Using the lactate-to-albumin ratio to predict mortality in patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether the lactate-to-albumin ratio (LAR) can predict mortality in patients with sepsis or septic shock. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases was conducted on December 16, 2021, for relevant articles that provided the predictive performance of LAR for mortality in patients with sepsis or septic shock. RESULTS: Eight studies encompassing a total of 4,723 patients were included in this paper. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio of the LAR for predicting mortality were 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.54-0.84), 0.68 (95% CI: 0.58-0.76) and 5.23 (95% CI: 2.62-10.45), respectively. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.70-0.78). CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence suggests that LAR is moderately predictive of mortality among patients with sepsis or septic shock and may be beneficial to identify high-risk patients.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for the diagnosis of pediatric acute appendicitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Acute appendicitis (AA) is one of the most common surgical emergencies and causes of acute abdominal pain in the pediatric population. However, it can be difficult to diagnose in children. We aimed to provide updated evidence on the diagnostic utility of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) for AA, along with other conventional biomarkers, in pediatric patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases for eligible articles published up to May 16, 2021. RESULTS: We included 19 studies comprising a total of 5,974 pediatric cases. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the NLR were 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.79-0.85) and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.69-0.81), respectively. The overall diagnostic odds ratio was 14.34 (95% CI: 9.05-22.73). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.83-0.89). The pooled sensitivity and specificity of other biomarkers were as follows: 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71-0.86) and 0.66 (95% CI: 0.54-0.77) for the white blood cell count, 0.73 (95% CI: 0.69-0.77) and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.55-0.79) for the C-reactive protein level, 0.75 (95% CI: 0.65-0.82) and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.72-0.83) for the absolute neutrophil count, and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.79-0.87) and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.53-0.80) for the neutrophil percentage, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The NLR has moderate predictive power for AA and can be used as a simple, auxiliary tool for diagnosis. NLR can also help clinicians decide whether to perform imaging testing when the clinical symptoms or physical examination findings are vague.

Point-of-care testing for the detection of SARS-CoV-2: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization (FDA-EUA) authorized point-of-care tests (POCTs) for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases for articles published till August 10, 2020. We included studies providing information regarding diagnostic test accuracy of FDA-EUA POCTs for SARS-CoV-2 detection. The methodologic quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. The review protocol is registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (protocol number CRD42020202248). RESULTS: We included 26 studies describing a total of 3242 samples. The summary sensitivity and specificity were 0.94 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88-0.97] and 1.00 (95% CI: 0.99-1.00), respectively. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 1.00 (95% CI: 0.99-1.00). A pooled analysis based on the index test revealed a summary sensitivity and specificity of Cepheid Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 [0.99 (95% CI: 0.97-1.00) and 0.99 (95% CI: 0.94-1.00, respectively)] and ID NOW COVID-19 [0.78 (95% CI: 0.74-0.82) and 1.00 (95% CI: 0.98-1.00), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: FDA-EUA POCTs, especially molecular assays, have high sensitivity, specificity, and overall diagnostic accuracy for detecting SARS-CoV-2. If approved, FDA-EUA POCTs can provide a rapid and practical way to identify infected individuals early on and help to limit the strain on the healthcare system. However, more high-quality clinical data are required to support our results.