary studies, RCTs of higher methodological quality are needed.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mifepristone for perimenopause dysfunctional uterine bleeding (PDUB). Methods Such databases as VIP, CNKI, Wanfang and CBM were retrieved for collecting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on mifepristone for PDUB. The quality of included studies was evaluated and Meta-analysis was performed according to the Cochrane methods. Results Forty RCTs involving 3 850 PDUB patients were included. The control group was divided into two sub-groups according to the features of intervention drugs: the sub-group of diagnostic curettage plus progestational hormone, and the sub-group of diagnostic curettage plus antiestrogenic drugs. The Meta-analysis indicated that compared with the sub-group of diagnostic curettage plus progestational hormone, the diagnostic curettage plus mifepristone group was more effective to increase the total effective rate, such as improving symptoms and signs of PDUB (RR=1.11, 95%CI 1.06 to 1.16, Plt;0.000 01), and to reduce recurrence (RR=0.44, 95%CI 0.36 to 0.52, Plt;0.000 01). But no differences were found between the two groups in the change of endometrial thickness, contents of hemoglobin, and serum level of FSH, LH, E2 and P hormone. Both the intervention and control groups appeared mild adverse reactions, such as rashes, tidal fever, nausea, anorexia, vomiting and breast distending, but with no liver and kidney damages. The long-term safety failed to be evaluated due to short follow-up time. Conclusion Based on this review, diagnostic curettage plus mifepristone shows certain advantage in the treatment of PDUB including the total effective rate and reducing recurrence. But there is no difference in regulating sex hormone level, inhibiting endometrial proliferation and improving anemia compared with the group of diagnostic curettage plus progestational hormone. However, this evidence is not b enough due to the low quality of included trials, possible bias risk, and failure of evaluating its long-term safety.
Objective To evaluate the effect of clinical pathway (CP) teaching methods versus traditional methods in nursing clinical teaching. Methods The following electronic databases as PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, CBM and CNKI were retrieved on computer from their establishment to April 2011 to search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of comparing CP with traditional methods in nursing clinical teaching. The methodological quality of the included RCTs was assessed by two reviewers independently according to the scale of criteria for methodological quality developed by Smits PB, and the meta-analysis was conducted by using the Cochrane Collaboration’s RevMan5.1 software. Results A total of 12 RCTs involving 1 269 participants were included, and nine of them were of high quality. The meta-analyses showed that compared with the traditional teaching method, the CP teaching tended to be superior (Plt;0.05) in improving nursing students’ objective knowledge, nursing operating skills, professional ability and satisfaction with teaching methods, and in improving patients’ satisfaction as well. Conclusion The clinical pathway teaching method is a scientific teaching model in nursing clinical teaching; it standardizes the teaching procedure, promotes students’ active learning and further enhances the teaching effect. But it is necessary to unify the method of assessment with more researches. In addition, researchers should pay more attention to improving the comprehensive quality of nursing students.