Overview Of Systematic Reviews Research Articles

The effect of non-pharmacological interventions on cognitivefunction in cancer: an overview of systematic reviews.

A significant number of cancer survivors experience cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), which can impact their ability to think, reason, make decisions, and perform daily actions. In recent years, non-pharmacological interventions for CRCI have gained significant attention. These interventions include exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy, cognitive training/remediation, dietary, mind-body, and multi-modal/complex interventions. This umbrella review provides a critical overview to inform guidelines and current practice, identify the most promising interventions, and uncover gaps in the research literature. This umbrella review of systematic reviews was pre-registered on Open Science Framework and PROSPERO. Six databases were searched. Systematic reviews (SR) assessing any non-pharmacological interventions to improve cognition in cancer (any type) were included. The overview followed gold-standard guidelines and recommendations. The results were narratively synthesised, and descriptive statistics and effect size ranges werecalculated. Sixty-four (n = 64) SRs were included. Results were synthesised into four non-pharmacological domains. Cognitive training/rehabilitation had the strongest evidence for efficacy. Physical activity/exercise showed promising efficacy; however, the variability of findings was considerable. Mind-body and psychological/behavioural therapy interventions were limited, but there was evidence for short-term effectiveness. Multi-modal/complex interventions showed potential for improving cognition in cancer but were poorly defined. Overall, non-pharmacological interventions demonstrated efficacy for improving cognition in cancer. There were limited intervention characteristics within domains which were consistently related to efficacy. Three key recommendations are provided for future research: (1) adopt harmonisation and reporting guidelines; (2) develop definitional guidelines of cognitive domains for CRCI research; and (3) assess intervention and participant characteristics associated with positive versus null/negative findings.

Occupational and Physical Therapy Interventions for Young Children with Developmental Central Hypotonia: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

Occupational and Physical Therapy Interventions for Young Children with Developmental Central Hypotonia: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

Overview of Systematic Reviews on Septic Arthritis of the Temporomandibular Joint (SATMJ)

Objectives: This overview of systematic reviews was carried out following the PRIOR guidelines. It aimed to collect and compare the results of systematic reviews on the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment standards of septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint. Methods: ACM, BASE, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus were searched on 5 January 2025, for systematic reviews on SATMJ etiology and treatment. Records underwent selection, AMSTAR 2 evaluation, data extraction, and qualitative synthesis. Results: Three systematic reviews were included, covering 38 reports (93 cases), 37 reports (91 cases), and 25 reports (40 cases), respectively. There are seven source reports common to all three reviews. The reviews co-indicate possible odontogenic etiology, differ in opinions about the impact of chronic diseases, and agree on the superiority of pharmacotherapy, though without consensus on specific antibiotics. Severe complications of SATMJ, including potentially lethal ones, were reported. Conclusions: SATMJ is a serious condition requiring urgent and precise medical intervention, yet no clear management guidelines exist. The low overlap and inconsistency of the previous systematic reviews provide a foundation for a more comprehensive synthesis.

Effects of non-pharmacological interventions on the depressive outcomes in people with mild cognitive impairment: an overview of systematic reviews.

This study aimed to summarize and assess the certainty of evidence of non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) on the depressive outcomes in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) based on published systematic reviews (SRs). Databases including PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CNKI, CBM, Wanfang and VIP database were searched from their inception to June 6, 2023. The methodological quality of the SRs was evaluated using the AMSTAR2 tool, and the quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework. Twelve eligible SRs were included. Three SRs focused on cognitive interventions (general, computer-based, cognitive stimulation/rehabilitation), six reviews on physical activity (Tai Chi, exercise therapy, dance), three on psychosocial interventions including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) and type not specified, one on music therapy, and one on health education; moreover, there were two SRs on multimodal NPIs. One Cochrane SR was rated as moderate quality, while the others were rated as low quality according to AMSTAR2. The overlap between primary studies of included SRs (a total of 51 studies) was 1.8%, indicating slight overlap. General cognitive interventions (SMD=-0.25, 95% CI [-0.46, -0.04], GRADE: moderate) and computer-based cognitive interventions (narrative evidence) showed potential benefits in improving depression. Exercise therapy showed consistency between two SRs in benefiting depressive symptoms of MCI (SMD=-0.33, 95% CI [-0.56, -0.10], GRADE: Low; SMD=-0.37, 95% CI [-0.64, -0.10], GRADE: Low). Dance (SMD=-0.37, 95% CI [-1.11, 0.38], GRADE: Low), CBT (SMD=0.03,95% CI [-0.18, 0.24], GRADE: Moderate), MBI (SMD=0.29, 95% CI [0.00, 0.57], GRADE: Very Low) and health education (SMD=-0.12, 95% CI [-0.44, 0.20], GRADE: Low) did not show significant difference compared to control group in improving depressive symptoms, while the effectiveness of Tai Chi, music therapy and multimodal NPIs showed inconsistency across different studies. Cognitive interventions (general or computer-based) and exercise therapy (a type of physical activity) show preliminary potential to improve depressive symptoms, while others do not show significant effects or relate to confused effects. Further methodologically rigorous and adequately powered primary studies are necessary for each of these NPIs, with reporting on the components of the interventions clearly in MCI patients.

Evidence synthesis of health policy and systems research in rehabilitation: a protocol for Cochrane overviews of systematic reviews on delivery, governance, financial arrangements, and implementation strategies.

Cochrane Rehabilitation and the World Health Organization (WHO) Rehabilitation Program are collaborating to produce four Cochrane overviews of systematic reviews that synthesize the current evidence from health policy and systems research (HPSR) in rehabilitation. They will focus on the four pillars of HPSR identified by the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organization of Care (EPOC) taxonomy: delivery arrangements, financial arrangements, governance arrangements, and implementation strategies. The protocol describes why HPSR is currently needed in rehabilitation, provides detailed information on the four EPOC pillars in interaction with rehabilitation and reports the Cochrane methods that will be followed to produce the overviews. 1. Del Furia MJ, Minozzi S, Arienti C, Battel I, Capodaglio P, Côté P, Décary S, De Groote W, Duttine A, Frontera WR, Gimigliano F, Kiekens C, Mudau Q, Ryan R, Sabariego C, Negrini S. Delivery arrangements for rehabilitation services in health systems: an overview of systematic reviews. 2. Gimigliano F, Arienti C, Butzback OK, Capodaglio P, Côté P, Décary S, Del Furia MJ, De Groote W, Duttine A, Frontera WR, Iolascon G, Kiekens C, Liguori S, Minozzi S, Mudau Q, Negrini S, Paoletta M, Ryan R, Sabariego C, Moretti A. Financial arrangements for rehabilitation services in health systems: an overview of systematic reviews. 3. Atkinson-Graham M, Mior S, Bakaa N, Konstantinidis T, Wong J, Arienti C, Capodaglio P, Décary S, De Groote W, Del Furia MJ, Duttine A, Frontera WR, Kiekens C, Minozzi S, Gimigliano F, Mudau Q, Negrini S, Ryan R, Sabariego C, Côté P. Governance arrangements for rehabilitation services in health systems: an overview of systematic reviews. 4. Touhami D, Ryan R, Engeda EH, Arienti C, Capodaglio P, Côté P, Décary S, Del Furia MJ, De Groote W, Duttine A, Frontera WR, Gimigliano F, Kiekens C, Minozzi S, Mudau Q, Negrini S, Sabariego C. Implementation strategies for rehabilitation services in health systems: an overview of systematic reviews. The protocol is largely common to all four overviews. The individual parts of each overview can be identified by the sub-titles delivery arrangements, financial arrangements, governance arrangements, and implementation strategies for overviews 1 to 4.

The outcomes of pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care within community pharmacies: An overview of systematic reviews

The outcomes of pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care within community pharmacies: An overview of systematic reviews

Dietary sodium intake restriction in patients with heart failure: an overview of systematic reviews.

This study aimed to identify, assess, and summarize systematic reviews on dietary sodium intake restrictions for patients with heart failure. Literature searches were conducted on Pubmed, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and the Wanfang Database up to January 2024. The methodological quality of the included reviews was assessed using the quality assessment tool from the Australian JBI Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare (2016). The results of systematic reviews and meta-analyses were synthesized and presented according to different outcome indicators. Nine systematic reviews were included in this study. The current evidence does not support the fact that dietary sodium intake restrictions for patients with heart failure have a positive impact on mortality rates, rehospitalization rates, and quality of life. Conversely, strict dietary sodium intake restrictions (≤ 2000mg/day) may increase the risk of death, rehospitalization, and symptom exacerbation. Dietary sodium intake restriction may not have a positive impact on clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure. Nevertheless, more evidence is required to explore the differences in the impact of various levels of dietary sodium restriction on the outcomes and symptom management indicators of patients with heart failure.

The impact of using cannabis during pregnancy on the infant and mother: An overview of systematic reviews, evidence map, targeted updates, and de novo synthesis.

Cannabis use during pregnancy is becoming more prevalent. While numerous studies have explored the relationship of cannabis use during pregnancy and outcomes for mothers and infants, uncertainty remains regarding the impact of cannabis use on pregnancy complications and later-life outcomes for offspring. To produce a summary of the short and long-term effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on fetal growth and development, neonatal conditions, later-life, and maternal outcomes. An overview of systematic reviews, an evidence and gap map, targeted updates of previous reviews, and de novo evidence synthesis was conducted. The databases searched include PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information); MEDLINE (Ovid); Embase (Ovid) and CINAHL with Full Text (EBSCO). Assessment of risk of bias was conducted in duplicate for all studies. Relevant studies were coded and are presented as an evidence and gap map. Where possible, meta-analyses were conducted with a narrative synthesis of the results. Primary studies and systematic reviews examining the relationship between cannabis consumption in pregnancy and the effect on fetal/child development, antenatal, and obstetric outcomes during pregnancy were eligible for inclusion. There were 89 studies/reviews eligible for inclusion in this review. There was a potentially harmful impact of prenatal cannabis exposure on all fetal growth and development outcomes, some neonatal outcomes, some later-life outcomes, and some maternal outcomes. The evidence regarding other neonatal conditions, later-life, and maternal outcomes was mixed. The evidence suggests cannabis should be avoided during pregnancy.

Quality appraisal of systematic reviews on high-intensity laser therapy for musculoskeletal pain management: an umbrella review.

Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) remains one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Recent approaches to treating this condition have prompted the development of several systematic reviews investigating the efficacy of high-intensity laser therapy (HILT), whose analgesic mechanisms are based on photobiomodulation neural inhibition, endorphin and serotonin release and anti-inflammatory effects. To assess the methodological quality, reliability, and validity of the systematic reviews (SRs) on HILT in MSP. This study is an overview of SRs (umbrella review) with an observational, retrospective, and secondary design.The search considered PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases (updated October 23, 2024).The primary focus was on the methodological quality of the reviews and their reporting of pain intensity results. The HILT effects on pain intensity were reported using mean differences (MD) or standardized mean differences (SMD). The quality assessment was conducted using the A Measurement Instrument to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 checklist (AMSTAR-2), and the findings were synthesized narratively. The MD and SMD obtained from all reviews were presented using forest plots. The Shapiro-Wilk normality test assessed MD and SMD distributions for pain intensity across meta-analyses. The average MD and SMD, along with their respective confidence intervals (CI), were estimated and presented based on the aggregate study outcomes. Twenty SRs were included, fourteen of which conducted meta-analyses covering diverse musculoskeletal disorders such as knee osteoarthritis, epicondylalgia, myofascial pain, frozen shoulder, plantar fasciitis, neck, and low back pain. The primary databases used were PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. The AMSTAR-2 average score was 12.9 points (± 1.8), indicating varying methodological quality with one or two criteria resulting in low or critically low.HILT's best analgesic effects are observed in frozen shoulder disorder (MD = -2.23cm; 95% CI:-3.3,-1.2; p < 0.01), knee osteoarthritis (MD = -1.9cm; 95% CI:-2.0,-1.8;p < 0.01), low back pain (MD = -1.9cm; 95% CI = -2.9,-1.0; p < 0.01), and myofascial pain (MD = -1.9cm; 95% CI:-2.6,-1.2; p < 0.01). Largest effect sizes are for neck pain (SMD = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.2,3.0, p < 0.05) and low back pain (SMD = 1.1 (95% CI = 1.4,0.8; p < 0.01). This review underscores the generally low to critically low methodological quality of SRs on HILT, as assessed by AMSTAR-2. Key areas for improvement for future SRs of RCTs include addressing publication bias, disclosing funding sources, and enhancing search strategies and discussions on heterogeneity. The scarcity of RCTs for conditions such as temporomandibular disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome, and myofascial pain highlights the need for further research. SRs on spinal disorders, frozen shoulder, and neck pain demonstrated the most favorable analgesic effects, providing valuable insights for clinical practice and future RCTs.

Effects of Tai Chi and Qigong in Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Cancer Patients: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

Abstract Depressive and anxiety symptoms are prevalent among cancer patients, significantly impacting their quality of life and treatment adherence, which can lower survival rates. Addressing these symptoms with evidence-based interventions is crucial. Tai Chi and Qigong (TCQ) are popular complementary therapies that have shown potential in improving mental health in various populations, including cancer patients. However, systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses have reported inconsistent findings regarding TCQ’s effectiveness in alleviating depressive and anxiety symptoms in cancer patients. An overview of these reviews can help synthesize outcomes, evaluate methodological quality, and clarify these discrepancies. The objective of this study was to identify and summarize the existing evidence regarding the effectiveness of TCQ in improving depressive and anxiety symptoms in cancer patients. Six electronic databases were searched from inception to July 2024. The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 was used to assess the methodological quality of the included SRs. In total, 894 studies were retrieved and assessed. Of these, 10 SRs were included, of which 9 SRs reported depressive symptoms and 8 SRs anxiety symptoms. Of these SRs, 5 out of 9 (56%) demonstrated significant improvement in depressive symptoms for TCQ with standardized mean differences (SMDs) ranging from −0.27 to −0.70, while 6 out of 8 (75%) demonstrated significant improvement in anxiety symptoms with SMDs ranging from −0.29 to −0.71. For quality appraisal, 1 SR was rated as high confidence, 3 SRs as moderate confidence, 2 SRs low confidence, and 4 SRs critically low confidence. After excluding 4 SRs with critically low confidence, 4 out of 5 (80%) of SRs demonstrated a significant effect of TCQ in improving depressive symptoms with SMDs ranging from −0.32 to −0.70, and all 6 SRs demonstrated significant improvement in anxiety symptoms with SMDs ranging from −0.29 to −0.71. TCQ can be effective in alleviating depressive and anxiety symptoms in cancer patients. Healthcare providers should consider incorporating TCQ into cancer care. More randomized controlled trials on various cancer sites (e.g., female genitals, lungs, brain, skin, and pancreas), cancer stages (e.g., Stage IV), and non-Chinese populations with longer follow-ups should be conducted.

Hip preservation surgery for borderline and frank dysplasia: an overview of systematic reviews.

To identify, synthesise, and critically appraise findings of systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses on hip preservation surgeries for borderline and/or frank dysplasia with or without concomitant femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). A search, following the PRISMA guidelines, was conducted using Medline and Embase on 19/04/2023. Findings extracted from eligible studies were tabulated and synthesised. The search identified 477 references. Nineteen were eligible for data extraction: nine reported on arthroscopy, five reported on periacetabular osteotomy (PAO), one reported on shelf acetabuloplasty, and one reported on Chiari osteotomy, while two compared arthroscopy versus PAO, and one compared PAO versus rotational acetabular osteotomy (RAO) versus eccentric acetabular osteotomy (ERAO). The nomenclature and lateral centre edge angle (LCEA) thresholds to define hip dysplasia varied widely across included studies. All hip preservation surgeries provided good outcomes, with the Harris hip score (HHS) being the most commonly reported clinical score. Using the AMSTAR checklist for risk of bias, no systematic reviews were rated as high quality; ten were rated as moderate quality; six were rated as low quality; and three were rated as critically low quality. Most published systematic reviews on hip preservation surgery are of moderate or low quality, and there is high heterogeneity among them regarding outcomes reported, follow-up periods, and definitions of dysplasia. The authors recommend the following thresholds and nomenclature for dysplasia: LCEA < 20° for frank dysplasia, 20°-25° for borderline dysplasia, and >25° for no dysplasia. Although all hip preservation surgeries can provide good outcomes, it is challenging to conclude which surgery provides the best outcomes and to determine if treatment options are dependent on LCEA.

Common Adverse Events of Herbal Formulas for Developing Reporting Forms for Clinical Practice and Research: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

Common Adverse Events of Herbal Formulas for Developing Reporting Forms for Clinical Practice and Research: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

Barriers to oral health care for persons with disabilities: An overview of systematic reviews.

Nearly one billion individuals globally live with disabilities, facing greater risk of dental issues. Systematic reviews have identified barriers to oral health care for persons with disabilities (PWDs), but a comprehensive synthesis to inform health-policy guidelines is lacking. This overview addresses this gap by summarizing the key barriers to oral health care access for PWDs. (1) summarize key findings on the barriers PWDs encounter in seeking dental and oral healthcare, (2) evaluate the influence of disabilities on accessibility to dental and oral health services, and (3) identify facilitators to improve access and inform future health policy. Systematic review of systematic reviews of both cross-sectional and evaluative studies that identified barriers to oral health care access for PWDs. A comprehensive search of databases was conducted from inception to 24 February 2024, using specific keywords and Boolean operators. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed using AMSTAR 2 to ensure transparency and reliability. Five systematic reviews were included. These reviews highlighted financial constraints, provider reluctance, access difficulties, systemic barriers, and patient-related factors as major obstacles. Methodological variations across reviews were noted, affecting the transparency and reliability of findings. Barriers to oral health care access for PWDs include financial, provider-related, access-related, systemic, and patient-related factors. Addressing these barriers, particularly in developing countries, should be a priority for future research and interventions.

Consolidating the evidence on the effectiveness of strategies to promote vegetable intake in priority settings: An overview of systematic reviews.

Effective interventions to increase vegetable intake are urgently needed. This systematic rapid review aimed to summarise the effectiveness of interventions targeting increased vegetable intakes across diverse settings. The review was guided by the conduct of rapid reviews from the Cochrane Handbook. The literature was searched in February 2024 across PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Central for systematic review articles published since 2014. The Risk of Bias In Systematic Reviews tool was used and characteristics of reviews synthesised narratively with intervention effectiveness results were summarised. A total of 20 systematic reviews met the eligibility criteria. Most targeted school-based settings (n = 7) or community/home-based settings (n = 4). Early childhood education and workplaces had one review each, with none in retail, secondary or tertiary education, food service, food relief or aged care. The mean change in vegetable consumption was +0.12 serves per day, with increases of up to +0.42 serves reported (range -0.09 to +0.42). By setting, the largest increases were reported for interventions in school settings (+0.42 serves/day), followed by home (+0.38 serves/day). Almost half the studies reporting effect sizes suggested no effect on intake (46%), 41% suggested a small effect and 13% suggested a medium effect. Greater effect sizes were achieved in interventions implemented across multiple settings. Review findings indicate that the average increase in vegetable intake following interventions is about one-eighth of a serve but up to almost half a serve in some settings. An increase of this magnitude could have a substantial population impact, particularly in population groups with persistently low intakes.

Poster: Is Hybrid Working Good for Health, Safety and Wellbeing? An Overview of Systematic Reviews

Poster: Is Hybrid Working Good for Health, Safety and Wellbeing? An Overview of Systematic Reviews

Is robot-assisted pedicle screw placement really superior to conventional surgery? An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Over the past two decades, modern spine surgery has become increasingly intellectualized and minimally invasive. However, whether using robots in spine surgery results in more accurate pedicle screw placement remains a topic of debate. This study aimed to evaluate the certainty and quality of the available evidence on the efficacy of robot-assisted pedicle screw placement. We performed an overview of reviews including systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) regarding the accuracy of robot-assisted pedicle screw placement. Regarding the SRs/MAs, five electronic databases were searched from inception to 28 April 2023. There were no restrictions on the language or population. The quality and certainty of the evidence were evaluated with PRISMA, AMSTAR-2, ROBIS, Veritas plot, and GRADE tools. Fifteen SRs/MAs were analyzed. The findings indicated that the accuracy of pedicle screw placement in the robot-assisted group was not superior to that in the freehand group. All the SRs/MAs were of low or critically low quality. The main reasons for this include missing data, lack of transparency, lack of sensitivity analysis, and measurement of heterogeneity in the included studies, registration of reporting protocols, and deficiencies in the study inclusion methods and selection criteria. While there is potential for robot-assisted pedicle screw placement to offer superior accuracy compared to conventional surgery, the current evidence is limited by methodological shortcomings. The quality of the studies analyzed was insufficient to provide a robust basis for developing clinical guidelines. Further high-quality research is necessary to confirm the benefits and establish clearer recommendations.

EHealth Interventions for Managing Spine Pain-Benefits for Pain, Quality of Life, Catastrophizing and Fear Avoidance Beliefs: An Overview of Systematic Reviews With Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for improving pain, physical disability, psychological factors, and the quality of life for people with spine pain. DESIGN: Overview of systematic reviews. LITERATURE SEARCH: CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus e-databases were searched. STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: Systematic reviews with meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials evaluating any type of eHealth were included. DATA SYNTHESIS: AMSTAR 2 was used to assess the methodological quality of included reviews. The degree of overlap between reviews was calculated. RESULTS: Sixteen systematic reviews were included. Of them, 13 reviews were exclusively focused on back pain or low back pain. Exercise and psychological interventions were the primary contents of eHealth interventions. In general, eHealth interventions based on physical exercise may improve the quality of life of people with low back pain. eHealth interventions based on cognitive behavioral therapy may reduce pain catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs for physical activity for people with low back pain. eHealth interventions based on multidisciplinary approaches including physical exercise may reduce low back pain. Few systematic reviews used the GRADE system to evaluate the certainty of evidence, and few specified the content of eHealth interventions. CONCLUSION: eHealth interventions may improve the quality of life, pain catastrophizing, and fear-avoidance beliefs for people with low back pain. It is unclear, based on available systematic reviews, how clinicians should deliver eHealth interventions for people with spine pain (eg, neck pain or low back pain). J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2024;54(12):1-18. Epub 4 November 2024. doi:10.2519/jospt.2024.12844.

Biomarkers for cognitive impairment in alpha-synucleinopathies: an overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Cognitive impairment (CI) is common in α-synucleinopathies, i.e., Parkinson’s disease, Lewy bodies dementia, and multiple system atrophy. We summarize data from systematic reviews/meta-analyses on neuroimaging, neurophysiology, biofluid and genetic diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers of CI in α-synucleinopathies. Diagnostic biomarkers include atrophy/functional neuroimaging brain changes, abnormal cortical amyloid and tau deposition, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers, cortical rhythm slowing, reduced cortical cholinergic and glutamatergic and increased cortical GABAergic activity, delayed P300 latency, increased plasma homocysteine and cystatin C and decreased vitamin B12 and folate, increased CSF/serum albumin quotient, and serum neurofilament light chain. Prognostic biomarkers include brain regional atrophy, cortical rhythm slowing, CSF amyloid biomarkers, Val66Met polymorphism, and apolipoprotein-E ε2 and ε4 alleles. Some AD/amyloid/tau biomarkers may diagnose/predict CI in α-synucleinopathies, but single, validated diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers lack. Future studies should include large consortia, biobanks, multi-omics approach, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to better reflect the complexity of CI in α-synucleinopathies.

Urban transformation interventions for the promotion of active home-school mobility: overview

Abstract Background Active home-school mobility can contribute to a series of benefits, both for the health of children and adolescents (higher levels of physical activity, better cardio-metabolic profile, better school performance), and for the health of the general population and of environment (reduction of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions). An overview of systematic reviews (RS) was conducted in order to evaluate mainly the effectiveness of interventions promoting active home-school mobility on physical activity, overweight/obesity, well-being and reduction of road accidents in children and adolescents. Methods The bibliographic search was carried out on the following databases: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL, without any limits. Endnote software was used for the systematic reviews (SRs) selection. Data relating to the main characteristics and results of the SRs were extracted. The assessment of the methodological quality of the SRs was carried out using the “Health Evidence™ Quality Assessment Tool”. Results On the basis of the relevance and adherence to the research PICO, n. 12 systematic literature reviews evaluating effects of interventions of interest in the study population. The strategies took multiple levels into consideration, i.e. they aimed at organizing the home-school journey to encourage active mobility, as well as training and information aimed at the population under study for the promotion of physical activity. Conclusions Combined interventions appear more effective in promoting active home-school mobility with a better impact on increasing physical activity levels. Further high quality studies are necessary to investigate the impact of these interventions also on the reduction of incidence of overweight/obesity and in terms of school performance. Key messages • Policy makers should promote programs to increase active home-school transport. • Further high quality studies are necessary to investigate the impact of these interventions also on the reduction of incidence of overweight/obesity and in terms of school performance.

The prevalence and risk of anxiety and depression in polycystic ovary syndrome: an overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis.

To summarize the pooled prevalence rates of anxiety and depression in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. An overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis was conducted. The CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and PubMed databases were searched up to April 22, 2024. The methodological quality of systematic reviews was assessed using AMSTAR 2. The degree of overlap between reviews was analyzed by calculating the corrected covered area. Ten systematic reviews were selected. Regarding anxiety disorders, the pooled prevalence of panic disorder, social phobia, and anxiety disorders without specifying the type of disorder were 4%, 5%, and 16.9%, respectively. This prevalence was higher in depressive disorders, reaching 34.8%. Anxiety symptoms were very prevalent in women with PCOS, although the prevalence varied depending on the self-reported questionnaire used: the Hamilton Anxiety Scale 69.4%, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale 41.5%, and the Self-rating Anxiety Scale 32.4%. Additionally, the highest prevalence of depression symptoms was associated with the Beck Depression Inventory 46.0%, followed by the Self-rating Depression Scale 39.2%, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, which ranged from 31% to 33.8%. Meta-analyses found mainly anxiety and depression symptoms and disorders are prevalent in women with PCOS. Meta-analyses also showed women with PCOS had a higher risk of having anxiety disorders, and depression symptoms than women without PCOS. • Anxiety symptoms were prevalent, although the prevalence varied depending on the self-reported questionnaire. • The highest prevalence of depression symptoms was associated with the Beck Depression Inventory (46.0%). • The pooled prevalence of anxiety disorders without specifying the type of disorder was 16.9%.