Full Manuscripts Research Articles

ON THE FUNGAL SPECIES GNOMONIOPSIS CASTANEAE ("CASTANEA") AND ITS SYNONYM G. SMITHOGILVYI

The two fungal species Gnomoniopsis castaneae ("castanea") G. Tamietti and G. smithogilvyi L.A. Shuttlew., E.C.Y. Liew & D.I. Guest were described independently in 2012 in Visentin et al. (2012) and Shuttleworth et al. (2012), respectively, but they were recently demonstrated to be the same species (Shuttleworth et al., 2015). Contrary to what reported in both Shuttleworth et al. (2015) and Linaldeddu et al. (2016), G. castaneae ("castanea") was validly published electronically as a full manuscript in Portable Document Format (PDF), with DOI, available online (ex art. 29 ICN, McNeill et al., 2012) in the JPP official website on May 21st 2012 (L. Rubino, JPP Managing Editor, written personal communication), hence earlier than G. smithogilvyi, that was validly published online on June 4th 2012. Therefore, the legitimate name of the above fungal species is G. castaneae ("castanea"), that has priority over G. smithogilvyi.

The Burden of Care for Children With Unilateral Cleft Lip: A Systematic Review of Revision Surgery.

To identify the average rate of revision surgery following cleft lip repair. PubMed, CINAHL, and SCOPUS were searched from database inception through March 2013 using the search terms cleft lip and surgery. Two investigators independently screened all abstracts and determined eligibility from review of full manuscripts using prespecified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Strengths and limitation of the studies were assessed, followed by qualitative synthesis. The I(2) test of homogeneity was performed to determine if meta-analysis was appropriate. The search identified 3034 articles. Of those, 45 met the inclusion criteria. Studies were primarily case series and retrospective cohort studies, with only one randomized controlled trial. One-third of studies (n = 15) did not describe how the study sample was selected. Follow-up duration was not reported in one-fourth of studies (n = 11). Nasolabial aesthetics were reported in 44% of studies (n = 20). The incidence of revision surgery ranged from 0% to 100%. Meta-analysis was precluded because of study heterogeneity (I(2) = 97%). The average incidence of cleft lip revision surgery cannot be estimated from the published literature, due to significant heterogeneity among existing reports and limited study quality. To provide valid information about the burden of care for unilateral cleft lip, a population-based or multicenter longitudinal cohort study is necessary; this study should measure the number of surgical procedures and the patient's aesthetic outcomes.

Do antioxidant supplements benefit patients with multiple sclerosis?

Do antioxidant supplements benefit patients with multiple sclerosis?

Management of rhinosinusitis during pregnancy: systematic review and expert panel recommendations.

Management of rhinosinusitis during pregnancy requires special considerations. 1. Conduct a systematic literature review for acute and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) management during pregnancy. 2. Make evidence-based recommendations. The systematic review was conducted using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases and relevant search terms. Title, abstract and full manuscript review were conducted by two authors independently. A multispecialty panel with expertise in management of Rhinological disorders, Allergy-Immunology, and Obstetrics-Gynecology was invited to review the systematic review. Recommendations were sought on use of following for CRS management during pregnancy: oral corticosteroids; antibiotics; leukotrienes; topical corticosteroid spray/irrigations/drops; aspirin desensitization; elective surgery for CRS with polyps prior to planned pregnancy; vaginal birth versus planned Caesarian for skull base erosions/ prior CSF rhinorrhea. Eighty-eight manuscripts underwent full review after screening 3052 abstracts. No relevant level 1, 2, or 3 studies were found. Expert panel recommendations for rhinosinusitis management during pregnancy included continuing nasal corticosteroid sprays for CRS maintenance, using pregnancy-safe antibiotics for acute rhinosinusitis and CRS exacerbations, and discontinuing aspirin desensitization for aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease. The manuscript presents detailed recommendations. The lack of evidence pertinent to managing rhinosinusitis during pregnancy warrants future trials. Expert recommendations constitute the current best available evidence.

LO072: Fever in the returning traveller: a systematic review and critical appraisal of existing clinical practice guidelines and approaches to returning travellers presenting with fever

Introduction: Fever in the returning traveller is a common ED presentation; however approaches and level of comfort with tropical diseases vary widely. This project aimed to conduct a systematic review and critical appraisal of existing clinical practice guidelines and approaches, to guide an ED approach, in Canada, to fever in the returning traveller. Methods: A literature review was conducted of peer reviewed papers, national and international practice guidelines, and practice statements presenting approaches to fever in the returning traveller. A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE and Embase (1947-Dec 2014), with librarian assistance to optimize strategy. The databases of guideline clearing houses, CMA, PHAC, WHO, CDC, and the Cochrane library were searched, along with a google scholar search. References of included articles were hand searched. Article titles and abstracts were reviewed by the author for inclusion. Key elements of the guidelines and approaches were identified and grouped by theme and where appropriate, the quality of guidelines were assessed by two reviewers using the AGREEII tool. Results: The search returned 1598 titles. 72 full manuscripts were reviewed based on inclusion from title and abstract, with 24 manuscripts included for final analysis. Common elements suggested by the guidelines or approaches were identified and grouped within three themes (key historical features, physical exam findings, investigations). Most manuscripts presented tables of important clinical information, but limited guidance on how to approach diagnosis in a focused manner. When evaluated by AGREEII, only one guideline (D’Acremont et al) scored > 50% overall quality rating. Unlike other approaches, this guideline proposes a stepwise approach to diagnosis and treatment based on the presence of key exposures, signs/symptoms, and eosinophilia. Conclusion: The guideline by D’Acremont et al was identified as the most rigorous existing practice guideline. This guideline, combined with other elements identified by thematic review, forms the basis of a suggested ED approach to fever in the returning traveller, which will be further refined using the AGREEII model to propose a practice guideline for Canadian EDs.

Describing the Prevalence of Neural Tube Defects Worldwide: A Systematic Literature Review.

BackgroundFolate-sensitive neural tube defects (NTDs) are an important, preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is a need to describe the current global burden of NTDs and identify gaps in available NTD data.Methods and FindingsWe conducted a systematic review and searched multiple databases for NTD prevalence estimates and abstracted data from peer-reviewed literature, birth defects surveillance registries, and reports published between January 1990 and July 2014 that had greater than 5,000 births and were not solely based on mortality data. We classified countries according to World Health Organization (WHO) regions and World Bank income classifications. The initial search yielded 11,614 results; after systematic review we identified 160 full text manuscripts and reports that met the inclusion criteria. Data came from 75 countries. Coverage by WHO region varied in completeness (i.e., % of countries reporting) as follows: African (17%), Eastern Mediterranean (57%), European (49%), Americas (43%), South-East Asian (36%), and Western Pacific (33%). The reported NTD prevalence ranges and medians for each region were: African (5.2–75.4; 11.7 per 10,000 births), Eastern Mediterranean (2.1–124.1; 21.9 per 10,000 births), European (1.3–35.9; 9.0 per 10,000 births), Americas (3.3–27.9; 11.5 per 10,000 births), South-East Asian (1.9–66.2; 15.8 per 10,000 births), and Western Pacific (0.3–199.4; 6.9 per 10,000 births). The presence of a registry or surveillance system for NTDs increased with country income level: low income (0%), lower-middle income (25%), upper-middle income (70%), and high income (91%).ConclusionsMany WHO member states (120/194) did not have any data on NTD prevalence. Where data are collected, prevalence estimates vary widely. These findings highlight the need for greater NTD surveillance efforts, especially in lower-income countries. NTDs are an important public health problem that can be prevented with folic acid supplementation and fortification of staple foods.

Workers and Decision Making on Production, by Lawrence B. Cohen

The full manuscript of Lawrence B. Cohen's book on worker decision making

Publication rate of studies presented at veterinary anaesthesia specialty meetings during the years 2003–2008

ObjectiveTo assess publication rates, factors predicting publication, and discrepancies between conference abstracts and subsequent full-text publications of abstracts from the veterinary meetings of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists and the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists from 2003 to 2008. Study designRetrospective cohort study. MethodsA total of 607 abstracts were identified and a database search (Scopus, PubMed, CAB) was conducted to identify matching publications. Authors of nonmatching abstracts were contacted to participate in a confidential online survey. Risk ratios were used to assess factors predicting publication and these were tested for significance (p < 0.05) using Fisher's exact test. ResultsThe overall publication rate was 63.3% and the mean (± SD) time to publication was 25 ± 19 months. Factors significantly associated with subsequent full publication (i.e. publication of a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal) were continent of origin (North America), study design (experimental studies), specialty (analgesia) and the presence of a source of funding. The principal reasons why studies remained unpublished were lack of time and responsibility lying with co-authors. Minor changes compared with the original abstract were found in 71.6% of all publications. Major changes were noted in 34.6% and the outcome of the study changed in 7.6%. Conclusions and clinical relevanceThese data suggest that some of the abstracts reported preliminary findings. Therefore, caution is warranted when quoting abstracts as references in scientific publications. To date, major veterinary journals have not issued recommendations in their author guidelines addressing the use of abstracts as a reference. The authors propose the inclusion of such a statement in author guidelines.

Call for abstract submissions to a special issue of the Journal of Early Childhood Literacy

s and invite a select number to write full manuscripts for the deadline below. Submit abstract, title, and bios in one PDF file to kubyc@missouri.edu 15 May 2016 Decision notification from guest editors. 31 October 2016 Manuscripts due to guest editors 1 February 2017 Feedback to authors from editors and reviewers 15 April 2017 Revisions due September 2017 Publication of special issue 6 Journal of Early Childhood Literacy 16(1)

Dietary intake and retinal microvasculature: a systematic review

Aims: To summarise the available findings from published research that has focussed on the effect of diet on retinal microvascular characteristics. Design: Systematic review.Methods: A systematic Medline, EMBASE and PubMed search of relevant articles was conducted with coverage from the January 1, 1970 up to the January 10, 2013. Search terms were pilot tested for accuracy and modified. Articles were systematically excluded if the title and abstract were not relevant and full text manuscripts were obtained for all studies that were potentially relevant.Results: After combining all searches, 5370 abstracts were identified and screened. Of these 20 were considered potentially relevant and full articles were retrieved for further evaluation. Eleven of these studies did not meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria, leaving 9 studies to be included in the review.Conclusions: To date, it has been suggested that a low glycemic Index (GI) diet, high dietary fibre intake and regular fish consumption attenuate retinal arteriolar narrowing and retinal venular widening which has been associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Conversely, it has been suggested that a high GI diet may predispose an individual to adverse retinal microvascular changes.

Lack of Agreement on How to Use Antegrade Enemas in Children.

The aim of the present study was to provide an overview of the existing literature regarding the outcomes of the antegrade continence enema (ACE) procedure and to assess the present practices of physicians worldwide regarding the use of the ACE. A search of the MEDLINE database was performed using the following criteria: having a clear definition of "successful outcome," published in full manuscript form, sample size >20 patients, age <25 years. We then conducted a survey among 23 pediatric gastroenterologists and surgeons worldwide who were known to use the ACE using an 18-item questionnaire. A total of 21 articles met the inclusion criteria. Successful outcomes were reported in 15% to 100%. Thirteen studies classified the outcome as full continence (success) or incontinence (failure), with a mean successful outcome of 75.6%. The 23 physicians who completed the questionnaire differed in their opinions about indications and mandatory preoperative testing. Constipation with (78%) or without (91%) fecal incontinence, anorectal malformations (96%), and spinal abnormalities (100%) were considered suitable indications for the ACE by the majority. There was less agreement regarding the required preoperative diagnostic workup. Most physicians (70%) start infusions using saline solutions and do not add a stimulant laxative to the cleansing solution. There is a wide variation in the reported outcome of the ACE procedure and in the way success is defined. The survey identifies important differences among physicians using the ACE. Consensus on optimal use of the ACE could improve outcome of this treatment option.

Spontaneous Echo Contrast is Associated with Increased Risk for Cardioembolic Events: A Meta-analysis

Background: Spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) is a swirling smoke-like image seen inside the heart chambers or in the aorta on two-dimensional echocardiogram. It is theorized to be due to reduced blood flow, or stasis, and is considered a pre-thrombotic lesion. However, its association with cardioembolic (CE) events is not yet established. We aim to determine the association of SEC with CE events such as stroke and peripheral embolism. Methods: This meta-analysis includes observational studies with populations composed of adults ≥19 years old with documented SEC either in the cardiac chambers or the aorta; with reported data on CE events, especially stroke; and controlled for confounding variables by doing logistic regression and/or multivariate analysis. The authors conducted a systematic search of studies within the MEDLINE, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases in all languages; examined reference lists of studies; identified 14 studies that met the inclusion criteria; and obtained full manuscripts of all of them. Each study was assessed for quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. The outcome of interest was assessed using Mantel-Haenzel analysis of random effects to compute for risk ratios, carried out using Review Manager (RevMan) 5.0.18. Results: Pooled analysis from the 14 studies enrolling a total of 4,659 patients showed that the presence of SEC was associated with increased CE events (27.9% vs. 26.4%; RR 3.50 95% CI 2.07–5.93 p &lt; 0.00001 I2 = 89%). No evidence of publication bias was found by the funnel-plot method. To control for heterogeneity, we did subgroup and sensitivity analyses, which revealed that intracardiac SEC, particularly left atrial or left ventricular SEC, was primarily responsible for this association (22.8% vs. 5.8%; RR 4.69 95% CI 3.42–6.43 p &lt; 0.00001 I2 = 0%), compared to extracardiac SEC, represented by aortic SEC (26.8% vs. 16.7%; RR 1.70 95% CI 1.05–2.77 p = 0.03 I2 = 53%). Conclusion: The presence of SEC is associated with a significantly increased risk for CE events among adult patients. This supports the need to be aggressive in the management of patients with SEC, particularly in reducing CE event risk. Clinical trials are warranted. Keywords: spontaneous echo contrast, rheologic stasis, cardioembolic events, embolic stroke

Characteristic Analysis of Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Generator With Slotless Stator Structure Considering Magnetic/Mechanical Air Gap Using Semi-3-D Analytical Method

In this paper, we analyze a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) with a slotless stator considering the magnetic and mechanical air-gap using the semi-3D analytical method. Characteristic analyses of the PMSG are various methods, such as numerical method and analytical method. The three-dimensional (3D) analysis method is among the various methods, but it requires a long analysis time complex mathematics. On the other hand, the semi-3D analytical method with the numerical method has advantages can be simple analyzed. As shown in Fig. 1(a), the slotless stator structure radial flux PMSG has a consistent magnetic energy in its air-gap. Its cogging torque does not generate, unlike the slotted stator structure. However, the slotless structure-type has a relatively larger magnetic air-gap than the slotted structure. Therefore, during the analysis of the open circuit field (OCF) and the armature reaction field (ARF), as shown in Fig. 1(b), we consider the magnetic and mechanical air-gap to ensure accurate analysis. In addition, owing to the large air-gap, the analysis should include the variation of the flux density in the z-direction. As shown in Fig. 2(a), the correction function can be defined such that it factors the flux density in the z-direction. In addition, the unknown parameter in the correction function can be obtained using the 3D finite element method (3D FEM) according to the magnetic air-gap, as shown in Fig. 2(b). The resulting flux density in the air-gap can be obtained using the semi-3D analytical method, as shown in Fig. 2(c). Therefore, as shown in Fig. 2(d), the back-EMF can be obtained by performing an accurate analysis, and we confirmed that the experimental results are in good agreement with the 3D analysis results. In the full manuscript, we will present the mathematical model and physical phenomenon used to aid the related research and industrial applications.

A Family Sketch, and Other Private Writings

A Family Sketch, and Other Private Writings

Fate of the Abstracts Presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)

Introduction: The presentation of the abstracts at the scientific meetings provides an opportunity to rapidly convey the results of novel research but it becomes widely recognized only after published in a peer reviewed journal. Unfortunately, many abstracts submitted to annual scientific meetings never come to full publication. We sought to determine the publication rate of the abstracts presented at the annual scientific meeting of the ACG, 2008. Methods: All abstracts, excluding case reports presented at the 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting of ACG at Orlando, Florida in October 2008 were assessed. Two independent database search were performed (MEDLINE and EMBASE) using cross referencing of first author, senior author, and key words from the abstract title. The computer search included publication up to May 1st, 2015. The abstract and possible resultant manuscript was examined in tandem to ensure they represented the same study. Results: 14 abstracts were withdrawn by the authors. Out of all (n=791), 248 abstracts (31.4%) were fully published in literature over a period of 6.5 years. Oral presentations (55.6% vs 29.3%, p < 0.001), prospective studies (35.8% vs 22.7%, p = 0.001), cohort studies (38.3% vs 22.3%, p = 0.001), meta-analysis (53.9% vs 21.8%, p < 0.001), randomized studies (40% vs 29.2%, p = 0.009), larger studies (9022 vs 4900, p < 0.001), multinational studies (USA 30%, Non-USA 29.7%, multinational 46.9%, p = 0.027), use of publicly available data (56.8% vs 30%, p < 0.001) or sponsored studies (46% vs 26.6%, p < 0.001) were more likely to be published. Award winning abstracts were borderline more likely to be published (41% vs 30.6%, p = 0.093). However, subject category (clinical 31.8% vs basic science 22.7%, p = 0.152) was not associated with more likelihood of publication. 89% of the abstract manuscripts were published in gastroenterology journals and 66% of them were in journals with impact factor > 3. Two third of all the studies were published within first two years. Conclusion: Less than one third of the presented abstracts ultimately make it to full publication. This suggests there is a need to encourage the authors to publish their full manuscript to enhance dissemination of scientific knowledge.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Influence of Surgeon Specialization on Outcomes Following Appendicectomy in Children

The aim of this study is to assess the influence of surgeon specialization on outcomes following appendicectomy in children.General surgeons and pediatric surgeons manage appendicitis in children; however, the influence of subspecialization on outcomes remains unclear.Two authors searched Medline and Embase to identify relevant studies. Eligible studies were comparative and provided data on children who had appendicectomy while under the care of general or pediatric surgical teams. Two authors initially screened titles and abstracts and then full text manuscripts were evaluated. Data were extracted by 2 authors using an electronic spreadsheet. Pooled risk ratios and pooled mean differences were used in analyses.We identified 9 relevant studies involving 50,963 children who were managed by general surgery teams and 15,032 children who were managed by pediatric surgery teams. A normal appendix was removed in 4660/48,105 children treated by general surgery units and in 889/14,760 children treated by pediatric units (pooled risk ratio 1.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26–2.54; P = 0.001). Children managed in general units had shorter mean hospital stays compared with children managed in pediatric units (pooled mean difference −0.70 days; 95%CI −1.09 to −0.30; P = 0.0005). There were no significant differences regarding wound infections, intra-abdominal abscesses, readmissions, or mortality.We found that children who were managed by specialized pediatric surgery teams had lower rates of negative appendicectomy although mean length of stay was longer. Our article is based upon a group of heterogeneous and mostly retrospective studies and therefore there is little external validity. Further studies are needed.

Abstract IA27: Clinical trials in locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC)

Abstract The role of radiation in locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC) is more controversial now that ever. Perhaps the greatest impact on clinical practice in LAPC has come from the LAP07 trial, which evaluated the addition of erlotinib to gemcitabine and the role of consolitative chemoradiation. Results from the trial were presented at ASCO last year and showed no benefit to the use of consolidative chemoradiation after 4 months of gemcitabine based chemotherapy compared to 6 months of chemotherapy alone. Issues regarding the off protocol use of chemoradiation, compliance in the chemoradiation arm, and XRT quality assurance require further clarity. The publication of the full manuscript from the trial is expected this year. Two prior phase III trials comparing initial chemotherapy to initial chemoradiation have reported conflicting results. The Fédération Francophone de Cancérologie Digestive and Société Française de Radiothérapie Oncologique (FFCD-SFRO) showed superior survival of gemcitabine alone to a poorly tolerated experimental chemoradiation regimen (60 Gy to large fields with cisplatin and 5FU) that had not been tested in a phase I or II trial. The only other recent trial to compare initial chemotherapy to chemoradiation was conducted by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG 4201). This trial compared gemcitabine-based chemoradiation followed by weekly gemcitabine to gemcitabine alone. A median survival benefit was seen in the chemoradiation arm. This benefit came at the cost of increased gastrointestinal toxicity. A number of U. S. cooperative group trials evaluating gemcitabine-based chemotherapy in advanced pancreatic cancer have included patients with locally advanced disease without planned radiotherapy. Median survival durations of between 9.1 and 9.9 months have been achieved in these subsets of patients, compared to between 12 and 14.3 months in the LAP07 and FFCD-SFRO trials. The reason for this difference is unclear. The rationale for the further study of the use of radiation therapy in locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC) is based on clinical and autopsy data which indicate that 30% or more of patients die with disease confined to the primary site. Local tumor control rates at one year are commonly reported to be greater than 90%, but have fallen to below 50% at 2 years in studies that have reported longer median OS. As median survival durations improve in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer, local progression of disease will probably be revealed to more commonly limit long-term survival. RTOG 1201 is a randomized phase II trial that will address this limitation. It compares gemcitabine and abraxane alone to gemcitabine and abraxane followed by standard or high dose radiation using IMRT. It will also address the role of the use SMAD4 expression to predict the pattern of disease progression. Citation Format: Christopher H. Crane. Clinical trials in locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Innovations in Research and Treatment; May 18-21, 2014; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(13 Suppl):Abstract nr IA27.

Spinal cord stimulation for cancer-related pain in adults.

This is an update of a review first published in The Cochrane Library in Issue 3, 2013. Cancer-related pain places a heavy burden on public health with related high expenditure. Severe pain is associated with a decreased quality of life in patients with cancer. A significant proportion of patients with cancer-related pain are under-treated. There is a need for more effective control of cancer-related pain. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) may have a role in pain management. The effectiveness and safety of SCS for patients with cancer-related pain is currently unknown. This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of SCS for cancer-related pain compared with standard care using conventional analgesic medication. We also appraised risk and potential adverse events associated with the use of SCS. This is an update of a review first published in The Cochrane Library in Issue 3, 2013. The search strategy for the update was the same as in the original review. We searched the following bibliographic databases in order to identify relevant studies: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in The Cochrane Library; MEDLINE; EMBASE; and CBM (Chinese Biomedical Database) in October 2014. We also handsearched relevant journals. There were no language restrictions. We planned to include randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that directly compared SCS with other interventions with regards to the effectiveness of pain management. We also planned to include cross-over trials that compared SCS with another treatment. We planned to identify non-randomised controlled trials but these would only be included if no RCTs could be found. The literature search for the update of this review found 121 potentially eligible articles. The initial search strategy yielded 430 articles. By scrutinising titles and abstracts, we found 412 articles irrelevant to the analytical purpose of this systematic review due to different scopes of diseases or different methods of intervention (intrathecal infusion system; oral medication) or aims other than pain control (spinal cord function monitoring, bladder function restoration or amelioration of organ metabolism). The remaining 18 trials were reviewed as full manuscripts. No RCTs were identified. Fourteen sporadic case reports and review articles were excluded and four before-and-after case series studies (92 participants) were included. Two review authors independently selected the studies to be included in the review according to the prespecified eligibility criteria. A checklist for methodological quality of non-randomised controlled trials was used (STROBE checklist) and all review authors discussed and agreed on the inclusion of trials and the results of the quality assessment. No new studies were identified for inclusion in this update of the review. Four before-and-after case series studies (a total of 92 participants) met our criteria for inclusion in the previous version of the review. All included trials adopted a visual analogue scale (VAS) to evaluate pain relief. Heterogeneity existed in terms of baseline characteristics, electrode and stimulator parameters, level of implantation and route of implantation; each trial reported data differently. In two trials, pain relief was achieved in 76% (48/63) of participants at the end of the follow-up period. In the third trial, pre-procedure VAS was 6 to 9 (mean 7.43 ); the one-month post-implant VAS was 2 to 4 (mean 3.07); the 12-month post-implant VAS was 1 to 3 (mean 2.67). In the fourth trial, the pre-procedure VAS was 6 to 9 (mean 7.07); 1 to 4 (mean 2.67) at one-month; 1 to 4 (mean 1.87) at 12 months. Analgesic use was largely reduced. The main adverse events were infection of sites of implantation, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, pain at the sites of electrodes, dislodgement of the electrodes, and system failure; however, the incidence in participants with cancer could not be calculated. Since all trials were small, non-randomised controlled trials, they carried high or unclear risk of all types of bias. Since the first publication of this review, no new studies were identified. Current evidence is insufficient to establish the role of SCS in treating refractory cancer-related pain. Future randomised studies should focus on the implantation of SCS in participants with cancer-related pain.

BJOG Editor's Choice

<scp>BJOG E</scp>ditor's <scp>C</scp>hoice

Medication Reconciliation at Discharge from Hospital: A Systematic Review of the Quantitative Literature.

Medicines reconciliation is a way to identify and act on discrepancies in patients’ medical histories and it is found to play a key role in patient safety. This review focuses on discrepancies and medical errors that occurred at point of discharge from hospital. Studies were identified through the following electronic databases: PubMed, Sciences Direct, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Reviews and CINAHL. Each of the six databases was screened from inception to end of January 2014. To determine eligibility of the studies; the title, abstract and full manuscript were screened to find 15 articles that meet the inclusion criteria. The median number of discrepancies across the articles was found to be 60%. In average patient had between 1.2–5.3 discrepancies when leaving the hospital. More studies also found a relation between the numbers of drugs a patient was on and the number of discrepancies. The variation in the number of discrepancies found in the 15 studies could be due to the fact that some studies excluded patient taking more than 5 drugs at admission. Medication reconciliation would be a way to avoid the high number of discrepancies that was found in this literature review and thereby increase patient safety.