Medicine
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Carotid Artery Stenting Versus Endarterectomy for Carotid Stenosis: A Chronological and Worldwide Study.
There are disparities among the results of meta-analyses under different circumstances of carotid artery stenting (CAS) versus endarterectomy (CEA) for carotid stenosis. This study aimed to assess the efficacies of CAS and CEA for carotid stenosis at 5-year intervals and worldwide. Comparative studies simultaneously reporting CAS and CEA for carotid stenosis with at least 10 patients in each group were identified by searching PubMed and Embase in accordance with preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines, and by reviewing the reference lists of retrieved articles. ⋯ This systematic review, compared with those of other meta-analyses, included all available comparative studies and analyzed them at 5-year intervals, in different continents, and under different study designs. Current evidence suggests that the efficacy of CEA is superior to CAS for freedom from stroke/death within 30 d, especially from 2006 to 2015, in North America and Europe. Meanwhile, the superiority was also observed for restenosis at 1-year, transient ischemic attack within 30 d, and stroke/death at 4- and 10-year follow-ups.
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Review Meta Analysis
Intraoperative Radiotherapy Versus Whole-Breast External Beam Radiotherapy in Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
There has not been a clear answer about the efficacy of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) for women with early-stage breast cancer. The aim of this meta-analysis was to summarize the available evidence comparing the efficacy and safety of IORT with those of whole-breast external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for women with early-stage breast cancer. MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched up to October 2014. ⋯ Overall mortality did not differ significantly. IORT should be used in conjunction with the prudent selection of suitable patients. It is imperative to identify women with a low risk of local recurrence.
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Review Meta Analysis
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Medical Students' Perspectives on the Engagement in Research.
Engaging students in active learning lies at the center of effective higher education. In medical schools, students' engagement in learning and research has come under increasing attention. The objective of this study was to synthesize evidence on medical students' perspectives on the engagement in research. ⋯ We acknowledged the caveats and the merit of the current review. Findings showed that engagement in research resulted in favorable reactions toward research and academic learning. Future well-designed studies using standardized research tools on how to engage students in research are recommended.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Risk Models of Operative Morbidities in 16,930 Critically Ill Surgical Patients Based on a Japanese Nationwide Database.
The aim of the study was to evaluate preoperative variables predictive of lethal morbidities in critically ill surgical patients at a national level. There is no report of risk stratification for morbidities associated with mortality in critically ill patients with acute diffuse peritonitis (ADP). We examined data from 16,930 patients operated during 2011 and 2012 in 1546 different hospitals for ADP identified in the National Clinical Database of Japan. ⋯ A total of 18 to 29 preoperative variables were selected per morbidity and yielded excellent C-indices for each (septic shock: 0.851; progressive renal insufficiency: 0.878; prolonged ventilation >48 h: 0.849; systemic sepsis: 0.839; CNS morbidities: 0.848; acute renal failure: 0.868; pneumonia: 0.830; and SSI: 0.688). We report the first risk stratification study on lethal morbidities in critically ill patients with ADP using a nationwide surgical database. These risk models will contribute to patient counseling and help predict which patients require more aggressive surgical and novel pharmacological interventions.
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Meta Analysis Observational Study
eNOS Genetic Polymorphisms and Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis and a Case-Control Study of Breast Cancer.
The association between endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) polymorphisms (intron 4a/b, -786T>C and 894G>T) and cancer risk remains elusive. In addition, no studies focused on their associations with the risk of breast cancer in Chinese Han population. Thus, a meta-analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between eNOS polymorphisms and cancer risk, and then a case-control study in Chinese Han population was performed to assess their associations with breast cancer susceptibility. ⋯ In addition, stratified analyses based on pathological type showed that eNOS 894G>T polymorphism was only associated with the risk of infiltrative ductal carcinoma. Stratified analyses by tumor stage showed that eNOS -786T>C polymorphism was only associated with the risk of tumor stage III and IV. In conclusion, our meta-analysis and case-control study suggest that eNOS -786T>C and 894G>T polymorphisms are associated with the increased risk of breast cancer.