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Review Meta Analysis
Chinese herbal medicine as adjuvant treatment to chemotherapy for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB): A systematic review of randomised clinical trials.
Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been increasingly used as an adjuvant treatment for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in China. To inform clinical practice, we performed a systematic review on the beneficial effect and safety of CHM for MDR-TB. ⋯ CHM as an adjuvant to anti-TB chemotherapy may have beneficial effect for MDR-TB in terms of bacteriological and radiological outcomes, and is relatively safe. However, due to poor methodological reporting of the included trials, a confirmative conclusion needs to be supported by further robust clinical trials.
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Review Meta Analysis
Effect of nocturnal nasal continuous positive airway pressure on blood pressure in obstructive sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a very common risk factor for hypertension, and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has been widely used to treat OSA. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials to evaluate the effects of CPAP on blood pressure, reported as either a primary or secondary end point, among patients with OSA. Studies were retrieved by searching Medline (January 1980 to July 2006), the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, conference abstracts, and bibliographies of review and original articles. ⋯ Mean net change in systolic blood pressure for those treated with CPAP compared with control was -2.46 mm Hg (95% CI: -4.31 to -0.62); mean net change in diastolic blood pressure was -1.83 mm Hg (95% CI: -3.05 to -0.61); and mean net change in mean arterial pressure was -2.22 mm Hg (95% CI: -4.38 to -0.05). Net reductions in blood pressure were not statistically different between daytime and nighttime. These results indicate that CPAP decreases blood pressure among those with OSA and may help prevent hypertension.
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of cytokeratin 19-based one-step nucleic acid amplification versus histopathology for sentinel lymph node assessment in breast cancer.
One-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) is a new rapid assay for detecting breast cancer metastases during surgery, saving a second procedure for patients requiring an axillary clearance. Many centres in the UK and abroad have adopted OSNA in place of routine histopathology, despite no published meta-analysis. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine whether intraoperative OSNA for lymph node assessment is comparable to routine histopathology in the detection of clinically relevant metastases. ⋯ OSNA has an unacceptably low positive predictive value, leading to axillary clearances that would not be recommended if standard histology had been used to assess the sentinel node.
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Review Meta Analysis
Efficacy of Exercise Intervention for Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Adolescents: Meta-Analysis and Implications.
The global rise in obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has been linked to modifiable lifestyle factors, including lack of physical activity. However, no known meta-analysis has been conducted on the effects of exercise intervention on body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese adolescents. ⋯ The current evidence suggests that exercise intervention in overweight and obese adolescents improves body composition, particularly by lowering body fat. The limited available evidence further indicates that exercise intervention may improve some cardiometabolic risk factors.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2008
Review Meta Analysis Comparative StudySurgical versus non-surgical treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel syndrome results from entrapment of the median nerve in the wrist. Common symptoms are tingling, numbness, and pain in the hand that may radiate to the forearm or shoulder. Most symptomatic cases are treated non-surgically. ⋯ Surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome relieves symptoms significantly better than splinting. Further research is needed to discover whether this conclusion applies to people with mild symptoms and whether surgical treatment is better than steroid injection.