Medicine
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Observational Study
Application of Optical Coherence Tomography and Contrast Sensitivity Test for Observing Fundus Changes of Patients With Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension Syndrome.
This study was aimed to investigate the fundus changes of patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome (PIHS) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology and contrast sensitivity (CS) tests. Ninety-eight patients with PIHS underwent routine eye examinations including vision correction, fundus examination, OCT, and CS tests. The CS test was performed at low, medium, and high frequency, respectively. ⋯ What's more the OCT manifestation 1 showed the greatest impact on CS at each spacial frequency. The results showed that abnormal OCT manifestations were correlated with CS in PIHS. OCT and CS tests might be valuable methods in observing fundus changes for PIHS patients.
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Review Meta Analysis
Therapeutic Hypothermia and the Risk of Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Current guidelines recommend a period of moderate therapeutic hypothermia (TH) for comatose patients after cardiac arrest to improve clinical outcomes. However, in-vitro studies have reported platelet dysfunction, thrombocytopenia, and coagulopathy, results that might discourage clinicians from applying TH in clinical practice. We aimed to quantify the risks of hemorrhage observed in clinical studies. ⋯ The meta-regression analysis indicated that prolonged duration of cooling may be associated with increased risk of hemorrhage. TH was not associated with increased risk of hemorrhage despite the increased risk of thrombocytopenia and transfusion requirements. Clinicians should cautiously assess each patient's risk-benefit profile before applying TH.
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Olfactory dysfunction is common among older adults and affects their safety, nutrition, quality of life, and mortality. More importantly, the decreased sense of smell is an early symptom of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson disease (PD) and Alzheimer disease. However, the genetic determinants for the sense of smell have been poorly investigated. ⋯ Gene-based and pathway-enrichment analyses further implicated MAPT in regulating the sense of smell in older adults. Similar results were obtained after excluding participants who reported a physician-diagnosed PD or use of PD medications. In conclusion, we provide preliminary evidence that the MAPT locus may play a role in regulating the sense of smell in older adults and therefore offer a potential genetic link between poor sense of smell and major neurodegenerative diseases.
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Review Meta Analysis
The Association Between Apolipoprotein E and Functional Outcome After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Meta-Analysis.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability. Previous studies have investigated the association of apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 with functional outcome after TBI and reported inconsistent results. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic literature search and conduct meta-analyses to examine whether APOE ε4 is associated with poorer functional outcome in patients with TBI. ⋯ Limitations of this study include The sample size was limited; the initial severity of TBI varied within and across studies; we could not control for potential confounding factors, such as age at injury and sex; a meta-analysis of the genotype dosage effect was not feasible; and we could not examine the association with specific factors such as neurobehavioral or specific cognitive functions. Our meta-analysis indicates APOE ε4 is associated with the long-term functional outcome of patients with TBI. Future studies that control for confounding factors, with large sample sizes and more homogeneous initial TBI severity levels, are needed to validate the findings from this study.
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Review Meta Analysis
Does an Obesity Paradox Really Exist After Cardiovascular Intervention?: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials and Observational Studies.
Several studies have shown the existence of an obesity paradox after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). However, other studies have shown its absence. This study sought to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing the mortality risk between high body mass index patients and normal weight patients after PCI. ⋯ This "obesity paradox" does exist after PCI. The mortality in overweight and obese patients is really significantly lower compared to the normal weight patients. However, the exact reasons for this phenomenon need further exploration and research in the future.