A Comparison Between Histology and Rapid Urease Test in the Diagnosis of Helicobacter Pylori in Gastric Biopsies: A Systematic Review.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a gram-negative aerobic pathogen that primarily colonizes the gastric mucosa. Peptic ulcer disease, atrophic gastritis, gastric cancer, and mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma have all been linked to chronic H. pylori infection. Hence, it is critical to diagnose and treat it as early as possible. There are both invasive and noninvasive tests available to detect it. In this review, the diagnostic abilities of two invasive tests - histology and the rapid urease test (RUT) - are compared in a variety of clinical situations. This systematic review was carried out using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020 checklist. We performed a literature search using the PubMed and Google Scholar databases in accordance with the eligibility criteria and ultimately selected eight articles for final analysis. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale adapted for cross-sectional studies, the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA), and the PRISMA 2020 checklist were used to assess the quality of selected articles for cross-sectional studies, traditional literature reviews, and systematic reviews, respectively. According to the findings of the review, both histology and the RUT have high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing H. pylori though this varies depending on the clinical situation, making one test superior to the other. Neither of these tests can be considered the gold standard method on its own. Hence, using at least two diagnostic tests at the same time is critical for ensuring high sensitivity and specificity while accurately diagnosing the pathogen.

Comparing Gefitinib and Traditional Chemotherapy for Better Survival in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Current non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment consists of various combinations of surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation, depending on the tumor stage. Individuals with stage II-IIIa NSCLC undergo surgery, followed by combination chemotherapy containing cisplatin, such as vinorelbine + cisplatin. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as gefitinib, act by inhibiting any signaling pathway containing the EGFR mutation and inhibiting the growth of NSCLC. TKI is a treatment option in advanced NSCLC, resulting in more prolonged progression-free survival (PFS). This manuscript aims to evaluate the influence of utilizing gefitinib - either alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapeutic drug regimens upon NSCLC patient profile survival parameters. A systematic literature review was conducted across multiple scientific literature repositories. The review was performed using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020. There were six randomized clinical trials (RCT) and five retrospective studies. The overall consensus based on the end outcome of each published journal on the effectiveness of gefitinib as a treatment option for NSCLC indicated that there was a notable difference in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) datasets. Gefitinib use correlated with increased timeframes for multiple patient survival parameters within articles shortlisted in this investigation. However, more comprehensive investigations are required to validate such correlations. Gefitinib did demonstrate the potential to provide beneficial effects and counteract NSCLC within such patients.

Detection and Diagnostic Accuracy of Cardiac Arrhythmias Using Wearable Health Devices: A Systematic Review.

Photoplethysmography (PPG) is the wearable devices' most widely used technology for monitoring heart rate. The systematic review used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards and guidelines. This systematic review seeks to establish the effects of wearable health devices on cardiac arrhythmias concerning their impact on the personalization of cardiac management, their refining effect on stroke prevention strategies, and their influence on research and preventive care of cardiac arrhythmias and their re-evaluation of the patient-physician relationship. The population, exposure, control, outcomes, and studies (PECOS) criteria were used in the systematic review. This review considered studies that covered the tests conducted on individuals who presented with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and also healthy people. The intervention for studies included wearable health devices that could detect and diagnose cardiac arrhythmias.  The study considered articles that reported on the personalization of cardiac management, stroke prevention strategies, influence in research and preventive care of cardiac arrhythmias, and the re-evaluation of the patient-physician relationship. Two independent researchers were used in the extraction of the data. In case of dispute, the issue was resolved using a third party. The study's quality analysis was conducted using AXIS. The management of atrial fibrillation (AF) lies heavily in the prevention of stroke. The accuracy being reported in the prediction of arrhythmias and the monitoring of heart rates makes wearable devices an efficient means to personalize health care. Personalization of health and treatment in preventing and managing arrhythmias becomes possible due to the portability of smart wearable devices. However, limitations may be observed due to the high costs incurred in their purchase and use. Using smart wearable devices for the detection of cardiac arrhythmias was very significant.

The Correlation Between Otitis Media With Effusion and Adenoid Hypertrophy Among Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review .

Otitis media with effusion (OME) affects approximately 80% of children due to the middle ear being flooded with fluids, though with no microbial infection manifestations. Multiple issues can drive recurring pediatric OME, such as environment-based issues, previous medical issues, inherited vulnerability from family, contact time at childcare institutes, passive smoking, and more than three siblings together with atopy or allergic rhinitis. If OME is not promptly addressed, this could eventually result in hearing impairment or loss, with consequent negative repercussions on the child's communicative and behavioral patterns. OME diagnosis within the clinic is possible, with hearing capacity being assessed pre- and post-therapy. Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) represents a typical causative factor for middle-ear conditions, stemming from mechanical or anatomical issues. Consequently, adenoid size is paramount when determining tympanometry types and ear fluids. This systematic review investigated PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct databases in order to retrieve knowledge related to this issue, adopting inclusion and exclusion criteria and maintaining review quality through the employment of the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), the Newcastle-Ottawa tool, and the Axis scale. This systematic review analyzed a previous review article, six observation-based investigations, and three cross-sectional investigations. Previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were not found within previous literature, suggesting such scarcity in this research niche and thus warranting future RCT investigations based on this compelling research niche.

Efficacy and Safety of Apatinib in the Treatment of Chemotherapy-Refractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review.

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the current evidence on apatinib and offer a better understanding of its safety and efficacy in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients who have not responded to standard chemotherapies. This systematic review was conducted using research from the last 10 years (May 30, 2012, to May 30, 2022) and was obtained from the following databases: PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. After removing duplicates, screening titles and abstracts, and applying eligibility criteria and quality appraisal, 11 articles were left for this systematic review (one meta-analysis, eight non-randomized studies, and two traditional reviews). Out of the 11 studies, six were on apatinib monotherapy, while three were on apatinib combination therapy. Apatinib has demonstrated efficacy in the monotherapy and combination therapy trials and has exhibited an acceptable safety profile as the adverse events were predominantly graded 1-2 and could be easily managed. Therefore, apatinib is an encouraging candidate for third-line therapy in chemotherapy-refractory mCRC patients. This conclusion should be confirmed and validated by studies with larger, randomized clinical trials to gain better insight and to directly compare the efficacy and safety of apatinib with all current third-line therapies together so that clinicians can easily assess which treatment modality is superior for chemotherapy-refractory mCRC patients.

The Efficacy of Sitz Baths as Compared to Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy in Patients with Anal Fissures: A Systematic Review.

An anal fissure is a common condition that affects patients of all ages. Its clinical presentation is a sharp pain on defecation with or without blood. It is treated by conservative or surgical means. This study aims to assess the efficacy of a sitz bath as compared to lateral internal sphincterotomy in the treatment of anal fissures. The search strategy used keywords related to the topic of study. Three databases were used: PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. A total of 551 articles were screened. A quality assessment check was done on the articles leaving 11 articles. Four aspects of sitz bath outcomes were evaluated in the articles. In terms of analgesia, articles showed conflicting evidence. However, the overall evidence supports the use of sitz baths for their analgesic properties. In terms of healing, most articles had similar recovery rates of around 80%. Much of the research supported the use of sitz baths as the primary treatment to heal acute fissures. When compared to lateral internal sphincterotomy, the recovery rates of lateral internal sphincterotomy are superior to those of conservative treatment, including sitz baths. However, studies showed incontinence as a side effect of lateral internal sphincterotomy, and no studies reported side effects from the sitz baths. To conclude, the results of the articles support the use of sitz baths to treat anal fissures. Sitz baths have been found to have analgesic properties, as well as a good healing time. But, compared to lateral internal sphincterotomy, there is a significant difference in the healing rate at the end stage of treatment, lateral internal sphincterotomy is found to be superior. With regards to the side effects, none have been reported from using a sitz bath.

Accuracy of Ultrasonography vs. Elastography in Patients With Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review.

Ultrasonography and elastography are the most widely used imaging modalities for diagnosing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This study aimed to assess and compare the diagnostic accuracy in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. This systematic review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic search was done for the past seven years using Pubmed, Pubmed Central, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases on Jun 29, 2022. Studies were included based on the following predefined criteria: observational studies, randomized controlled trial (RCT), comparative studies, studies using liver biopsy or MRI proton density fat fraction (MRI PDFF) as a reference standard, ultrasonography, and elastography with measures of their diagnostic accuracy like sensitivity (SN), specificity (SP), area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve, and English language. The data were extracted on a predefined template. The final twelve eligible studies were assessed using the quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy tool (QUADS-2). Most studies focused on elastography techniques, and the remaining focused on quantitative ultrasonography methods like the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and attenuation coefficient (AC). Only one study was available for the evaluation of qualitative ultrasonography. MRI was generally found superior to other diagnostic tests for determining liver stiffness through magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and steatosis through MRI PDFF. Data assessing the comparative diagnostic accuracy of the two tests were inconclusive.

Recurrence of Small Bowel Obstruction in Adults After Operative Management of Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction: A Systematic Review.

The objective of this article is to review the existing literature on postoperative recurrence of adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO). We performed a systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, searching PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies investigating recurrence after operative management of ASBO. Our search yielded one RCT, one prospective study, and eight retrospective studies, totaling 36,178 patients. We used Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale to assess the risk of bias in the reviewed studies (RCTs and observational studies, respectively). Operative management was associated with a lower risk of recurrence than conservative management, while the difference in recurrence between laparoscopic and open surgery was inconclusive. Diffuse adhesions were associated with a greater risk of recurrence than single band adhesions. We conclude that the "common knowledge" that surgery increases the risk for recurrence of ASBO is outdated and should no longer be applied when determining treatment modalities for ASBO. While conservative treatment still has its place, we need not fear the possibility of shifting patients to operative management earlier.

Bevacizumab-Induced Hypertension as a Potential Physiological Clinical Biomarker for Improved Outcomes in Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme: A Systematic Review.

With the advancement in medicine leading to the discovery of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs, numerous oncologists are now commonly using antiangiogenic medications to improve outcomes and attain disease control. Thus, the significance of prognostic and predictive indicators in patient selection has become increasingly imperative. These biomarkers have the capacity to be highly effective and can easily be implemented in various diagnostic and therapeutic settings on a large scale. Overall, it has the potential of significantly decreasing mortality in a fatal disease and possibly achieving partial or complete remission. Many clinical trials have shown the efficacy of bevacizumab in treating malignancies. However, there are currently no known predictive or prognostic biomarkers for bevacizumab in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Several clinical studies have evaluated bevacizumab-induced hypertension as a potential marker in patients with different malignancies, including recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (rGBM). This systematic review was performed to determine the association of bevacizumab-induced hypertension with outcomes in patients with advanced brain cancer and to assess whether hypertension (HTN) can be used as a prognostic factor. The review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, and the databases were searched from January 2012 to June 2022. This review aimed to evaluate six published studies to investigate the relationship between hypertension and the outcomes of patients with rGBM treated with bevacizumab. Among the included publications, four out of six were retrospective and featured a positive result regarding hypertension being used as an independent predictive factor of survival outcomes in rGBM. However, two studies showed negative results. This can be attributed to the limited subsets of patients and the duration of the studies. In conclusion, bevacizumab-induced hypertension may represent a prognostic factor in patients with rGBM.

Acquired Von Willebrand Deficiency in Adults With Aortic Stenosis: A Systematic Review.

Von Willebrand factor (VWF) deficiency is associated with bleeding complications. The congenital type of Von Willebrand disease(VWD) is a very well-known bleeding disorder and sometimes may be associated with life-threatening hemorrhage. This systematic review is aimed at gathering further knowledge regarding the pathology of an acquired VWD form within a population of patients with aortic stenosis (AS) by shortlisting quality articles on this theme, through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. High shear stress caused by the stenotic valve cleaves VWF multimers, causing a relative state of deficiency. The condition returns to baseline immediately following surgical replacement of the valve. Results across eight studies reviewed by a majority concluded that in an AS patient with bleeding, the most likely cause is an acquired deficiency of VWF, associated with factors influencing blood flow and caused by the in-situ valve. However, several studies suggested otherwise/were misclassifications. This review highlighted the relationship between AS and acquired VWF deficiency and should be foreseen as an adverse complication, attracting further research and future theragnostic strategies for this condition.

A Study of Vitamin D and Its Correlation With Severity and Complication of Congestive Heart Failure: A Systematic Review.

Many studies have shown that vitamin D is a crucial modulator of hypertension and cardiovascular illness, including heart failure. Heart failure (HF) is still the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Patients with heart failure who have low vitamin D levels experience worse outcomes, which associate with known clinical correlations and biomarkers. Additionally, patients with low vitamin D levels are more likely to have diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and other precursor conditions to heart failure. There are some hints in recent experimental research on how vitamin D can have cardioprotective effects. Vitamin D supplementation might improve ventricular remodeling in heart failure patients, however, this is still unclear. It aims to evaluate the association between vitamin D and congestive heart failure (CHF). This systematic review used research from the previous ten years (January 2012-2022) retrieved from the following databases: PubMed/PMC (PubMed Central)/Medline and Cochrane Library. Using the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, removing duplicates, screening of title and abstract, application of eligibility criteria, and quality appraisal, 13 articles were retained for systemic review. There were 10 randomized controlled trials and three observational studies. Vitamin D supplementation lowers serum inflammatory marker levels and improves the quality of life in CHF patients. Vitamin D treatment inhibits ventricular remodeling and improves cardiac function in a patient with CHF.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Honey Consumption With Anti-Cough Medication in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review.

Coughing is one of the most prevalent symptoms in children presenting at outpatient departments. This systematic review aimed to review previous literature in order to compare the use of honey and antitussive medications for treating coughs in children. Literature was screened across five databases using Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) strategy, keywords, and inclusion and exclusion criteria. The remaining literature was evaluated using a quality appraisal tool checklist. This review includes systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies, cross-sectional studies, and articles without a defined methodology section. This review suggests that honey is effective in treating children above 12 months of age, while cold and cough medications (CCMs) are safe if administered at therapeutic doses. Since fatalities can occur in children under two years of age, further RCT studies on CCMs are required to establish safety across all age groups.

Impact of acute kidney injury on long-term mortality and progression to chronic kidney disease among critically ill children.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the 2-year outcome of acute kidney injury (AKI) following admission to pediatric critical care units (PICU). Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 2012 and December 2013. We followed 131 children admitted to PICU, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a diagnosis of AKI, based on pRIFLE (pediatric risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage renal disease), for 2 years. During the study period, 46 children died and 38 of survivors completed the follow-up. Factors affecting long-term progression to chronic kidney disease were also evaluated. Results: The 2-year mortality was more than 40%. The main determinant of the 2-year mortality was the pediatric risk of mortality (PRISM) score, which increased the risk of mortality by 6% per each one score (adjusted odds ratio, 1.06: 95% confidence interval: 1.00-1.11). By the end of the 2 years, 33% of survivors had reduction in the glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria, and 73% were hypertensive. Patients with more severe renal impairment at admission, based on the pRIFLE criteria, had higher mortality rate. This association, however, was not independent since it was influenced by baseline disease severity (PRISM score).  Conclusion: Large proportion of patients admitted to PICU with AKI either died during the first 2 months of follow-up or developed long-term complications. The severity of AKI, however, was not an independent risk factor for mortality.