Medicine
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Meta Analysis
Prevalence of HIV/AIDS among pregnant women in North American region: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
As a major maternal health concern, the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among pregnant women was previously investigated in European, African, and Latin American regions other than the North American region. This study analyzed the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women in the North American region including 3 major countries: the USA, Canada, and Mexico. ⋯ The overall prevalence rate of HIV among pregnant women in the USA, Canada, and Mexico was minimal as compared with the countries of Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, or Latin America. Awareness, adequate testing and healthcare facilities, better socioeconomic, and geopolitical conditions might be crucial to lowering the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women.
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Meta Analysis
Causal relationships between epilepsy and the microstructure of the white matter: A Mendelian randomization study.
To examine the causal bidirectional relationships between epilepsy and microstructural changes in the white matter (WM). A genome-wide association study meta-analysis of the International League Against Epilepsy Consortium on Epilepsy and 360 WM imaging-derived phenotypes (IDPs) from the UK Biobank was used for the analysis. Genetic correlation analyses were conducted based on summary statistics of various "IDP-epilepsy" pairs for 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the causal relationships. ⋯ In the reverse analysis, seizures from all epilepsy types changed 5 WM IDPs, whereas seizures from juvenile myoclonic epilepsy altered 11 WM IDPs (q value < 0.05). This study revealed causal associations between changes in the WM microstructure and epilepsy subtypes. These findings offer new directions for early prevention and treatment of epilepsy.
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There is a high chance of misdiagnosis and limited knowledge regarding therapeutic strategies owing to the rarity of primary intracranial malignant melanoma (PIMM). The objective of the present study was to evaluate the clinical features, treatment modalities, and outcomes of patients with histologically proven PIMM. ⋯ PIMM is an extremely rare tumor with a poor prognosis. Radical resection with RT may result in a longer overall survival rate. Targeted immunotherapy may be a promising treatment option for PIMM.
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Qishen Yiqi dropping pills combined with modern medicine have been widely used as a treatment for coronary heart disease with ischemic heart failure. Currently, there have been no robust studies addressing the efficacy and safety of Qishen Yiqi dropping pills combined with modern medicine for coronary heart disease with ischemic heart failure. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis are conducted to fill in the gaps mentioned above. ⋯ Qishen Yiqi dropping pills combined with modern medicine could significantly improve clinical efficacy without incasement adverse effects. Further studies are required to identify the more comprise efficacy and safety results.
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To explore the relationship between vitamin D levels and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its severity in children and adolescents, and provide a theoretical basis for clinical practice. ⋯ Vitamin D insufficiency in children may increase the risk of COVID-19 infection and is associated with poor prognostic outcomes. Further research is required to confirm the optimal Vitamin D dose to prevent insufficiency in various sections of the population.