Plos One
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Meta Analysis
Fusion versus nonfusion for surgically treated thoracolumbar burst fractures: a meta-analysis.
Posterior pedicle screw fixation has become a popular method for treating thoracolumbar burst fractures. However, it remains unclear whether additional fusion could improve clinical and radiological outcomes. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of fusion as a supplement to pedicle screw fixation for thoracolumbar burst fractures. ⋯ The results of this meta-analysis suggested that fusion was not necessary when thoracolumbar burst fracture was treated by posterior pedicle screw fixation. More randomized controlled trials with high quality are still needed in the future.
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Meta Analysis
Effect of antioxidant vitamin supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Antioxidant vitamin (vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C) are widely used for preventing major cardiovascular outcomes. However, the effect of antioxidant vitamin on cardiovascular events remains unclear. ⋯ Antioxidant vitamin supplementation has no effect on the incidence of major cardiovascular events, myocardial infarction, stroke, total death, and cardiac death.
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Although qualitative studies are becoming more appreciated in healthcare, the number of publications of quality studies remains low. Little is known about the frequency and characteristics of citation in qualitative studies. ⋯ The median number of citations for qualitative studies was almost the same as the median of BMJ's impact factor during the survey period. For a suitable evaluation of qualitative studies in healthcare, it will be necessary to develop a reporting framework and include explicit discussions of clinical implications when reporting findings. Coordination between researchers and editors will be needed to achieve this goal.
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Meta Analysis
Association between transforming growth factor-beta 1 T869C polymorphism and ischemic stroke: a meta-analysis.
To explore the association between transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) T869C polymorphism and risk of ischemic stroke (IS) by performing a meta-analysis based on published articles. ⋯ This meta-analysis suggested that current epidemiological studies of TGF-β1 T869C polymorphism are too inconsistent to draw a conclusion on the association with IS susceptibility. Given the small sample size and remarkable between-study heterogeneity, further well-designed prospective large-scale studies are warranted.
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This updated meta-analysis was conducted to assess the association between coffee consumption and breast cancer risk. ⋯ Our findings suggest that increased coffee intake is not associated with a significantly reduced risk of breast cancer, but we observe an inverse association in ER-negative subgroup analysis. More large studies are needed to determine subgroups to obtain more valuable data on coffee drinking and breast cancer risk.