Evidence synthesis is the process of systematically gathering, analyzing, and integrating available research evidence. The quality of evidence synthesis depends on the quality of the original studies included. Validity assessment, also known as risk of bias assessment, is an essential method for assessing the quality of these original studies. Currently, there are numerous validity assessment tools available, but some of them lack a rigorous development process and evaluation. The application of inappropriate validity assessment tools to assessing the quality of the original studies during the evidence synthesis process may compromise the accuracy of study conclusions and mislead the clinical practice. To address this dilemma, the LATITUDES Network, a one-stop resource website for validity assessment tools, was established in September 2023, led by academics at the University of Bristol, U.K. This Network is dedicated to collecting, sorting and promoting validity assessment tools to improve the accuracy of original study validity assessments and increase the robustness and reliability of the results of evidence synthesis. This study introduces the background of the establishment of the LATITUDES Network, the included validity assessment tools, and the training resources for the use of validity assessment tools, in order to provide a reference for domestic scholars to learn more about the LATITUDES Network, to better use the appropriate validity assessment tools to conduct study quality assessments, and to provide references for the development of validity assessment tools.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy of exercise therapy for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) by network meta-analysis (NMA).MethodsThe PubMed, EBSCO, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP and CBM databases were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCT) on exercise for patients with CLBP from inception to May, 2020. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed risk of bias of included studies. Then, NMA was performed by Stata 15.1 software.ResultsA total of 79 RCTs involving 5 782 CLBP patients were included. The effect of exercise therapy on pain in patients with CLBP were in the following rankings: yoga (SMD=?1.25, 95%CI ?1.87 to ?0.64, P<0.000 1), health Qigong/Taichi (SMD=?1.12, 95%CI ?1.87 to ?0.64, P=0.002), sling exercise (SMD=?1.07, 95%CI ?1.64 to ?0.50, P<0.000 1), Mackenzie therapy (SMD=?1.05, 95%CI ?1.68 to ?0.42, P=0.001), pilates (SMD=?0.96, 95%CI ?1.74 to ?1.78, P=0.016), multimodal training (SMD=?0.80, 95%CI ?1.33 to ?0.27, P=0.003) and stabilisation/motor control (SMD=?0.62, 95%CI ?1.03 to ?0.21, P=0.003). The effect of exercise therapy on function in patients with CLBP were in the following rankings: Mackenzie therapy (SMD=?0.62, 95%CI ?1.03 to ?0.21, P=0.003), and yoga (SMD=?0.88, 95%CI ?1.51 to ?0.25, P=0.007). Clusterank results showed that Mackenzie therapy, yoga, pilates, sling exercise and multimodal training were similar in improving pain and physical function in patients with CLBP.ConclusionsThe current study shows that yoga, Mackenzie therapy, pilates, sling exercise and multimodal training constitute the optimal group for improving CLBP symptoms. Health Qigong/Taichi is second only to yoga in improving pain in patients with CLBP, which has great promotional value.
ObjectivesTo systematically review the safety and effectiveness of uterine artery embolization (UAE), surgery and high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in the treatment of uterine fibroids.MethodsPubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, WanFang Data and CNKI databases were electronically searched to collect relevant studies on comparing the safety and effectiveness of UAE, surgery and HIFU in the treatment of uterine fibroids from January 2000 to August 2019. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, extracted the data and evaluated the risk of bias of included studies, network meta-analysis was performed by ADDIS 1.16.8 software and Stata 14.0 software.ResultsA total of 11 trials (22 references) involving 3469 patients were included. Compared with surgery, UAE and HIFU patients had higher quality of life (1-year follow-up) improvement, and UAE was higher than HIFU. Network meta-analysis showed that patients treated with HIFU had the lowest incidence of major complications within 1 year, followed by UAE, and surgery. Patients treated with HIFU and UAE had shorter hospitalization and quicker recovery time than surgery. The rate of further intervention after surgery treatment might be lower than that of UAE and HIFU.ConclusionsUAE has the highest quality of life improvement (1-year follow-up) for uterine fibroids. HIFU and UAE are safer with shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery time compared with surgery. However, both UAE and HIFU have the risk of re-treatment. However, limited by the number and quality of included studies, the above conclusions are needed to be verified by more high-quality studies.
Objectives To train postgraduate medical students the ability of effectively using network resources and independently studying, and to explore new model of clinical liver cancer teaching. Methods The teaching model of problembased learning (PBL) to clinical liver cancer teaching was applied. Results The teaching model of PBL changed graduate student the status of passive acceptance to active participation. The teaching process was full of livingness, and the teaching quality was improved.Conclusion The teaching model of PBL can break through the limitations of passive acceptance of book knowledge in traditional teaching model and improve the ability to handle the comprehensive clinical knowledge of liver cancer, which provides a new model to the teaching of liver cancer to graduate medical students in clinic.
The primary advantage of network meta-analysis is the capability to quantify and compare different interventions for the same diseases and rank their benefits or harms according to a certain health outcome. The inclusion of a variety of interventions has increased the complexity of the conclusions drawing from a network meta-analysis, and based on the ranking results alone may lead to misleading conclusions. At present, there are no accepted standards for the conclusion drawing from a network meta-analysis. In November 2020, based on the evidence certainty results of network meta-analysis, the GRADE (Grades of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) working group proposed two approaches to draw conclusions from a network meta-analysis: the partially contextualised framework and the minimally contextualised framework. This paper aimed to introduce principles and procedures of the minimal contextualised framework through a specific example to provide guidance for the network meta-analysis authors in China to present and interpret the results using minimally contextualised framework.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce fear of childbirth. MethodsThe Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP, and CBM databases were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce fear of childbirth from inception to December 2021. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies; then, a network meta-analysis was performed using Stata 15.0 software. ResultsA total of 19 RCTs involving 3 409 patients were included. Ten non-pharmacological interventions (prenatal education, scenario-based health education, psychological guidance, yoga training, hypnosis, mobile learning education, cognitive behavioral therapy, physical relaxation guidance, breathing guidance, and usual care) were included. The results of the reticulated meta-analysis of the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire (W-DEQ-A) showed that the rankings of the interventions were as follows: prenatal education > yoga training > cognitive behavioral therapy > situational simulation health education > psychological guidance > physical relaxation guidance > conventional care. The results of the Wijma Experience of Childbirth Questionnaire (W-DEQ-B) mesh meta-analysis showed that the rankings of the interventions were as follows: mobile learning education > prenatal education > scenario-based health education > cognitive behavioral therapy > breathing instruction > hypnosis > psychological instruction > physical relaxation instruction > usual care. ConclusionThe current evidence suggests that prenatal education, mobile learning education, situational simulation health education, and yoga training may be effective interventions in improving maternal fear of childbirth. Due to the limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high-quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.
Objective To systematically review the efficacy and safety of different SGLT2 inhibitors in the treatment of heart failure. Methods The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed and EMbase databases were searched for randomized controlled trials on the efficacy and safety of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with heart failure from inception to July 2, 2021. Two researchers independently screened literature, extracted data and evaluated the risk of bias of the included studies. Network meta-analysis was then performed using Stata 16.0 software. Results A total of 16 randomized controlled trials, including 15 312 patients, involving 5 interventions, namely dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, canagliflozin, sotagliflozin and ertugliflozin were included. Results of network meta-analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the compound outcome of hospitalization for heart failure or cardiovascular death, hospitalization for heart failure, all-cause mortality, risk of cardiovascular mortality and serious adverse reactions among patients with heart failure among 5 different SGLT2 inhibitors (P>0.05). Compared with placebo, both selective and non-selective SGLT2 inhibitors improved the risk of hospitalization for heart failure, hospitalization for heart failure, or compound cardiovascular mortality (P<0.05), while only selective SGLT2 inhibitors improved the risk of cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, and serious adverse events (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between them (P>0.05). The area under the cumulative ordering probability curve of selective and non-selective SGLT2 inhibitors ranked first and second, except for the combined outcome of heart failure or cardiovascular death. Conclusion The current evidence indicates that there is no significant difference in the efficacy and safety of the 5 different SGLT2 inhibitors in the treatment of heart failure, and there is no significant difference between selective SGLT2 inhibitors and non-selective SGLT2 inhibitors. Due to the limited quantity and quality of included studies, more high-quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.
Objective To explore the potential molecular mechanism of Rhodiola crenulata (RC) for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by network pharmacology and molecular docking. Methods The target genes of T2DM and AD, the effective active components and targets of RC were identified through multiple public databases during March to August, 2022. The main active components and core genes of RC anti T2DM-AD were screened. The key genes were enrichment analyzed by gene ontology function and Kyoto gene and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. AutoDock Vina was used for molecular docking and binding energy calculation. Results A total of 5189 T2DM related genes and 1911 AD related genes were obtained, and the intersection result showed that there were 1418 T2DM-AD related genes. There were 48 active components of RC and 617 corresponding target genes. There were 220 crossing genes between RC and T2DM-AD. The main active components of RC anti T2DM-AD included kaempferol, velutin, and crenulatin. The key genes for regulation include ESR1, EGFR, and AKT1, which were mainly enriched in the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signal pathway, estrogen signal pathway, and vascular endothelial growth factor signal pathway. The docking binding energies of the main active components of RC and key gene molecules were all less than ?1.2 kcal/mol (1 kcal=4.2 kJ). Conclusions RC may play a role in influencing T2DM and AD by regulating the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway, and vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathway.
Objective To systematically review the effect of different nutrient interventions on the physical function of elderly people with frailty through network meta-analysis. Methods The PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase and Web of Science were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials of different nutrient interventions on physical function of the elderly with frailty, from database inception to June 30, 2022. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Network meta-analysis was then performed using ADDIS 1.16.8, GeMTC 14.3, and Stata 15.0 software. Results A total of 13 studies involving 1 144 patients were included. There was no statistically significant difference in handgrip strength, time up to go test, gait speed, and short physical performance battery (SPPB) among different nutrient interventions. Significant differences were not found in vitamin D+ whey protein (VDWP) vs. placebo and Leu vs. placebo in handgrip strength, or VDWP vs. placebo in SPPB. The probability ranking diagram showed that the most effective of handgrip strength, time up to go test, gait speed, and SPPB were milk protein concentrate (MPC80), L-carnitime (L-Car), leucine (Leu), and MPC80, respectively. Conclusion The current evidence suggests that nutritional intervention did not significantly improve physical function in the frail elderly. MPC80, Leu, L-Car, and VDVEWP may play a role in improving the physical function of frail elderly people. Nutritional support programs that increase the above nutrients, combined with exercise training may become a better way to improve the physical function of frail elderly.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy of three transcranial direct current stimulation protocols (anodal stimulation, cathodal stimulation, and bipolar stimulation) on upper extremity function interventions in stroke patients. MethodsPubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, CBM, WanFang Data and VIP databases were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the efficacy of three transcranial direct current stimulation protocols on upper extremity function interventions in stroke patients from inception to April 2022. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies; then, the network meta-analysis was performed by using R software and ADDIS software. ResultsA total of 64 RCTs involving 3 968 patients were included. The results of network meta-analysis showed that, the probability order of the three stimulation methods on FMA-U, MBI, NIHSS score was: anode>bipolar>cathode>control. In addition, the probability order on ARAT and BBT score was: anode>cathode>bipolar>control. ConclusionCurrent evidence shows that the intervention effect of anodic stimulation on upper limb function of stroke patients may be better. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high-quality studies are needed to verify above conclusion.