Bmc Med
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Review Meta Analysis
Tear-fluid-derived biomarkers of ocular complications in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Early identification and management of sight-threatening ocular complications of diabetes using imaging or molecular biomarkers could help prevent vision loss. However, access to specialized infrastructure and expertise is limited, especially in remote areas of the world. Tear-fluid may offer an easier, non-invasive, and localized screenshot of ocular disease. To the best of our knowledge, there is no systematic review and meta-analysis on tear-fluid-based biomarkers for ocular complications in diabetes. ⋯ Across all biomolecules meta-analyzed in this study, TNF-α and VEGF were identified as the most important biomarkers that could potentially offer a non-invasive tear-fluid-based assessment of progression to ocular complications in diabetes, especially in rural and remote areas where diabetes-related expertise and infrastructure are limited.
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Meta Analysis
Prevalence of cardiovascular symptoms in post-acute COVID-19 syndrome: a meta-analysis.
Since its emergence in 2019, COVID-19 has continued to pose significant threats to both the physical and mental health of the global population, as well as to healthcare systems worldwide (Raman et al., Eur Heart J 43:1157-1172, 2022). Emerging evidence indicates that COVID-19 may lead to post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) with cardiovascular implications, potentially driven by factors such as ACE2 interaction with viruses, systemic inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction. However, there remains a limited amount of research on the cardiovascular manifestations of PACS, which may delay the development of optimal treatment strategies for affected patients. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the prevalence of cardiovascular sequelae in COVID-19 patients and to determine whether COVID-19 infection acts as an independent risk factor for these outcomes. ⋯ Our findings indicate that 15% of COVID-19 patients experience cardiovascular sequelae. Furthermore, COVID-19 infection significantly increases the likelihood of developing these sequelae compared to uninfected individuals. Future research should prioritize investigating the underlying pathological mechanisms and developing targeted preventive and management strategies.
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Postpartum maternal depression and socioeconomic factors are established risk factors for the mental health of offspring. It has been consistently unclear as to whether female or male offspring are more vulnerable to the effects of postpartum maternal depression at different stages of the child's life course. To determine whether the characteristics of postpartum maternal depression with a history of prenatal depression influence sex differences in offspring internalizing symptoms across childhood and adolescence, socioeconomic factors should be considered. ⋯ Socioeconomic factors differentially impacted the association between postpartum maternal depression and significant sex differences in adolescent internalizing symptoms. Independent of socioeconomic factors and prenatal depression, postpartum maternal depression was not associated with significant sex differences in adolescent internalizing symptoms. Therefore, the significant sex effects of postpartum maternal depression are more likely due to complex interactions between maternal depression and the intrauterine and postpartum environments that shape offspring sex-difference trajectories, with consequences occurring for later internalizing symptoms in adolescence.
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Meta Analysis
Understanding the local-level variations in seasonality of human respiratory syncytial virus infection: a systematic analysis.
While previous reports characterised global and regional variations in RSV seasonality, less is known about local variations in RSV seasonal characteristics. This study aimed to understand the local-level variations in RSV seasonality and to explore the role of geographical, meteorological, and socio-demographic factors in explaining these variations. ⋯ Local-level variations in RSV season onset could be as much as 6 weeks, which could be influenced by meteorological, geographical, and socio-demographic factors. The reported variations in this study could have important implications for local-level healthcare resources planning and immunisation strategy.
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Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are recommended treatment for mild asthma. We aimed to update the evidence on the efficacy and safety of ICS-containing regimens, leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA), and tiotropium relative to as-needed (AN) short-acting β2-agonists (SABA) in children (aged 6-11 years) and adolescents/adults. ⋯ Regular ICS use may be the most effective treatment for preventing exacerbation and increasing FEV1 in children with mild asthma. In adolescents/adults, ICS-containing regimens outperformed AN-SABA for exacerbation prevention. With varying degrees of heterogeneity, severe exacerbation risk in adolescents/adults might be lower with regular ICS/LABA or AN-ICS/FABA than regular ICS, where AN-ICS/FABA may not be suitable for patients with low FEV1. Additionally, regular ICS use may enhance FEV1 and QoL more than AN-SABA and LTRA.