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BACKGROUND: Hematological malignancies disturb the blood, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. Taking medications for treating opportunistic infections (OIs) in these individuals may enhance the risk of medication interaction as well as adverse drug reactions. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of nondrug interventions in reducing OIs among patients with hematological cancers. METHODS: The PubMed, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), and Embase databases were searched on December 26, 2022, for all randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The primary endpoint was OIs. The quality of included studies was assessed by the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool. RESULTS: A total of 6 studies were included in this review with 4 interventions: (1) types of mouthwash received, (2) presence of coating on central venous catheters (CVCs), (3) use of well-fitted masks, and (4) types of diet consumed. The results were presented in 8 different comparisons: (1) chlorhexidine-nystatin versus saline mouth rinse, (2) chlorhexidine versus saline mouth rinse, (3) nystatin versus saline mouth rinse, (4) chlorhexidine silver sulfadiazine-coated CVCs versus uncoated catheters, (5) well-fitted masks versus no mask, (6) amine fluoride-stannous fluoride versus sodium fluoride mouthwash, (7) low-bacterial diet versus standard hospital diet, and (8) herbal versus placebo mouthwash. No clear differences were reported in any of the outcomes examined in the first 3 comparisons. There were also no clear differences in the rate of catheter-related bloodstream infection or insertion site infection between the use of chlorhexidine silver sulfadiazine-coated CVCs versus uncoated catheters in the patients. Further, no significant differences were seen between patients who used a well-fitted mask and those without a mask in the incidence of OI. The all-cause mortality and mortality due to OI were similar between the 2 groups. There was no clear difference in all-cause mortality, although common adverse effects were reported in patients who used sodium fluoride mouthwash compared with those using amine fluoride-stannous fluoride mouthwash. There was no evidence of any difference in the incidence of possible invasive aspergillosis or candidemia between patients who consumed a low-bacterial diet and a standard diet. For the last comparison, no significant difference was seen between patients who received herbal and placebo mouthwash. CONCLUSIONS: Very limited evidence was available to measure the effectiveness of nondrug interventions in hematological cancers. The effectiveness of the interventions included in this review needs to be evaluated further in high-quality RCTs in a dedicated setting among patients with hematological malignancies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42020169186; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=169186.
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BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the common causes of chronic liver disease globally. Obesity, metabolic diseases, and exposure to some environmental agents contribute to NAFLD. NAFLD is commonly considered a precursor for some types of cancers. Since the leading causes of death in people with NAFLD are cardiovascular disease and extrahepatic cancers, it is important to understand the mechanisms of the progression of NAFLD to control its progression and identify its association with extrahepatic cancers. Thus, this review aims to estimate the global prevalence of NAFLD in association with the risk of extrahepatic cancers. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the prevalence of various cancers in NAFLD patients and the association between NAFLD and cancer. METHODS: We searched PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science from database inception to March 2022 to identify eligible studies reporting the prevalence of NAFLD and the risk of incident cancers among adult individuals (aged ≥18 years). Data from selected studies were extracted, and meta-analysis was performed using random effects models to obtain the pooled prevalence with the 95% CI. The quality of the evidence was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS: We identified 11 studies that met our inclusion criteria, involving 222,523 adults and 3 types of cancer: hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), breast cancer, and other types of extrahepatic cancer. The overall pooled prevalence of NAFLD and cancer was 26% (95% CI 16%-35%), while 25% of people had NAFLD and HCC (95% CI 7%-42%). NAFLD and breast cancer had the highest prevalence out of the 3 forms of cancer at 30% (95% CI 14%-45%), while the pooled prevalence for NAFLD and other cancers was 21% (95% CI 12%-31%). CONCLUSIONS: The review suggests that people with NAFLD may be at an increased risk of cancer that might not affect not only the liver but also other organs, such as the breast and bile duct. The findings serve as important evidence for policymakers to evaluate and recommend measures to reduce the prevalence of NAFLD through lifestyle and environmental preventive approaches. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42022321946; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=321946.
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Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women in Malaysia and poses a major burden on society. Aims: To determine the overall survival rate of patients diagnosed with CRC and factors contributing to survival. Methods: Data were obtained from the Malaysia National Cancer Registry. All patients with CRC were identified, and a total of 15,515 patients were screened. A total of 5,675 CRC patients were included from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2016. Sex, age groups, ethnic groups, stage at diagnosis, cancer sites, and status of treatment received were analysed. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to estimate the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival of CRC. The log-rank test was conducted to compare the survival between sex, age groups, ethnic groups, stage at diagnosis, cancer sites, and status of treatment received. Multiple Cox regression was conducted to determine the risk of CRC death. Results: Of 5,675, a total of 2,055 had died, 3,534 were censored, and another 86 were still alive within 5 years of CRC diagnosis. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 68.5%, 34.7%, and 18.4%, respectively with a median survival time of 24 months. Significant differences in survival rates of CRC were observed between age groups (p < 0.001), ethnic groups (p < 0.001), stages at diagnosis (p < 0.001), treatment status (p = 0.003), and treatment modalities (p < 0.001). No significant difference was observed in survival rates of CRC between sex (p = 0.235) and cancer sites (p = 0.410). Those who were 80 years old and above were found to be at higher risk of CRC death compared to those below 80 years old (adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.24, 95% CI 1.14-1.36). The risk of CRC death was also found four times higher among those with stage IV compared to those with stage 0 (adjusted HR: 4.28, 95% CI 3.26-5.62). Conclusion: In general, Malaysian patients with CRC had low survival rates. National health policies should focus on enhancing awareness of CRC, encouraging early screening, and developing strategies for early detection and management to reduce CRC-associated mortality.
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BACKGROUND: Allergic diseases affect around 40% of the pediatric population worldwide. The coexistence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and food allergy renders allergy treatment and prevention challenging. Infant feeding strategies recommend avoiding allergenic foods to prevent allergy development and anaphylaxis. However, recent evidence suggests that early consumption of food allergens during weaning in infants aged 4-6 months could result in food tolerance, thus reducing the risk of developing allergies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to systematically review and carry out a meta-analysis of evidence on the outcome of early food introduction for preventing childhood allergic diseases. METHODS: We will conduct a systematic review of interventions through a comprehensive search of various databases including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Google Scholar to identify potential studies. The search will be performed for any eligible articles from the earliest published articles up to the latest available studies in 2023. We will include randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cluster RCTs, non-RCTs, and other observational studies that assess the effect of early food introduction to prevent childhood allergic diseases. RESULTS: Primary outcomes will include measures related to the effect of childhood allergic diseases (ie, asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and food allergy). PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines will be followed for study selection. All data will be extracted using a standardized data extraction form and the quality of the studies will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. A summary of findings table will be generated for the following outcomes: (1) total number of allergic diseases, (2) rate of sensitization, (3) total number of adverse events, (4) improvement of health-related quality of life, and (5) all-cause mortality. Descriptive and meta-analyses will be performed using a random-effects model in Review Manager (Cochrane). Heterogeneity among selected studies will be assessed using the I2 statistic and explored through meta-regression and subgroup analyses. Data collection is expected to start in June 2023. CONCLUSIONS: The results acquired from this study will contribute to the existing literature and harmonize recommendations for infant feeding with regard to the prevention of childhood allergic diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021256776; https://tinyurl.com/4j272y8a. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/46816.
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Introduction: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a blood-borne virus that can be transmitted by percutaneous and mucocutaneous contact with infected bodily fluid. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are more exposed to HBV infection. They must have a thorough understanding of HBV infection since they can contract and spread the virus. In this study, we systematically reviewed all published evidence on the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among HCWs. and synthesize evidence on the association between knowledge and awareness with HBV infection. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Scopus for studies reporting on HBV seroprevalence from January 1997 to September 2021 among healthcare workers. We used random-effects meta-analyses to estimate the pool prevalence of HBV infection. Results: We identified 25 studies that met our inclusion criteria, with data on 10,043 adults from 11 countries and two regions: Africa and Asia. The overall seroprevalence of HBV was 5.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.6%), with Africa reporting higher estimates (5.0%, 95% CI 3.7%) than Asia population (4.0%, 95% CI 1.9%). The highest pooled prevalence estimate in African countries came from studies published in the Cameroon region (8.0%, 95% CI 5-10%) while the lowest came from Ethiopia (4.0%, 95% CI 2.6%). The overall seroprevalence estimates in the African population were significantly higher than those in the Asian group. Studies in Africa found that the average knowledge and seroprevalence were 1.4% and 11.0%, respectively where, eight studies (53.3%) reported good knowledge and seven studies (46.7%) reported average knowledge. In Asia, two studies (40.0%) reported good knowledge, one study (20.0%) reporting average knowledge, and two studies (40.0%) reporting poor knowledge. African studies demonstrated good knowledge despite the fact that their HBV infection rate was higher than 6.7%. Conclusion: Africa and Asia have the highest seroprevalence of HBV infection. Improving the comparability of epidemiological and clinical studies constitutes an important step forward. More high-quality data is needed to improve the precision of burden estimates. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO CRD42021279905.