Articles: patients.
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Review Meta Analysis
Failure of antibiotics in cellulitis trials: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
The objectives of the study are to quantify trial-to-trial variability in antibiotic failure rates, in randomized clinical trials of cellulitis treatment and to provide a point estimate for the treatment failure rate across trials. ⋯ Treatment failure rates vary widely across cellulitis trials, from 6% to 37%. This may be due to confusion of cellulitis with its mimics and perhaps problems with construct validity of the diagnosis of cellulitis. Such factors bias trials toward equivalence and, in routine clinical care, impair quality and antibiotic stewardship. Objective diagnostic tools are needed.
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Review Meta Analysis
Meta-analysis of oncological outcomes after local excision of pT1-2 rectal cancer requiring adjuvant (chemo)radiotherapy or completion surgery.
Completion total mesorectal excision (TME) is advised for high-risk early (pT1/pT2) rectal cancer following transanal removal. The main objective of this meta-analysis was to determine oncological outcomes of adjuvant (chemo)radiotherapy as a rectum-preserving alternative to completion TME. ⋯ A higher recurrence rate after transanal excision and adjuvant (chemo)radiotherapy must be balanced against the morbidity and mortality associated with mesorectal excision. A reasonable approach is close follow-up and salvage mesorectal surgery as needed.
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Review Meta Analysis
Preoperative preemptive drug administration for acute postoperative pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Preoperative administration of pharmacological substances, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or opioids, has been gaining acclaim as a preemptive measure to minimize postoperative pain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of this approach in adults undergoing surgical procedures. MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register were searched from inception through January 2015. ⋯ No significant effects were observed using opioids, propionic acids or oxicam derivatives. WHAT DOES THIS REVIEW ADD?: Current analyses endorse the effectiveness of COX-2 inhibitors and gabapentin in reducing acute postoperative pain when administered preemptively presurgery. Such corroboration is not found for opioids and other NSAID classes.
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Aspirin is recommended for secondary prevention after transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or ischaemic stroke on the basis of trials showing a 13% reduction in long-term risk of recurrent stroke. However, the risk of major stroke is very high for only the first few days after TIA and minor ischaemic stroke, and observational studies show substantially greater benefits of early medical treatment in the acute phase than do longer-term trials. We hypothesised that the short-term benefits of early aspirin have been underestimated. ⋯ Wellcome Trust, the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford.
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Numerous glucose-lowering drugs are used to treat type 2 diabetes. ⋯ Among adults with type 2 diabetes, there were no significant differences in the associations between any of 9 available classes of glucose-lowering drugs (alone or in combination) and the risk of cardiovascular or all-cause mortality. Metformin was associated with lower or no significant difference in HbA1C levels compared with any other drug classes. All drugs were estimated to be effective when added to metformin. These findings are consistent with American Diabetes Association recommendations for using metformin monotherapy as initial treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes and selection of additional therapies based on patient-specific considerations.