Strabismus outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing disconnective hemispheric surgery for intractable epilepsy: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Children undergoing hemispheric surgery for intractable seizures are susceptible to visual complications including strabismus. This systematic review aims to investigate the rates and characteristics of strabismus development after hemispheric surgery and evaluate clinical implications for ophthalmologic care. METHODS: A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, PsychINFO, and Web of Science databases was performed from database inception to May 2022. Included articles referred to strabismus outcomes in pediatric populations after hemispherectomy or hemispherotomy. Reviews and non-English-language publications were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Demographic data and characteristics of strabismus were extracted and tabulated. RESULTS: Of 41 articles identified, 10 studies consisting of 384 pediatric participants (48% females) and age at surgery between 6 months and 16 years were included. Preoperative strabismus rates ranged between 3% and 56%, whereas postoperative rates ranged between 38% and 100%. With respect to the site of hemispheric surgery, contralateral exodeviation was the most common (16%-67%; n = 7) and then ipsilateral exodeviation (16%-56%; n = 2), whereas ipsilateral esodeviation was infrequent (4%-9%; n = 3). CONCLUSIONS: Contralateral exotropia and ipsilateral esotropia may occur after hemispheric surgery and may have the potential to be field expanding. Concerns regarding negative social reactions should be balanced with the risk of visual field reduction and (or) diplopia by strabismus surgery. Higher-quality articles with large, homogeneous, and well-described populations (i.e., complete pre- and postoperative ophthalmologic assessments) are required to establish the risks and rates of strabismus development after hemispheric surgery.

Mortality outcomes of patients on chronic mechanical ventilation in different care settings: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the outcomes of chronically ventilated patients outside the setting of intensive care units. DESIGN: Systematic review. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Studies evaluating patients on chronic invasive mechanical ventilation in different care settings. METHODS: A systematic literature search of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), LILACS and Scopus databases from inception to March 27, 2020. Studies reporting mortality outcomes of patients ≥18 years of age on chronic invasive mechanical ventilation in intensive care units and other care settings were eligible for inclusion. RESULTS: Sixty studies were included in the systematic review. Mortality rates ranged from 13.7% to 77.8% in ICUs (n = 17 studies), 7.8%-51.0% in non-ICUs including step-down units and inpatient wards (n = 26 studies), and 12.0%-91.8% in home or nursing home settings (n = 19 studies). Age was associated with mortality in all care settings. Weaning rates ranged from 10.0% to 78.2% across non-ICU studies. Studies reporting weaning as their primary outcome demonstrated higher success rates in weaning. Home care studies reported low incidences of ventilator failure. None of the studies reported ventilator malfunction as the primary cause of death. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Mortality outcomes across various settings were disparate due to methodological and clinical heterogeneity among studies. However, there is evidence to suggest non-ICU venues of care as a comparable alternative to ICUs for stable, chronically ventilated patients, with the additional benefit of providing specialized weaning programs. By synthesizing the global data on managing chronically ventilated patients in various care settings, this study provides health care systems and providers alternative venue options for the delivery of prolonged ventilatory care in the context of limited ICU resources.

Work productivity among Sjögren's Syndrome and non-Sjögren's dry eye patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dry eye disease (DED) is one of the most common conditions presenting to eye care providers and is increasingly recognized to have poor outcomes on quality of life, activities of daily living, and social and emotional well-being. Here, we aim to understand the association between dry eye symptoms and workplace productivity experienced by patients with non-Sjögren's dry eye and Sjögren's Syndrome. METHODS: MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Healthstar, and PsycINFO were searched from inception to May 2019. RESULTS: Thirty-one studies consisting of 50,446 study participants from 14 countries were included in this systematic review. Among non-Sjögren's dry eye patients, there was significant absenteeism (ES = 0.19; 95% CI: [0.04, 0.35]), presenteeism (ES = 0.25; 95% CI: [0.15. 0.35]), productivity impairment (ES = 0.24; 95% CI: [0.20, 0.27]), activity impairment (ES = 0.30; 95% CI: [0.21, 0.38]), and subjective difficulties at work (ES = 0.58; 95% CI: [0.40, 0.75]). Patients with Sjögren's Syndrome demonstrated significant absenteeism (ES = 0.13, 95% CI: [0.10, 0.17]), presenteeism (ES = 0.28, 95% CI: [0.24, 0.32]), productivity impairment (ES = 0.31, 95% CI: [0.27, 0.35]), and activity impairment (ES = 0.39, 95% CI: [0.32, 0.47]) in the workplace. In addition, patients with Sjögren's Syndrome demonstrated significantly lower employment rate (ES = 0.42, 95% CI: [0.34, 0.50]), decreased number of hours worked (SMD = -0.21, 95% CI: [-0.39, -0.02]), and increased work disability (ES = 0.18; 95% CI: [0.09, 0.27]). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to demonstrate the negative association between DED and several work productivity measures.