Systematic Reviews Incorporating Network Meta-analyses Research Articles

Effect of inhaled aromatherapy on sleep quality in critically ill patients: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

This study aimed to compare the effect of inhaled aromatherapy using various essential oils on the sleep quality of critically ill patients. Inhalation of essential oils significantly promotes the physiological and psychological health of patients in intensive care units (ICUs). However, research identifying and ranking the effects of different essential oils on the sleep quality of critically ill patients is lacking. This study followed the PRISMA Extension Statement for Reporting of Systematic Reviews Incorporating Network Meta-Analyses of Health Care Interventions (PRISMA-NMA) guidelines. A comprehensive search of five databases (Embase, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL and PsycINFO) was conducted from their inception to March 15, 2023 (with an additional eligible study included dated August 14, 2023). Google Scholar was used as a supplementary method. Frequentist NMA was used to determine the effects of various essential oils. Certainty of evidence (CoE) was assessed using Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis (CINeMA). A total of 11 trials involving 690 critically ill patients were included in the analysis. The NMA of inhaled aromatherapy revealed that the combination of lavender, Matricaria recutita, and neroli essential oils (ratio 6:2:0.5) resulted in the most significant improvement in sleep quality compared to usual care, followed by Rosa damascene, peppermint, Citrus aurantium, pure sunflower oil and lavender oil alone. The overall CoE for the results was rated as low. The results of this study indicate that a combination of lavender, Matricaria recutita and neroli essential oils significantly positively affected sleep quality among critically ill patients. Despite the low quality of evidence, inhaled aromatherapy is non-invasive and easy to use. Inhaled aromatherapy can effectively improve sleep quality among critically ill patients. No patient or public contribution applies to this work. The study protocol was registered to the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (protocol number CRD42023433194).

Effectiveness of Rehabilitation for Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Scoping Review of Network Meta-Analyses.

Although an increasing number of network meta-analyses have been conducted on the effectiveness of conservative therapy for knee osteoarthritis, these may have been poorly planned and executed.We aimed to review the qualities of a comprehensive set of network meta-analyses on rehabilitation therapies for knee osteoarthritis and provide an overview of the effectiveness of each therapy. The eligibility criteria were as follows: (i) conservative rehabilitation was the primary treatment in the intervention group, (ii) included patients were diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, and (iii) patient groups were aged ≤75 years, and rehabilitation interventions comprised exercise, orthotic, or physical therapies or patient education. Two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts of the identified records and selected the eligible reviews; their full texts were further assessed for eligibility. Then, a checklist derived from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension statement for the reporting of systematic reviews incorporating network meta-analyses of healthcare Interventions was used to validate the completeness of the reporting of each network meta-analysis. Furthermore, the statistical and outcome data regarding the quality of life, knee joint function and pain, adverse events, and physical functions were extracted using a customized spreadsheet. Overall, 2701 titles and abstracts were screened, and eight network meta-analyses were ultimately selected. Nearly all reviews adequately addressed the PRISMA extension checklist, and the completeness of reporting was adequate; therefore, all expected information could be extracted. However, the methodology used to confirm the transitivity assumption was insufficient in many reviews. The following interventions were effective in reducing pain and improving physical function: (i) strengthening, flexibility, aerobic, and mind-body exercises, (ii) pulsed ultrasound, (iii) focused and radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy, and (iv) continuous ultrasound. The following interventions were effective in improving the quality of life: (i) strengthening, (ii) mixed, and (iii) mind-body exercises. Our results suggested that exercise therapies, including muscle-strengthening, aerobic, flexibility, and mind-body exercises, are likely to be effective for pain relief and functional improvement in knee osteoarthritis. This may be the first review to provide a comprehensive perspective for considering priorities for future rehabilitation interventions for knee osteoarthritis.

Management of de Quervain Tenosynovitis

There is a plethora of treatment options for patients with de Quervain tenosynovitis (DQT), but there are limited data on their effectiveness and no definitive management guidelines. To assess and compare the effectiveness associated with available treatment options for DQT to guide musculoskeletal practitioners and inform guidelines. Medline, Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Central, Scopus, OpenGrey.eu, and WorldCat.org were searched for published studies, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, ClinicalTrials.gov, The European Union Clinical Trials Register, and the ISRCTN registry were searched for unpublished and ongoing studies from inception to August 2022. All randomized clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of any intervention for the management of DQT. This study was prospectively registered on PROSPERO and conducted and reported per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension Statement for Reporting of Systematic Reviews Incorporating Network Meta-analyses of Health Care Interventions (PRISMA-NMA) and PRISMA in Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sport Medicine and Sports Science (PERSIST) guidance. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations tool were used for risk of bias and certainty of evidence assessment for each outcome. Pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed for patient-reported pain using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and for function using the quick disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (Q-DASH) scale. Mean differences (MD) with their 95% CIs were calculated for the pairwise meta-analyses. A total of 30 studies with 1663 patients (mean [SD] age, 46 [7] years; 80% female) were included, of which 19 studies were included in quantitative analyses. From the pairwise meta-analyses, based on evidence of moderate certainty, adding thumb spica immobilization for 3 to 4 weeks to a corticosteroid injection (CSI) was associated with statistically but not clinically significant functional benefits in the short-term (MD, 10.5 [95% CI, 6.8-14.1] points) and mid-term (MD, 9.4 [95% CI, 7.0-11.9] points). In the network meta-analysis, interventions that included ultrasonography-guided CSI ranked at the top for pain. CSI with thumb spica immobilization had the highest probability of being the most effective intervention for short- and mid-term function. This network meta-analysis found that adding a short period of thumb spica immobilization to CSI was associated with statistically but not clinically significant short- and mid-term benefits. These findings suggest that administration of CSI followed by 3 to 4 weeks immobilization should be considered as a first-line treatment for patients with DQT.

Inflammatory bowel disease and risk of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a relapsing chronic gastrointestinal inflammatory disease. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a rare but serious extraintestinal pulmonary manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease. However, the relationship between these two conditions is unclear. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate this relationship through a systematic review and meta-analysis, focusing on the risk of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The systematic review will be outlined according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Protocols and its extension statement for reporting systematic reviews incorporating network meta-analyses of healthcare interventions: checklist and explanations. Original articles published in any language will be searched in the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Ovid. Observational studies that reveal an association measure between idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and inflammatory bowel disease will be included (cross sectional, cohort, and case-control trials). Two independent reviewers will be assigned to evaluate study quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for assessing the quality of non-randomized studies in meta-analyses. Sensitivity analyses will be conducted based on the quality of included studies. All relevant studies will be assessed based on the study type, sample size, inflammatory bowel disease subtype, odds ratio, confidence interval, treatment strategy, and follow-up. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach will be used to rate the quality of the evidence. The results of this meta-analysis may show that patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at higher risk of developing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This study will be the first meta-analysis to focus on the association between inflammatory bowel disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Exploring the relationship between the two conditions may further enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and promote the development of related research fields.

Comparative Outcomes of First-Line Chemotherapy for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Among the Regimens Used in Japan

Various first-line chemotherapy treatment regimens for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer have been approved in Japan, including gemcitabine (GEM); fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin combination (FOLFIRINOX); GEM plus albumin-bound paclitaxel (GEM+NPTX), and S-1 (tegafur + gimeracil + oteracil). However, direct comparisons of these chemotherapy regimens are limited. To assess the short-term and long-term outcomes associated with first-line chemotherapy regimens for metastatic pancreatic cancer compared with chemotherapy regimens recommended in Japanese guidelines. In this systematic review and network meta-analysis, the bibliographic databases PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, as well as medical journals published between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2018, were searched for clinical trials comparing chemotherapy regimens. Randomized 2-arm clinical trials evaluating first-line chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer were included. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) Extension Statement for Reporting of Systematic Reviews Incorporating Network Meta-analyses of Health Care Interventions was followed for data abstractions. Data were pooled using a random-effects model. The SIGN 50 Quality Assessment Instrument was used to assess the risk of bias and overall study quality of the selected trials. The primary end point was overall survival (OS), and the secondary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) compared with GEM for first-line chemotherapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer. The Kaplan-Meier curve of GEM from the literature and the estimated hazard ratios (HRs) were used to model the long-term associations to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) (person-months) for OS and PFS of each chemotherapy. Sensitivity analyses with multiple functional models were conducted to confirm the long-term estimations. A total of 22 regimens (25 studies) for OS and a total of 18 regimens (21 studies) for PFS were identified from literature. The total number of participants was 10 186, with 5856 male (57.5%) and 4330 female (42.5%). The FOLFIRINOX and GEM+NPTX regimens were associated with reduction in the risk of death, with an HR of 0.57 (95% CI, 0.41-0.79) and 0.72 (95% CI, 0.55-0.95) compared with GEM, respectively. The curve estimation also showed that FOLFIRINOX had the largest AUC for survival at 15.49 person-months (range, 13.84-15.51 person-months), followed by GEM+NPTX with 12.36 person-months (range, 10.98-12.59 person-months), GEM+ERLO with 10.84 person-months (range, 9.66-11.23 person-months), S-1 with 8.44 person-months (range, 8.26-9.74 person-months), and GEM with 8.10 person-months (range, 7.93-9.38 person-months). The results of this network meta-analysis support the relative short-term and long-term outcomes associated with first-line chemotherapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer used clinically in Japan.

Surgical Management of Focal Chondral Defects of the Talus: A Bayesian Network Meta-analysis

Background: No consensus has been reached regarding the optimal surgical treatment for focal chondral defects of the talus. Purpose: A Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted to compare the clinical scores and complications of mosaicplasty, osteochondral auto- and allograft transplant, microfracture, matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte transplant, and autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis (AMIC) for chondral defects of the talus at midterm follow-up. Study Design: Bayesian network meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: This Bayesian network meta-analysis followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) extension statement for reporting of systematic reviews incorporating network meta-analyses of health care interventions. PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases were accessed in February 2021. All clinical trials comparing 2 or more surgical interventions for the management of chondral defects of the talus were accessed. The outcomes of interest were visual analog scale (VAS) score, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, rate of failure, and rate of revision surgery. The network meta-analysis were performed through the routine for Bayesian hierarchical random-effects model analysis. The log odds ratio (LOR) effect measure was used for dichotomous variables, and the standardized mean difference (SMD) was used for continuous variables. Results: Data from 13 articles (521 procedures) were retrieved. The median length of the follow-up was 47.8 months (range, 31.7-66.8 months). Analysis of variance revealed no difference between the treatment groups at baseline in terms of age, sex, body mass index, AOFAS score, VAS score, and mean number of defects. AMIC demonstrated the greatest AOFAS score (SMD, 11.27) and lowest VAS score (SMD, –2.26) as well as the lowest rates of failure (LOR, 0.94) and revision (LOR, 0.94). The test for overall inconsistency was not significant. Conclusion: At approximately 4 years of follow-up, the AMIC procedure for management of focal chondral defects of the talus produced the best outcome.

NSAIDs for Prophylaxis for Heterotopic Ossification After Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Bayesian Network Meta-analysis

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) have been recommended to prevent of heterotopic ossification (HO) after total hip arthroplasty (THA), but debates are still ongoing. The present Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) compared all available pathways of NSAID treatment as prophylaxis for HO after THA. The present Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted according to The PRISMA Extension Statement for Reporting of Systematic Reviews Incorporating Network Meta-analyses of Health Care Interventions guidelines. All randomized clinical trials comparing two or more interventions to prevent HO after THA were considered for analysis. HO was classified according to Brooker. The quality of the methodological assessment was performed through the risk of bias summary tool of the Review Manager Software 5.3 (The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen). The network meta-analysis was performed through a STATA routine for Bayesian hierarchical random-effects model analysis, with log odd ratio (LOR) effect measure. Data from 26 studies (6396 THAs; 58% females) were collected. The mean follow-up was 10.50 ± 5.7 months. ANOVA showed good comparability among mean age and gender (P > 0.5). Celecoxib demonstrated the highest rate of Brooker class 0 (LOR 6.96), followed by diclofenac (LOR 6.94). Naproxen demonstrated the lowest rate of Brooker I HO (LOR 2.82), followed by celecoxib (LOR 3.52). Celecoxib demonstrated lowest rate of Brooker class II HO (LOR 1.66), class III (LOR), and class IV (LOR 0.25). The equation for global linearity detected no statistically significant inconsistency (P > 0.5) in all the comparisons. The present Bayesian network meta-analysis encourages the use of celecoxib as a prophylaxis for HO. These conclusions must be interpreted in light of the limitations of the present study. Future investigations are required to establish more definitely the role of celecoxib.Level of Evidence: I, Bayesian network analysis of RCTs.

Efficacy and Safety of Antibiotics for Treatment of Scrub Typhus

Antibiotics have been used for many years to treat scrub typhus, but their efficacy and safety have not been studied thoroughly. To compare and rank different antibiotics to identify which one can safely eliminate Orientia tsutsugamushi and efficiently alleviate fever in patients with scrub typhus. An electronic search of PubMed and Embase was conducted, from database inception to July 12, 2019. The study was conducted from July 12 to September 2, 2019. Randomized clinical trials and retrospective studies that evaluated the use of antibiotics for treatment in patients diagnosed with scrub typhus caused by O tsutsugamushi were included. Records of articles in English were considered eligible. Studies were assessed independently by 2 reviewers, with disagreement resolved by consensus. Of 6408 studies initially identified, 10 randomized clinical trials and 4 retrospective study met the criteria for further analysis. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension statement for systematic reviews incorporating network meta-analyses of health care interventions. Data were independently extracted by 2 reviewers and synthesized with frequentist random-effects network meta-analyses. The primary outcome was efficacy of the antibiotic, considered as the number of patients who achieved complete healing with an antibiotic. Safety, defined as the prevalence of adverse events associated with the antibiotics, was the secondary outcome, and defervescence time was the tertiary outcome. P scores (scale of 0 to 1, with 1 indicating superiority to other treatments) were used to rank the efficacy, safety, and defeverescence time of the antibiotics. Three searches for articles in Embase and PubMed identified 10 randomized clinical trials (888 participants) and 4 retrospective studies (323 participants) for further analyses. No particular treatment regimen showed a significant advantage or disadvantage with regard to efficacy or safety. However, meta-analysis of retrospective studies indicated that clarithromycin (P score = 0.8730) alleviated fever more efficiently than other antibiotics. No treatment regimen reported in this network meta-analysis showed a significant advantage or disadvantage with regard to efficacy or safety. However, clarithromycin might be a better choice than the other drugs for alleviating fever.

Therapies for diabetic gastroparesis

Background:Diabetic gastroparesis (DG) is a common autonomic neuropathy which impacts on nutritional state and quality of life in diabetic patients, and it also adversely affects glycemic control in diabetes. The prevalence of DG is growing with the number of patients with diabetes continues to increase. However, there is no definitive answer as to which of the current therapies is the best for the clinical treatment of the different manifestations of DG. The subject of this study is to answer the following question: what is the best intervention for diabetic patients with gastroparesis?Methods:Comprehensive searches of the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Medline, Central and Web of Science, and 4 Chinese databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and WanFang will be completed using the following keywords DG and therapies and related entry terms. Studies will be included, according to the eligibility criteria (randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials, considering specific outcome measures for DG). The reference lists of included studies will be manual searched. Relevant data will be extracted from included studies using a specially designed data extraction sheet. Risk of bias of the included studies will be assessed, and the overall strength of the evidence will be summarized through GRADE. A random effects model will be used for all pairwise meta-analyses (with a 95% confidence interval). A Bayesian network meta-analysis will explore the relative benefits between the various therapies. The review will be reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews incorporating Network Meta-Analyses statement. Network meta-analysis will be performed using a Bayesian framework through the Winbugs software.Results:This network meta-analysis will identify the best effective therapy for DG.Conclusion:This study will compare and evaluate current therapies for DG, and find the best treatment of DG.

Nerve palsy, dislocation and revision rate among the approaches for total hip arthroplasty: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most performed intervention in orthopaedics surgery. Currently, there is no unanimous approval concerning the best approach for THA in terms of nerve palsies, dislocations and further revisions. Hence, a Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted. The present study was conducted according to the PRISMA extension statement for reporting of systematic reviews incorporating network meta-analyses of healthcare interventions. The literature search was performed in September 2019. The NMA was performed through the STATA Software/MP routine for Bayesian hierarchical random-effects model analysis. Data from 10,675 THA were collected. The mean follow-up was 10months. The anterior approach reported the lowest risk to incur a post-operative dislocation (overall inconsistency P = 0.99). The posterolateral approach reported the lowest risk to incur a nerve palsy (overall inconsistency P = 0.77). The funnel plot revealed a low risk of publication bias. The lateral approach was found to have the lowest risk of resulting in a revision surgery (overall inconsistency P = 0.90). According to our network comparisons, the posterolateral approach for THA represent the favourable exposure with regards to nerve palsy, further dislocations and revision surgeries.

Implant positioning among the surgical approaches for total hip arthroplasty: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Although there is anatomical individuality among patients, some standardized requirements for component orientation for total hip arthroplasty (THA) exist. To date, no study has compared implant positioning using a network meta-analysis (NMA). Hence, the purpose of this study was to perform a NMA comparing implant positioning among the various approaches for THA. This study was conducted according to the PRISMA extension statement for reporting of systematic reviews incorporating network meta-analyses of health care interventions. All randomized (RCT) and non-randomized (nRCT) clinical trials comparing two or more different approaches for THA were considered for inclusion. For the statistical analysis, the STATA Software/ MP, Version 14.1 (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA) was used. The NMA was performed through a Stata routine for Bayesian hierarchical random-effects model analysis. We enrolled in the present study, a total of 4060 patients, with a mean of 17.84 ± 16.41months follow-up. The patient baseline data were very homogeneous across the groups concerning age (P = 0.91), sex (P = 0.52), and BMI (P = 0.83). Concerning the cup anteversion, the anterolateral approach reported the value closest to the reference value. The test for overall inconsistency, however, was not statistically significant (P = 0.30). Concerning cup inclination, the lateral approach reported the value closest to the reference value. The test for overall inconsistency was statistically significant (P = 0.01). The anterolateral approach for total hip arthroplasty detected the best femoral stem alignment and cup anteversion. Data concerning cup inclination detected no sufficient transitivity to draw consistent conclusions.

Hospitalization length, surgical duration, and blood lost among the approaches for total hip arthroplasty: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Despite the numerous studies, there is no consensus concerning the best approach for total hip arthroplasty (THA), and debates are ongoing. The purpose of this study was to perform a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) comparing several approaches for primary THA. The focus was on peri-operative outcomes: surgical duration, total estimated blood loss, and length of the hospitalization. This Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted according to the PRISMA extension statement for reporting systematic reviews incorporating network meta-analyses of health care interventions. In October 2019, the main databases were accessed. All the clinical trials comparing two or more different approaches for primary THA were assessed. For the methodology quality assessment, the PEDro score was performed. The Software STATA MP was used for the statistical analyses. The NMA was performed through the routine for Bayesian hierarchical random-effects analysis with the inverse variance statistic method for continuous variables. Data from 4843 procedures was analysed. Between patient's demographic, good baseline comparability was found. The comparison total estimated blood loss detected statistically significant inconsistency (P = 0.01). The posterolateral approach reported the lowest value for the surgical duration. The test for overall inconsistency was statistically significant (P = 0.4). The posterolateral approach reported the shortest hospitalization length. The test for overall inconsistency was statistically significant (P = 0.9). The posterolateral approach reported shorter surgical duration and hospitalization length. Concerning the analysis of total estimated blood loss, no significant result was obtained. Data must be considered in the light of the limitations of the present study.

The treatment modalities of masticatory muscle pain a network meta-analysis.

Numerous treatment modalities have been attempted for masticatory muscle pain in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). To compare the treatment efficacy of more than 2 competing treatments, a network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted. This study was reported with reference to the extended Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement for reporting of systematic reviews incorporating network meta-analyses. Medline via Pubmed, Embase via OVID, and Cochrane Library Central were searched (up to February 11, 2019). Axis I protocol of Diagnostic Criteria or Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD, RDC/TMD) were chosen as diagnostic standards. The PICOS (Problem/patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study design) method was used to screen trials under eligibility criteria. And the NMA was performed with mvmeta commands in Stata (StataCorp, Tex). Of 766 studies searched, 12 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were finally included. Nineteen different therapies were found and further categorized into 9 treatment modalities. The general heterogeneity was not found among included trials. But predictive intervals (PrIs) were conspicuously wider than confidential intervals (CIs) of all pairwise comparisons, indicating that heterogeneity may exist between studies. Complementary therapy showed the greatest probability (42.7%) to be the best intervention. It also had the highest mean rank (2.3) in the rankogram and the biggest value of surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA, 84.1%). Based on the limited evidence of available trials, complementary therapy seemed to be slightly more effective than remaining treatment modalities for pain reduction in TMD patients with masticatory muscle pain. High-quality randomized controlled trials are expected to validate the findings.

Adverse events associated with human papillomavirus vaccines: a protocol for systematic review with network meta-analysis incorporating all randomised controlled trials comparing with placebo, adjuvants and other vaccines

IntroductionAdverse events following the injection (AEFIs) of human papillomavirus vaccine (HPVv) among female adolescents are still a major public health concern.MethodsAccording to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and...

Assessing the methodological and reporting quality of network meta-analyses in Chinese medicine.

BackgroundAn increasing number of network meta-analyses (NMAs) in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have been published recently, but the quality of them was lack of assessment. This study aims to evaluate the methodological and reporting quality of NMAs in TCM.MethodsSix electronic databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) from inception to January 2018, were searched. NMAs of TCM were included. A measurement tool to assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews (AMSTAR) and the PRISMA Extension Statement for Reporting of Systematic Reviews Incorporating Network Meta-analyses of Health Care Interventions (PRISMA-NMA) were used to assess the methodological and reporting quality of the included NMAs.ResultsA total of 40 NMAs, including 2535 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), were included. They were published between December 2012 and November 2017. The median score and interquartile range of methodological and reporting quality was 7 (6–8) and 22 (19.1–27.1). Serious methodological flaws existed in the following aspects: the status of publication (22.5%), a list of studies provided (0%), assessment of publication bias (37.5%), and conflicts of interest (12.5%). Several items need to be improved in reporting, especially for Protocol and registration (2.5%), Data items (22.5%), Risk of bias across studies (Methods section) (37.5%), Results of individual studies (27.5%), Risk of bias across studies (Results section) (40%), Results of additional analyses (35%), and Funding (15%).ConclusionsThe methodological and reporting quality of NMAs in TCM is moderate. Identified shortcomings of published NMAs should be taken into consideration in further trainings of authors and editors of NMAs in TCM. Future researchers should be encouraged to apply PRISMA-NMA, and a recognized tool for the assessment of NMA methodology was wanted.

Therapies for bruxism: a systematic review and network meta-analysis (protocol)

BackgroundBruxism is a sleep disorder characterized by grinding and clenching of the teeth that may be related to irreversible tooth injuries. It is a prevalent condition occurring in up to 31% of adults. However, there is no definitive answer as to which of the many currently available treatments (including drug therapy, intramuscular injections, physiotherapy, biofeedback, kinesiotherapy, use of intraoral devices, or psychological therapy) is the best for the clinical management of the different manifestations of bruxism. The aim of this systematic review and network meta-analysis is to answer the following question: what is the best treatment for adult bruxists?Methods/designComprehensive searches of the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, and LILACS will be completed using the following keywords: bruxism and therapies and related entry terms. Studies will be included, according to the eligibility criteria (Controlled Clinical Trials and Randomized Clinical Trials, considering specific outcome measures for bruxism). The reference lists of included studies will be hand searched. Relevant data will be extracted from included studies using a specially designed data extraction sheet. Risk of bias of the included studies will be assessed, and the overall strength of the evidence will be summarized (i.e., GRADE). A random effects model will be used for all pairwise meta-analyses (with a 95% confidence interval). A Bayesian network meta-analysis will explore the relative benefits between the various treatments. The review will be reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews incorporating Network Meta-Analyses (PRISMA-NMA) statement.DiscussionThis systematic review aims at identifying and evaluating therapies to treat bruxism. This systematic review may lead to several recommendations, for both patients and researchers, as which is the best therapy for a specific patient case and how future studies need to be designed, considering what is available now and what is the reality of the patient.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42015023308