Efficacy and Safety of Oral P2Y12 Inhibitors in Older Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Frequentist Network Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Previous studies and meta-analyses have assessed optimal P2Y12 inhibitors following acute coronary syndrome in overall trial cohorts. However, there are insufficient data for the elderly cohort who are prone to high bleeding and ischemic events. We aimed to assess the optimal P2Y12 inhibitor therapy for older patients. METHODS: PubMed, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched from inception through July 2020 to identify randomized controlled trials and propensity-matched observational studies including older patients (aged ≥ 65 years) that reported study-defined major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) or major bleeding events. Outcomes at the mid-term follow-up were pooled to conduct a frequentist network meta-analysis. RESULTS: Fourteen studies involving 12,953 older patients were included in our analysis. No significant difference was observed with MACE when all three P2Y12 inhibitors were compared with each other. Compared with clopidogrel, ticagrelor significantly increased the risk of major bleeding (risk ratio 1.35, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.67) while prasugrel did not (risk ratio 1.02, 95% confidence interval 0.67-1.57). A sensitivity analysis of only randomized controlled trials yielded similar results for both MACE and major bleeding. The P score displayed prasugrel (0.5871) as the best treatment for MACE, while clopidogrel (0.7701) was the best P2Y12 inhibitor to decrease the risk of major bleeding. Ticagrelor (0.0634) was ranked the lowest because of an increased bleeding risk. CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference is observed between the three P2Y12 inhibitors in study-defined MACE. Ranking by p-score suggests prasugrel as the best P2Y12 inhibitor to reduce the risk of MACE while clopidogrel is a better alternative than ticagrelor in older patients with acute coronary syndrome to decrease the risk of major bleeding. Because of a lack of individual-patient data analysis and heterogeneity amongst studies, future studies representing older patients with acute coronary syndrome are required to strengthen evidence regarding optimal antithrombotic therapy in this cohort.

Behavioral and Cognitive Response to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This article systematically reviews current literature on the efficacy and efficiency of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the treatment of patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), with a particular focus on behavior and cognitive functions. METHODS: A search was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines using CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases. Eleven randomized controlled trials and open-label studies looking at the effects of SSRIs on FTLD patients were included. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed, consisting of 3 randomized and controlled studies that used the neuropsychiatric inventory to assess SSRI intervention. RESULTS: The meta-analysis shows a combined mean reduction of 10.17 points (95% confidence interval, 18.14-2.19; P = 0.01) on the neuropsychiatric inventory with SSRI treatment in FTLD patients. The I2 calculated for this study was 62% (P = 0.07), which represents moderate heterogeneity among the studies. The Egger regression test (P = 0.526) did not show a publication bias. Sensitivity analysis showed no significant change. CONCLUSIONS: The current meta-analysis supports SSRIs as an intervention for management of behavioral symptoms of FTLD. Marked improvements were seen in disinhibition, irritability, aggression, and aberrant motor activity across studies. However, apathy/loss of empathy did not show similarly promising results. A deteriorative effect on cognition was seen associated with SSRI use.

Efficacy of double versus single phototherapy in treatment of neonatal jaundice: a meta-analysis.

To assess the efficacy of double phototherapy in managing neonatal jaundice compared to single phototherapy in infants with different birth weight and gestational age. CENTRAL, PubMed, clinicaltrials.gov, and gray literature sources were searched from date of inception of these databases till August 2019. Primary outcome was decline of total serum bilirubin (TSB) per hour. Ten studies were eligible. Our meta-analysis showed significant difference between double phototherapy versus single phototherapy in decline of TSB per hour in preterm infants (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 2.28 [0.79-3.76], p = 0.003) and a significant decrease in TSB levels at 24 h of phototherapy in infants with birth weight ≥ 1500 g (mean difference [MD] = - 61.70 µmol/L, [- 107.96, - 15.43], p = <0.001).Conclusion: Double phototherapy is effective in reducing TSB in infants of different gestational ages and birth weights with the most important finding regarding preterm infants, who are more susceptible to kernicterus.What is Known:• Double phototherapy has shown to be more efficacious than single phototherapy in treating neonatal jaundice.• Double phototherapy efficacy on neonates with different gestational ages and birth weights still remain ambiguous in treating neonatal jaundice.What is New:• The results of this meta-analysis show that double phototherapy is effective in reducing TSB in infants of different gestational ages and birth weights with the most important finding regarding preterm infants, who are more susceptible to kernicterus.