Articles: ninos.
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Meta Analysis
A systematic review of the efficacy of donepezil hydrochloride combined with nimodipine on treating vascular dementia.
Vascular dementia (VaD) is a comprehensive syndrome related to the damage of cognitive function and various cerebral vascular illnesses. VaD is also generally recognized as the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer disease, contributing to 30% of the dementia population in Asia and developing countries. The ability of donepezil hydrochloride and nimodipine had been respectively proven in improving cognitive function in vascular dementia. However, whether the combined application of both drugs contribute to better efficacy remains as a research hotspot. Studies had shown definite satisfactory result with such combination, however evidence-based evaluation of the efficacy is still lacking. Therefore, meta-analysis is employed in this study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using donepezil hydrochloride combined with nimodipine in treating VaD to provide references for clinical treatments. The efficacy of donepezil hydrochloride combined with nimodipine on treating vascular dementia is systematically reviewed to provide evidence-based references for clinical applications. ⋯ Donepezil hydrochloride combined with nimodipine had good efficacy in the treatment of patients with vascular dementia, mainly in terms of improving the Simple MMSE scores, the ability to use daily living scale (ADL) scores and the CDR, and the best results were obtained after 12 weeks of intervention. Such conclusion should be cautiously evaluated.
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The influence of urbanicity on hypertension prevalence remains poorly understood. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the difference in hypertension prevalence between urban and rural areas in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the most pronounced urbanisation is underway. ⋯ The prevalence of hypertension in LMICs increased between 1990 and 2020 in both urban and rural areas, but with a stronger trend in rural areas. The urban minus rural hypertension difference decreased with time, and with country-level socioeconomic development. Focused action, particularly in rural areas, is needed to tackle the burden of hypertension in LMICs.
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Meta Analysis
The performance of using dried blood spot specimens for HIV-1 viral load testing: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Accurate routine HIV viral load testing is essential for assessing the efficacy of antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimens and the emergence of drug resistance. While the use of plasma specimens is the standard for viral load testing, its use is restricted by the limited ambient temperature stability of viral load biomarkers in whole blood and plasma during storage and transportation and the limited cold chain available between many health care facilities in resource-limited settings. Alternative specimen types and technologies, such as dried blood spots, may address these issues and increase access to viral load testing; however, their technical performance is unclear. To address this, we conducted a meta-analysis comparing viral load results from paired dried blood spot and plasma specimens analyzed with commonly used viral load testing technologies. ⋯ This analysis provides evidence to support the implementation and scale-up of dried blood spot specimens for viral load testing using the same 1,000 copies/ml treatment failure threshold as used with plasma specimens. This may support improved access to viral load testing in resource-limited settings lacking the required infrastructure and cold chain storage for testing with plasma specimens.
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Infant bronchiolitis has a high death rate in severe cases. In China, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is commonly used to treat infant bronchiolitis. However, it has not received enough international attention. ⋯ Integrated TCM and Western medicine is superior to Western medicine alone for treating bronchiolitis in terms of clinical efficacy, hospitalization time, and recurrence rate, with no increase in the adverse reaction rate. TCM is useful as an alternative therapy for viral bronchiolitis. Although further studies are needed to establish specific protocols for the use of TCM in clinical practice, these results may strengthen guideline recommendations regarding the use of TCM.
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Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) and high tibial osteotomy (HTO) are widely used for the treatment of medial unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, the best approach remains controversial. This study aimed to present a systematic review and a meta-analysis to directly compare the clinical outcomes between HTO and UKA. We hypothesized that the clinical outcomes after UKA and HTO would be similar. ⋯ UKA is superior to HTO in minimizing complications and enhancing postoperative function scores. Mobile-bearing UKA has a similar ROM compared with HTO. Both HTO and UKA provide satisfactory clinical outcomes in terms of walking speed, relieving pain, and revision to TKA. UKA appears to be more suitable for the elderly, and both mobile-bearing UKA and HTO are viable surgical options for younger active individuals.