Postgraduate medical journal
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Meta Analysis
Statin use and clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.
Observations studies have shown that prior use of statins is associated with a reduced risk of adverse clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. However, the available data are limited, inconsistent and conflicting. Besides, no randomised controlled trial exists in this regard. Hence, the present meta-analysis was conducted to provide an updated summary and collate the effect of statin use on clinical outcomes in COVID-19 using unadjusted and adjusted risk estimates. ⋯ Statin use is associated with improved clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Individuals with multiple comorbidities on statin therapy should be encouraged to continue the drug amid the ongoing pandemic.
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Meta Analysis
Efficacy of dietary supplements on improving sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Different dietary supplements aimed at improving sleep quality are available on the market, but there has not been a comprehensive review to evaluate the efficacy of these dietary supplements on subjective sleep quality. We aimed to summarise up-to-date research evidence and to identify the types of dietary supplement that improve subjective sleep quality. ⋯ Amino acids, vitamin D and melatonin supplements were significantly beneficial to improve sleep quality. However, high heterogeneity and wide confidence levels were observed in vitamin D and melatonin. Further research on the effect of magnesium, zinc, resveratrol and nitrate supplementation on improving sleep quality is required.
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Review Meta Analysis
'Learning from home': role of e-learning methodologies and tools during novel coronavirus pandemic outbreak.
During the crucial time of coronavirus pandemic, education is being remodelled: opening the doors of electronic learning (e-learning). The review emphasises on the various e-learning methods that can be used in the current scenario. ⋯ During the period of 'planet arrest', when the whole world is locked down with the motive of social distancing, let us stay connected with e-learning.
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Meta Analysis
Association between response rates and monetary incentives in sample study: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
To investigate the effect of monetary incentive and the dose-response relationship of participants' response rates in surveys. ⋯ Monetary incentives and reminders improve the response rates. Future studies need to consider providing monetary incentives and sending at least two reminders to increase the response rate and reduce the chances of non-response bias.
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Circular RNAs (circRNAs) may serve as potential biomarkers for patients with lung cancer. The aim of this meta-analysis was to analyse the diagnostic, prognostic and clinicopathological values of circRNAs in lung cancer patients. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and the Cochrane Library databases was performed for relevant articles from inception to 29 January 2020. ⋯ For prognostic significances, overexpression of 23 upregulated circRNAs was relevant to a poor prognosis (OS: HR=2.21, 95% CI: 1.96 to 2.49, p<0.001), and overexpression of 9 downregulated circRNAs was correlated with a favourable prognosis (OS: HR=0.62, 95% CI: 0.53 to 0.73, p<0.001). As for clinicopathological parameters, high expression of 23 upregulated circRNAs was associated with unfavourable clinicopathological features while 9 downregulated circRNAs proved the contrary. In conclusion, this study confirmed that circRNAs might serve as important biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic values of lung cancer.