BioMed research international
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Review Meta Analysis
Improved COVID-19 Outcomes following Statin Therapy: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Although vaccine rollout for COVID-19 has been effective in some countries, there is still an urgent need to reduce disease transmission and severity. We recently carried out a meta-analysis and found that pre- and in-hospital use of statins may improve COVID-19 mortality outcomes. Here, we provide an updated meta-analysis in an attempt to validate these results and increase the statistical power of these potentially important findings. ⋯ Taken together, this updated meta-analysis extends and confirms the findings of our previous study, suggesting that in-hospital statin use leads to significant reduction of all-cause mortality in COVID-19 cases. Considering these results, statin therapy during hospitalization, while indicated, should be recommended.
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A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to compare the difference in efficacy and safety between epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) with antiangiogenic inhibitors (A + T) and EGFR-TKI monotherapy in patients with treatment-naïve advanced EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ⋯ Addition of antiangiogenic inhibitors to first-line EGFR-TKI therapy significantly reduced the risk of disease progression for patients with advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC regardless of EGFR mutation type and brain metastasis status. The lack of OS benefit may be explained by differences in subsequent treatments rather than drug resistance mechanisms.
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To evaluate the efficacy of immuno-oncology combinational therapy (IOCT) versus monotherapy with programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) or PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors or conventional therapies, i.e., non-IOCT, in patients with advanced solid tumors. ⋯ IOCT is a preferable treatment option over PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy and conventional therapy for patients with advanced solid tumors. However, we should note the increased incidence rate of high-grade AEs in IOCT.
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The purpose of this article was to compare the efficiency and safety of drug-coated balloon angioplasty (DCB) and atherectomy with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in patients with femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis (ISR). Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (all up to March 2019) were searched systematically. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) was conducted. 5 studies with 599 participants were included. ⋯ Compared with PTA, the rate of patency and freedom from TLR in the laser atherectomy (LD) group was higher than that in the PTA group (patency: 6 months: RR 1.28, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.64, P < 0.05, 12 months: RR 2.25, 95% CI 1.14 to 4.44, P < 0.05; freedom from TLR: 6 months: RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.53, P = 0.01, 12 months: RR 1.59, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.25, P = 0.01) at 6 and 12 months follow-up. In conclusion, DCB and LD had superior clinical (freedom from TLR and clinical improvement) and angiographic outcomes (patency rate) compared with PTA for the treatment of femoropopliteal ISR. Moreover, DCB and LD had a low incidence of amputation and mortality and were relatively safe methods.
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Meta Analysis
The Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A Systematic Review.
As a pathological process, osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is characterized by the avascularity of the femoral head, cellular necrosis, microfracture, and the collapse of the articular surface. Currently, critical treatment for early-stage ONFH is limited to core decompression. However, the efficacy of core decompression remains controversial. To improve the core decompression efficacy, regenerative techniques such as the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) were proposed for early-stage ONFH. As a type of autologous plasma containing concentrations of platelets greater than the baseline, PRP plays an important role in tissue repair, regeneration, and the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the operation modes, mechanism, and efficacy of PRP for early-stage ONFH treatment. ⋯ PRP treats ONFH mainly through three mechanisms: inducing angiogenesis and osteogenesis to accelerate bone healing, inhibiting inflammatory reactions in necrotic lesions, and preventing apoptosis induced by glucocorticoids. In addition, as an adjunctive therapy for core decompression, the use of PRP is recommended to improve the treatment of early-stage ONFH patients, especially when combined with stem cells and bone grafts, by inducing osteogenic activity and stimulating the differentiation of stem cells in necrotic lesions.