Low Level Of Evidence Research Articles

Efficacy of different protocols of non-surgical periodontal therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of the present systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of different protocols of NSPT without any adjunctive therapy in subjects with type 2 diabetes, by considering clinical and patient-centered outcomes. For the purposes of the study randomized controlled clinical trials with more than 3-month follow-up were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central. Then the articles were screened for inclusion and considered based on the protocols adopted, the outcome measure, follow-up, and the level of glycemic control. A total of 23 articles about 22 studies were included. NSPT was more effective than just oral hygiene measures/no treatment in reducing periodontal probing depth (PPD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) at 3 months (0.47 mm [0.29-0.65 mm] and 0.50 mm [0.24-0.76 mm], respectively) and 6 months (0.56 mm [0.28-0.84 mm] and 0.45 mm [0.13-0.77 mm], respectively for PPD and CAL) follow-up (very low and low level of evidence). The meta-analysis found no evidence of a difference between full-mouth disinfection versus quadrant protocol clinical outcomes (very low level of evidence). One study found no evidence of a difference in periodontal clinical response between good versus poor glycemic control. Based on the results of the present research NSPT protocols could be considered more efficacious than others in terms of clinical outcomes in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Moreover, NSPT resulted in efficacious improvement of periodontal parameters and HbA1c levels compared to no treatment or oral hygiene instructions alone.

Ten-Year Follow-Up of Oral Implants in Bone With Limited Bucco-Oral Dimensions: A Prospective Case Series.

It has been suggested that 1-2 mm of bone width at the buccal and lingual aspect is required for a successful long-term implant outcome. Low levels of evidence support this minimum threshold of bone width. This prospective study aimed at evaluating the outcome of implants placed in alveolar ridges with limited bucco-oral dimensions. One-hundred implants (dia. 3.5 mm) were placed in 28 patients with narrow alveolar ridge dimensions (<4.5 mm width) without augmentation procedures and conventionally loaded. Intra-oral radiographs were taken at implant placement and abutment connection and at 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 years of follow-up. At the 10-year follow-up (21 patients; 75 implants), full-mouth periodontal charting was performed, and the peri-implant keratinized tissue width and attachment type were recorded. Two calibrated periodontists analysed the peri-implant bone changes. After 10 years, all implants showed successful osseointegration and a cumulative survival rate of 100%. The implants were placed 0.85 mm ± 0.89 mm subcrestally. After 10 years, the marginal bone was located 1.59 ± 2.11 mm apical to the implant shoulder. Throughout this period of follow-up, the mean annual marginal bone loss was 0.094 mm. Furthermore, 84% of implants in 72% of patients presented with bleeding on probing. After 10 years of functional loading, implants placed in alveolar ridges with limited bucco-oral dimensions (≤4.5 mm) exhibited only minimum marginal bone loss.

Decompressive nerve surgery associated with low diabetic foot ulcer rate and high-risk bias: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) occurs in 50% of diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Up to 70% of DM patients incur diabetic foot ulcer(s) (DFU). Of those with DSPN, 20% develop DFU and medical therapy remains challenging. Decompression nerve surgery (DNS) purportedly improves DSPN and DFU. Currently, there is no accurate, pooled DFU incidence post-DNS. Thus, this systematic review meta-analyses DFU incidence post-DNS. Given the 60% global DFU incidence, we hypothesised a lower, pooled DFU incidence following DNS. Two authors searched six databases (MEDLINE/PubMed/Web of Science/Embase/Scopus/Cochrane/Google Scholar) to July 2023 for DNS clinical studies. Primary tracked outcomes were new and recurrent DFU incidence post-DNS. Inclusion criteria: clinical studies, adult DM patients, DNS of tibial nerve(s) at minimum, three-month minimum follow-up, and reported new/recurrent DFU incidence post-DNS. Exclusion criteria: non-clinical, non-human studies. GRADE and MINORS instrument(s) evaluated evidence. With random-effects model, DFU incidence was meta-analysed. For inclusion, 1074 studies were identified and 208 screened. Thirteen studies yielded 2466 and 540 new and recurrent patients with DFU incidence(s) of 1% and 5%, respectively. Primary studies had low-level evidence and high-risk bias, including selection bias using Cochrane Collaboration Bias Risk Tool. A sub-analysis of sample size (new:0% and recurrent:2%) and follow-up length (new:1% and recurrent:7%) produced similar results. Additional analyses based on further co-variables was precluded because of incomplete primary study data. Overall, despite low DFU incidence post-DNS, clinical studies provide too low-level evidence and high-risk bias for any recommendations. Future randomized, control trials may validate DNS for DFU management.

Thyroid Malignancy and Cutaneous Lichen Amyloidosis: Key Points Amid RET Pathogenic Variants in Medullary Thyroid Cancer/Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2 (MEN2).

We aimed to provide an updated narrative review with respect to the RET pathogenic variants and their implications at the clinical and molecular level in the diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC)/multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2, particularly with respect to the presence of cutaneous lichen amyloidosis (CLA). We searched English-language, in extenso original articles with no timeline nor study design restriction that were published on PubMed. A traditional interplay stands for CLA and MTC in MEN2 (not MEN3) confirmation. While the connection has been reported for more than three decades, there is still a large gap in understanding and addressing it. The majority of patients with MEN2A-CLA have RET pathogenic variants at codon 634; hence, it suggests an involvement of this specific cysteine residue in both disorders (most data agree that one-third of C634-positive subjects have CLA, but the ranges are between 9% and 50%). Females seem more prone to MEN2-CLA than males. Non-C634 germline RET pathogenic variants included (at a low level of statistical evidence) the following: RET V804M mutation in exon 14 for MTC-CLA (CLA at upper back); RET S891A mutation in exon 15 binding OSMR variant G513D (familial MTC and CLA comprising the lower legs to thighs, upper back, shoulders, arms, and forearms); and C611Y (CLA at interscapular region), respectively. Typically, CLA is detected at an early age (from childhood until young adulthood) before the actual MTC identification unless RET screening protocols are already applied. The time frame between CLA diagnosis and the identification of RET pathogenic variants was between 5 and 60 years according to one study. The same RET mutation in one family is not necessarily associated with the same CLA presentation. In MTC/MEN2 subjects, the most affected CLA area was the scapular region of the upper back. Alternatively, another hypothesis highlighted the fact that CLA is secondary to long-term prurit/notalgia paresthetica (NP) in MTC/MEN2. OSMR p. G513D may play a role in modifying the evolutionary processes of CLA in subjects co-harboring RET mutations (further studies are necessary to sustain this aspect). Awareness in CLA-positive patients is essential, including the decision of RET testing in selected cases.

Tracheal resection and anastomosis in postintubation tracheal stenosis: a systematic review.

Surgical resection of the stenotic segment with end-to-end anastomosis is considered the gold standard in postintubation tracheal stenosis. However, outcomes of this concrete aetiology are not well described. With the aim to examine the extent, range and characteristics of the existing evidence, a scoping review was performed. Data sources included MEDLINE, Scopus, Ovid and the Cochrane databases. Inclusion criteria consisted of studies in adult patients with postintubation tracheal stenosis that reported characteristics, surgical management and outcomes. A total of 125 articles were identified, of which 10 were included in the final analysis. All studies were case reports or case series (level 4 evidence) grouping 110 patients, 75 males and 35 females. The age ranged from 15 to 71 years. Cotton-Myer stenosis grade was 1 [1 (0.9%)], 2 [25 (22.7%)], 3 [70 (63.6%)] and 4 [14 (12.7%)]. Stenosis location was in the tracheal upper-third in 108 (98.2%), in the middle-third in 1 (0.9%) and in the lower-third in 1 (0.9%). Stenosis length ranged from 1 to 5.6 cm. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 60 months (2 years for the most). Most frequent complications were transitory dysphagia in 13 (11.3%), granuloma formation in 8 (7.3%), dehiscence or air leak in 5 (4.5%) and wound infection in 4 (3.6%). Restenosis rate ranged from 2% to 25%. There was no perioperative mortality. Tracheal resection and primary anastomosis in postintubation tracheal stenosis appear to be safe and effective in the short and mid-terms; however, the very low level of evidence found prevents definitive conclusions.

Comparison of American and European Guideline Recommendations for Diagnostic Workup and Secondary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack.

Guidelines help to facilitate treatment decisions based on available evidence, and also to provide recommendations in areas of uncertainty. In this paper, we compare the recommendations for stroke workup and secondary prevention of ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack of the American Heart Association (AHA)/American Stroke Association (ASA) with the European Stroke Organization (ESO) guidelines. The primary aim of this paper is to offer clinicians guidance by identifying areas where there is consensus and where consensus is lacking, in the absence or presence of high-level evidence. We compared AHA/ASA with the ESO guideline recommendations for 7 different topics related to diagnostic stroke workup and secondary prevention. We categorized the recommendations based on class and level of evidence to determine whether there were relevant differences in the ratings of evidence that the guidelines used for its recommendations. Finally, we summarized major topics of agreement and disagreement, while also prominent knowledge gaps were identified. In total, we found 63 ESO and 82 AHA/ASA recommendations, of which 38 were on the same subject. Most recommendations are largely similar, but not all are based on high-level evidence. For many recommendations, AHA/ASA and ESO assigned different levels of evidence. For the 10 recommendations with Level A evidence (high quality) in AHA/ASA, ESO only labeled 4 of these as high quality. There are many remaining issues with either no or insufficient evidence, and some topics that are not covered by both guidelines. Most ESO and AHA/ASA Guideline recommendations for stroke workup and secondary prevention were similar. However not all were based on high-level evidence and the appointed level of evidence often differed. Clinicians should not blindly follow all guideline recommendations; the accompanying level of evidence informs which recommendations are based on robust evidence. Topics with lower levels of evidence, or those with recommendations that disagree or are missing, may be an incentive for further clinical research.

Local salvage therapies in patients with radio-recurrent prostate cancer following external beam radiotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To date, radio-recurrent prostate cancer (PCa) ranks as the fourth most common urological malignancy when considering the number of men with localized PCa who undergo radiation treatment and subsequently experience a biochemical recurrence. This systematic review aimed to summarize available evidence about the outcomes of local salvage strategies in patients with local PCa recurrence following primary external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT). We conducted a comprehensive bibliographic search on MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection databases in October 2023 to identify studies published in the last 20 years evaluating outcomes of local salvage procedures in patients with locally radio-recurrent PCa following EBRT. The meta-analysis was performed using ProMeta 3 software when two or more studies reported the same outcome. The effect size (ES) was estimated using rates reported with its 95% confidence interval (CI). Overall, 28 studies (6 prospective and 22 retrospective) including 1544 patients were included in the review. Two-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 84.0% (95% CI: 67.0-93.0%), 69.0% (95% CI: 42.0-87.0%), 58.0% (95% CI: 43.0-71.0%), and 45% (95% CI: 38.0-52.0%), for patients undergoing brachytherapy (BT), EBRT, Cryotherapy and High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), respectively. After salvage prostatectomy, RFS ranged from 75% to 78.5% at a median follow-up ranging from 18 to 35 months. Estimates for severe gastrointestinal toxicity were 2%, 3%, 3%, 4%, and 11% following cryotherapy, BT, HIFU, EBRT, and salvage radical prostatectomy, respectively. In patients who underwent EBRT as primary treatment, prostate salvage re-irradiation through BT or EBRT represents the modality providing the best balance between efficacy and safety. Unfortunately, due to the low level of evidence, strong recommendations regarding the choice of any of these techniques cannot be made.

[Translated article] Bibliometric Study of the Advances Made in Clinical Dermatological Research in Spain from 2015 through 2021: Update of the MaIND Project and Interactive Online Map

IntroductionA clinical dermatological research was conducted in Spain from 2005 through 2014 as part of the MaIND project with the provinces or centers with the highest number of published articles. However, a low level of evidence in scientific production was confirmed as the overall result. The aim of this study is to update the Spanish clinical dermatological research in bibliometric terms from 2015 through 2021 with comparisons between both periods of time. Material and methodsWe conducted a bibliometric study to replicate the methodology used in the article to be updated. We included articles whose corresponding authors’ affiliation was a Spanish dermatological center, which met the criteria for clinical research in dermatology, including a level of evidence ≤4. ResultsA total of 1,674 out of the 10,199 articles met the inclusion criteria. An interactive map representing quantitative and qualitative indicators calculated for the 2005-2021 is presented here. In the study period, we found an increasing trend both in the number of published articles (P<.002) and in the mean number of citation-years per article (P<.01). A total of 22 of the articles had a level of evidence >4, with a positive trend towards more articles having a higher level of evidence (P<.03). ACTAS DERMOSIFILOGRÁFICAS still maintains its position as the journal with the highest number of articles received (18%, a total of 302 articles). ConclusionsThe results of this study show that, in Spain, the scientific production of dermatology represents an upward trend in quantity, impact, and level of evidence.

Management of von Willebrand Disease for Orthognathic Surgery: Evidenced-Based Recommendations and Scoping Review of the Literature

BackgroundThe general management of von Willebrand Disease has evolved over the past several decades. Advances in blood product replacement manufacturing have led to changes in perioperative management of the bleeding diathesis in its various subtypes. Surgical management follows changes in medical management, but unique perioperative considerations exist depending on the type of surgery. Orthognathic surgery is considered a major surgery that can have life-threatening complications in patients with von Willebrand Disease (vWD) and updates in evidenced-based management are presented. ObjectivesThe objectives of this report are to review available literature regarding management of patients with von Willebrand Disease and other bleeding disorder undergoing orthognathic surgery and to provide a case report regarding the management of a patient vWD type 2M undergoing orthognathic surgery. Eligibility CriteriaArticles included for review were studies addressing patients with bleeding disorders undergoing orthognathic surgery. Sources of EvidencePubMed and Ovid were queried using the terms “orthognathic surgery OR jaw deformity” AND “von Willebrand OR bleeding disorders OR hemophilia.” Additional references relevant to the review were obtained from the reference lists of available articles ultimately deemed appropriate for inclusion in the review. MethodsA recent example case of a patient with type 2M vWD undergoing orthognathic surgery and the patient’s perioperative management is presented for consideration. A scoping review of the literature was undertaken for evaluation of available literature using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR). ResultsInsufficient evidence exists for significant analysis of perioperative management strategies previously reported compared to the currently utilized management strategy for the case presented. A review of the available literature with reference to updated literature regarding management of patients with vWD undergoing surgical procedures other than orthognathic surgery yields primarily case reports, two randomized controlled trials, and one systematic review. The results indicate that an evolution in the general management of patients with vWD undergoing surgery can be applied to patients undergoing orthognathic surgery and that the addition of hemostatic agents such as tranexamic acid may be considered with a low level of evidence. ConclusionsFor patients undergoing orthognathic surgery, the use of cryoprecipitate in large quantities has been replaced with the use of Humate-P infusion and will likely be replaced with the use of recombinant von Willebrand factor (VWF). The timing of infusion of adjuncts preoperatively for patients with vWD can potentially be extended to the previous day, and the addition of medications to aid in hemostasis such as tranexamic acid may be considered. Prophylactic use of additional VWF adjuncts should be considered in the postoperative setting, and close monitoring is prudent. The use of newer agents may allow for the expansion of craniomaxillofacial surgery procedures that can be safely considered in patients with vWD.

Intervention studies with group design targeting expressive phonology for children with developmental speech and language disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Phonological difficulties are prevalent in children with speech and/or language disorders and may hamper their later language outcomes and academic achievements. These children often form a significant proportion of speech and language therapists' caseloads. There is a shortage of information on evidence-based interventions for improving phonological skills in children and adolescents with speech and language disorder. The aim of this systematic literature review and meta-analysis was to systematically examine the effects of different intervention approaches on speech production accuracy and phonological representation skills in children with speech and language disorders. A preregistered systematic review (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews ID: CRD42017076075) adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was completed. Seven electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, ERIC, PsychINFO, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS and Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts) were searched for studies related to oral language interventions with children with developmental speech and/or language disorder (mean age ranging from 3-18 years) published between January 2006 and August 2022. The included articles reported intervention studies with a group design in which speech production accuracy was the outcome measure. Studies were appraised using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and individual effect sizes were calculated using standardised means differences when enough data was available. A meta-analysis was conducted obtaining the average standardised mean difference d. Heterogeneity, influence of possible moderator variables and publication bias were explored. The 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria presented low-medium risk of bias. Nine effect sizes were obtained from seven of these studies that presented a pre-post-test with a control group design. Medium-high average effect sizes were found in phonological accuracy. Heterogeneity was found between individual effect sizes. Significant moderator variables and publication bias were not detected. The results of this meta-analysis indicate positive effects on speech production accuracy. Based on this review, further improvements in the quality of reporting for intervention research are required in developing the evidence base for practice. What is already known on the subject An increasing number of interventions is available for children and adolescents with developmental speech and/or language disorders. Previous reviews suggest relatively low levels of evidence of interventions having phonology as an outcome measure. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge This review and meta-analysis summarise the intervention evidence from a substantial body of group design studies, indicating positive results from a range of interventions with phonological outcomes. It highlights the need to systematically implement and replicate different intervention procedures to understand factors that will maximise positive outcomes and to grow the evidence base for best practice. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this study? Tentative evidence is emerging for the effectiveness of various approaches in enhancing speech production accuracy skills of children and adolescents with developmental speech and/or language disorder.

The Literature that Commercial Insurance Payers Use to Substantiate Knee Osteochondral Allograft Policies Are of a Low Level of Evidence.

The purpose of this study is to analyze how the largest insurance companies support their medical necessity policies regarding osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) and to determine whether the literature they cite in their policies is of a high level of evidence (LOE). The 10 largest national health insurance companies were identified. Each payer was contacted via phone or email to obtain their coverage policy regarding OCA. For each policy, the medical necessity criteria were recorded, and all cited references were screened. For all references applicable to OCA, the LOE was recorded, and each reference was screened to determine whether they mentioned the specific criteria reported in the policies. The medical policies for 6 of the 10 national health insurance companies were identified. These 6 policies cited a collective total of 102 applicable references. Most of these studies were an LOE of IV (n = 58, 56.9%) and an LOE of V (n = 18, 17.6%). There were similarities amongst the medical necessity criteria between different commercial payers; however, most criteria were poorly supported by the cited literature. Our results demonstrate that commercial insurance companies utilize studies that are of a low LOE when justifying their medical necessity criteria. Moreover, these cited studies infrequently support or mention the commercial payers' criteria. Future studies should continue to explore how well-supported insurance policies are with the goal of potentially increasing access and authorization for well-supported treatment modalities.

Systematic Evaluation of Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatitis E Virus Infection.

The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic disease, and infection with HEV in humans primarily causes acute infections and can progress to chronic manifestation in immunocompromised individuals. Over the past decade, guidelines for diagnosing and treating HEV infection have been developed. This study aimed to systematically assess the quality of current guidelines for diagnosing and treating HEV infection, and we analyzed the differences in guideline quality and primary recommendations and explored possible reasons for these differences. Guidelines published between 2013 and 2022 were searched, and studies were identified using selection criteria. The study assessed the quality of the included guidelines using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation tool, extracted the primary recommendations in the guidelines, determined the highest level of evidence supporting the recommendations, and reclassified the evidence using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine grading system. Seven guidelines were included in the final analysis. The quality of the guidelines varied widely. The discrepancies may have been caused by the lack of external experts, the failure to consider influencing factors in guideline application, and the lack of consideration of the public's opinion. Analysis of the heterogeneity in primary recommendations revealed differences in algorithms for managing chronic HEV infection, the dosage of ribavirin, and a low level of evidence supporting the primary recommendations. Guideline quality and primary recommendations vary considerably. Refinement by guideline developers and researchers would facilitate updating and applying guidelines for diagnosing and treating HEV infection.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Schools: Assessing the Evidence Base.

Mindfulness-based interventions are increasingly being used in schools to improve students' mental, emotional, and behavioral development. Although many mindfulness programs exist, the types of programs that are effective for specific age groups remain unclear. In this systematic review, the authors used established rating criteria to describe the level of evidence for school-based mindfulness interventions. A search of major databases, gray literature, and evidence base registries was conducted to identify studies published between 2008 and 2022 that focused on mindfulness interventions within school settings. The authors rated mindfulness interventions as having high, moderate, or low levels of evidence based on the number and rigor of studies with positive outcomes. Of the 24 interventions identified across 41 studies, three interventions-Learning to BREATHE, Mindfulness in School Project, and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)-received a rating of high level of evidence. Three interventions-Gaia Program, MindUP, and a blended version of MBSR and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy-received a rating of moderate level of evidence. The interventions rated as having a high level of evidence were conducted with middle or high school students, and interventions with moderate evidence were also conducted with elementary students, demonstrating effectiveness of mindfulness across a range of age groups. Few studies examined outcomes for underserved populations. With greater use and more research, mindfulness interventions have the potential to promote student well-being and prevent mental health conditions.

Treatment of subclinical hyperthyroidism in patients older than 50 years: A randomized controlled study.

Subclinical hyperthyroidism (SCH) is common and associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) risk in the elderly. Current guidelines rely on a low level of evidence. Randomized clinical trial including patients 50 years and older, with TSH <0.4 mU/L and normal thyroid hormone concentrations. All patients showed autonomy on thyroid scan. They were randomized either to receive radioiodine (I131) or to be monitored and treated only if they underwent AF or evolved towards overt hyperthyroidism. Primary outcome was the onset of new AF. Secondary outcomes were treatment-induced hypothyroidism rate and health-related quality of life. 144 patients (mean age 65.3±8.9y, 76% female) were randomized, 74 to surveillance and 70 to treatment. Four patients in the surveillance group and one in the treatment group developed AF (p=0.238). However, the patient who developed AF in the treatment group maintained TSH <0.4 mU/L at AF onset. A post-hoc analysis was carried out and showed that when normalization of TSH was considered, the risk of AF was significantly reduced (p=0.0003). In the surveillance group, several patients showed no classical characteristics associated with AF risk, including age>65y or TSH<0.1mU/L. Of 94 patients treated using radioiodine, 25% developed hypothyroidism during follow-up. Due to recruitment difficulties this study failed to demonstrate that SCH treatment can reduce significantly the incidence of AF in patients older than 50 years with thyroid autonomy even if all the patients who developed AF maintained TSH <0.4 mU/L. This result must be balanced with the increased risk of radioiodine-induced hypothyroidism.

Triad of temporomandibular joint ankylosis, micrognathia, and obstructive sleep apnoea: a systematic review of surgical management

Complex functional issues arising from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis are associated with abnormal mandibular growth secondary to the condylar-glenoid fossa and its surrounding structures. These include severe limited mouth opening, micrognathia, mandibular asymmetry, and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), which necessitate effective treatment to allow optimum functional rehabilitation. This article aims to present a comprehensive systematic review of the surgical strategy for patients who present with a triad of TMJ ankylosis, micrognathia and OSA via a literature search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus following PRISMA guidelines. The outcomes of interest were difference in maximum mouth opening, incidence of reankylosis, amount of mandibular advancement, posterior airway space, preoperative and postoperative apnoea/hypopnoea index, and arterial oxygen saturation, as well as changes in other cephalometric or polysomnographic variables. Thirty four studies involving 360 patients were included. Surgical interventions included distraction osteogenesis (DO), release of TMJ ankylosis and mandibular advancement, simultaneous arthroplasty and DO, pre-athroplasty DO, and post-arthroplasty DO. Most studies reported functional post-intervention mouth opening, with reankylosis reported in four. Mandibular advancement was between 6 mm and 34 mm. All studies reported improvement in the various polysomnographic variables measured. In conclusion, the systematic review was conducted based on a low level of literature evidence. Even though various surgical strategies were reported, effective case-specific management of TMJ ankylosis with micrognathia and OSA requires comprehensive assessment and careful consideration of surgical options that promote mandibular advancement and airway improvement.

Theory Is Essential in Promoting the Distinct Value of Occupational Therapy in Rehabilitation of Adults With Low Vision: A Systematic Review.

Evidence for occupational therapy interventions should be grounded in theory to support practitioners' role in the rehabilitation of adults with low vision. To analyze the content of publications on interventions for adults with low vision to determine theories proposed or used to guide interventions and to categorize their level of evidence. CINAHL, Scopus, PubMed, and Embase. A quantitative summative content analysis of articles published from 1984 through 2021. Fourteen articles provided a theoretical rationale for occupational therapy interventions for adults with low vision. Nine provided evidence for interventions supported by theory, and 3 suggested theories to support interventions. Eleven were found in peer-reviewed publications; 10 were in occupational therapy publications. Of the 14, 50% were categorized at the lowest level of evidence. Few high-level studies on occupational therapy interventions for adults with low vision exist that provide a rationale for treatment based on theory. Application of theories provides clinical reasoning that distinguishes occupational therapy interventions from those of other professions serving adults with low vision. If interventions are not grounded in theory, the occupational therapy profession risks losing its distinction from other similar professions in low vision rehabilitation. Plain-Language Summary: This is the first content analysis of theories recommended and used to guide occupational therapy interventions for adults with low vision. This systematic review highlights occupational therapy's distinct value over other professions but also points to a dangerous gap in the literature that threatens practitioners' role in the rehabilitation of adults with low vision.

Checks and balances: a meta-analysis on the known-groups validity of functional postural control tests in children.

Pediatric physical therapists commonly treat children with postural control deficits. Ideally, pediatric functional postural control tests should therefore be able to identify postural control deficits in children with various disorders. Despite a plethora of available tests, evidence for their validity - especially known-groups - remains scarce. This review aims to determine the known-group validity of available functional postural control tests to differentiate various pediatric pathological groups of different ages from their typically developing (TD) peers. PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus were systematically searched (last update: February 2023; PROSPERO: CRD42023408982). Forty case-control studies with a pathological pediatric sample (N.=1331) and TD peers (N.=1889) were included and selected for data-extraction and -analysis. Risk of bias was assessed using the SIGN checklist and level of evidence was scored using GRADE. Random-effect meta-analyses were performed to estimate pooled standardized mean differences (SMD) for the various test types and subclassified based on pathology and/or age. When compared with TD peers, children with underlying pathologies performed significantly worse on pediatric functional postural control test batteries (SMD=-2.21), the Timed Up and Go Test and variants (SMD=2.30), the One Leg Stance test and variants (SMD=-2.14), while the Reach tests showed a smaller difference (SMD=-1.19). Subclassification within the meta-analyses showed that pathology was an influencing factor for the test batteries and the one leg stance test and variants. Age was an influencing factor for the reach tests. None of the included functional postural control tests exceeded a low level of evidence. Pediatric functional postural control tests that assess multiple aspects of postural control (such as test batteries) seem to offer higher known-groups validity than single-task tests (e.g. reach tests). The underlying pathology has a larger impact on the validity of these tests than age. There remains an overall low level of evidence for the known-groups validity of pediatric functional postural control tests indicating the need for research with more homogenous groups and norm reference data.

Antibody-drug conjugates combined with immunotherapy: a potential game changer in the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma

Currently, treatment strategies for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) are changing rapidly. However, there are many limitations in the implementation of new surgical methods and systemic treatment options, which cannot reverse the current status quo of UTUC treatment. In recent years, antibody-drug conjugates have shown great potential in the field of cancer treatment, which can activate the immune system and enhance the effect of immunotherapy while accurately killing targeted tumor cells. The results of multiple clinical trials, including the EV-302 study, have confirmed that combination therapy can improve the survival rate of patients with advanced urothelial cancer, and may replace chemotherapy as the first-line treatment for advanced urothelial cancer. However, there are still a series of challenges in the application of combination therapy in UTUC, such as low level of evidence, adverse reactions, and drug resistance. In the future, it is necessary to focus on clinical trials of UTUC combination therapy, further optimize antibody drug conjugates and immunotherapy drugs to adapt to the disease characteristics of UTUC, and further study the molecular biology characteristics of UTUC to meet this series of challenges.

The 100 Most-cited Articles in Autologous Breast Reconstruction: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Autologous breast reconstruction has continued to increase in popularity and witnessed significant advancements in aesthetic outcomes, patient satisfaction, and improved quality of life. We performed the first bibliometric analysis focused only on the 100 most-cited autologous breast reconstruction articles to characterize any emerging trends and assess the methodological quality of these studies. The 100 most-cited articles in autologous breast reconstruction were identified on Web of Science, across all available journals and years. Study details, including the citation count, main subject, and outcome measures, were extracted from each article, and the level of evidence was also assessed. The 100 most-cited articles in autologous breast reconstruction were cited by a total of 21,194 articles. Citation per article ranged significantly from 112 to 1123 (mean, 211.9). Overall, most of the top-cited articles are case reports/series (n = 32, mean citations = 243.2) and cohort studies (n = 30, mean citations = 211.2). This is closely followed by case-control studies (n = 29, mean citations = 183.6). Only four studies achieved level 1 status, underscoring a lack of high-quality methodological research in the field. Most studies (n = 72) highlighted autologous breast reconstruction outcomes, whereas 12 focused on its indications. There were nine studies exploring surgical techniques, and seven studies addressing the autologous breast reconstruction surgical anatomy. Overall, most of the influential articles in autologous breast reconstruction literature are of lower-level evidence. Contemporary research should focus on enhancing the study designs and measure clinical and patient-reported outcomes with validated tools, such as BREAST-Q.

The Gliding Brow Lift: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Gliding brow lift (GBL) has become one of the most popular techniques for eyebrow lifting in recent years. Despite the widespread use of the technique, there are a few publications in the literature. This systematic review was conducted to present current data on GBL and determine its place among brow lift procedures. GBL-related studies were searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. The screening was carried out from January 2019 to December 2023. All publications in which GBL was performed alone or in combination with other facial rejuvenation procedures or in which the results related to the technique were included. Sixty-three publications were evaluated, and four met the review criteria. The total number of patients who underwent GBL was 181. Most studies were retrospective case series and had a low level of evidence. It was observed that the evaluation parameters were mostly subjective. The technique was found to be generally effective and had low complication rates. Although this systematic review shows that GBL is an effective and low-complication technique for a brow lift, there is a need to share prospective, more extensive case series and objective data of patients with longer follow-up periods.