The American journal of medicine
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Review Meta Analysis
Three-day vs longer duration of antibiotic treatment for cystitis in women: systematic review and meta-analysis.
We performed a meta-analysis to ascertain the efficacy and safety of the currently practiced 3-day antibiotic therapy for cystitis versus prolonged therapy (5 days or longer) to relieve symptoms and to achieve bacteriological cure. ⋯ Antibiotic therapy for 3 days is similar to prolonged therapy in achieving symptomatic cure for cystitis, while the prolonged treatment is more effective in obtaining bacteriological cure.
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Review Meta Analysis
Subglottic secretion drainage for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia: a meta-analysis.
To assess the efficacy of subglottic secretion drainage in preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia. ⋯ Subglottic secretion drainage appears effective in preventing early-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia among patients expected to require >72 hours of mechanical ventilation.
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Meta Analysis
Mortality in systemic sclerosis: an international meta-analysis of individual patient data.
Studies on mortality associated with systemic sclerosis have been limited by small sample sizes. We aimed to obtain large-scale evidence on survival outcomes and predictors for this disease. ⋯ Systemic sclerosis confers a high mortality risk, but there is considerable heterogeneity across settings. Internal organ involvement and anti-topoisomerase I antibodies are important determinants of mortality.
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Review Meta Analysis
Application of U.S. guidelines in other countries: aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular events in Japan.
Clinical guidelines developed in the United States are used frequently in other countries without assessment of their appropriateness in non-U.S. populations. We explored the relevance of recent U.S. guidelines for the use of aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular events in the Japanese population. ⋯ The thresholds of antiplatelet therapy for Asian populations should be two to five times higher than those for the U.S. population because of higher risks of hemorrhagic complications. The assumptions and implications of U.S. guidelines should be evaluated before use in other countries.
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Meta Analysis
Magnesium prophylaxis for arrhythmias after cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Magnesium supplementation may reduce the incidence of arrhythmias, which often occur after cardiac surgery; however, recent findings of the effectiveness of magnesium prophylaxis have yielded discrepant results. ⋯ Administration of prophylactic magnesium reduced the risk of supraventricular arrhythmias after cardiac surgery by 23% (atrial fibrillation by 29%) and of ventricular arrhythmias by 48%. Supplementation had no notable benefit with respect to length of hospitalization, incidence of myocardial infarction, or mortality.