Natl Med J India
-
Review Meta Analysis
Prevalence of anaemia among adolescent girls (10-19 years) in India: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Background Anaemia is a serious public health problem. It is the second-commonest contributing factor to years lost by adolescents to disability and death. Targeting adolescent girls will allow a window of opportunity to correct their nutritional health and improve their obstetric outcomes. ⋯ Conclusion There is a high prevalence of anaemia among adolescent girls in India. While all regions of the country have a high prevalence, tribal areas need special attention. Targeted actions need to focus on the identification of determinants of anaemia apart from iron supplementation.
-
Review Meta Analysis
Non-operative treatment for low back pain: A review of evidence and recommendations.
Background Low back pain (LBP) is a healthcare problem with high global prevalence, with non-operative management being the first line of treatment in the majority of patients. This literature review summarizes the current evidence for various modalities of non-operative treatment for LBP. Methods We did a literature search to elicit high-quality evidence for non-operative treatment modalities for LBP, including Cochrane Database reviews and systematic reviews or meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. ⋯ Conclusion The current evidence for non-operative treatment modalities for LBP is insufficient to draw conclusions or make recommendations to clinicians. High-quality trials are required before widespread use of any treatment modality. Considering that non-operative treatment is usually the first line of therapy for most patients with LBP, it deserves to be the focus of future research in spinal disorders.
-
Review Meta Analysis
Efficacy and safety of antivirals for Covid-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has led to a severe medical, social and economic crisis globally. Use of antivirals has given inconsistent results; thus systematic summaries of available evidence are required for any recommendations for treatment. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the use of antivirals for Covid-19. ⋯ Further evidence from randomized controlled trials is required for all antivirals to treat Covid-19. At present, remdesivir seems more promising than other antivirals.
-
Meta Analysis
Burden of falls among elderly persons in India: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
. Falls are one of the leading causes of death and disability among elderly persons. In India, there is paucity of data on the prevalence of falls, particularly among community-dwelling elderly persons. To estimate healthcare costs related to falls and formulation of fall prevention strategies, there is a need of reliable estimates of magnitude of falls. We aimed to provide a community-based pooled estimate of the burden of falls among elderly persons in India. ⋯ . There is a high prevalence of falls among elderly persons in India. However, the available studies have considerable methodological variations and are of limited quality. Realistic estimates are required for designing programmes for prevention of falls and for rehabilitation.
-
Review Meta Analysis
Anti-interleukin-6 therapies for Covid-19: A systematic review, critical appraisal and meta-analysis.
. Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has emerged as a pandemic by end-January 2020. Of the infected patients, 10%-15% may develop severe or critical illness. So far, no definite treatment is available for Covid-19. Cytokine release syndrome may underlie the pathogenesis of severe and critical disease. Anti-interleukin (IL)-6 therapies are being tried to improve clinical outcomes. ⋯ . Although promising, anti-IL-6 therapy for Covid-19 needs to be tested in randomized controlled trials to provide robust evidence.