International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Aug 2016
Review Meta AnalysisPrevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antimicrobial-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with pneumonia in mainland China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
To estimate the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antimicrobial-resistant P. aeruginosa in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in mainland China. ⋯ P. aeruginosa was highly prevalent among patients with VAP and HAP in mainland China. The initial empirical treatment of these patients remains challenging because of the strikingly high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Sep 2015
Review Meta AnalysisThe role of serum procalcitonin in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Clinically, it is often difficult to differentiate between bacterial and viral aetiologies in adults with suspected meningitis. Several studies have demonstrated the potential use of serum procalcitonin (PCT) in making this differentiation. The aim was to pool these studies into a meta-analysis to determine the diagnostic accuracy of PCT. ⋯ Serum PCT is a highly accurate diagnostic test that can be used by physicians for rapid differentiation between bacterial and viral causes of meningitis in adults.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Apr 2015
Review Meta AnalysisThymosin alpha1 based immunomodulatory therapy for sepsis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Thymosin alpha1 (Tα1) is considered a promising immunomodulatory drug. However, it is still unclear whether Tα1 should be recommended for the management of sepsis. Here we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of Tα1 based immunomodulatory therapy on the clinical outcomes of septic patients. ⋯ Tα1 based immunomodulatory therapy was associated with a lower mortality in septic patients. Nevertheless, these findings should be interpreted cautiously because of the poor quality and small number of participants of the included trials. More well-designed worldwide multicenter clinical trials are needed to provide a conclusive guideline for clinical practice.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Dec 2014
Review Meta AnalysisDisease burden of intensive care unit-acquired pneumonia in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) are associated with poor clinical and economic outcomes. Data regarding ICU-acquired pneumonia and VAP are not readily available from developing countries, including China. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the incidence, mortality rate, length of stay, and pathogens associated with ICU-acquired pneumonia in China. ⋯ ICU-acquired pneumonia/VAP remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients in the ICU in China. Data on organisms causing disease in this population could help guide appropriate prevention strategies and treatment.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Aug 2013
Review Meta AnalysisCorticosteroids for neurocysticercosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Neurocysticercosis is an infection of the central nervous system by the larval stage of Taenia solium. It is a major cause of epileptic seizures in low- and middle-income countries. Corticosteroids are frequently used to reduce inflammation and perilesional edema. We aimed to evaluate their efficacy for reducing the rate of seizures and lesion persistence in imaging studies. ⋯ Although the evidence suggest corticosteroids can reduce the rate of seizure recurrence and speed up resolution of lesions at 6-12 months of follow-up, there remains uncertainty on the effect estimate due to a high risk of methodological and publication bias. More adequately performed randomized trials that evaluate the use of anthelmintics, corticosteroids, and both combined against placebo are needed.