Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tamseela Mumtaz, Ayesha Tahir, Maham Almas Tariq, Muhammad Amir Iqbal
Summary: The comparative toxicity of methotrexate and leflunomide on multiple organs in rheumatoid arthritis patients was evaluated in this study. While methotrexate had more harmful effects on the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys, leflunomide posed a greater risk to the liver.
Article
Rheumatology
Akira Onishi, Hirotaka Yamada, Wataru Yamamoto, Ryu Watanabe, Ryota Hara, Masaki Katayama, Yasutaka Okita, Yuichi Maeda, Hideki Amuro, Yonsu Son, Ayaka Yoshikawa, Kenichiro Hata, Motomu Hashimoto, Jun Saegusa, Akio Morinobu
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and drug tolerability of biological DMARD (bDMARD) and Janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi) monotherapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study found that IL-6Ri monotherapy was superior to TNFi monotherapy in terms of effectiveness and drug retention, while no significant differences were identified between CTLA4Ig and JAKi monotherapy and TNFi monotherapy.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Wenhao Zheng, Yifan Mei, Chunhui Chen, Leyi Cai, Hua Chen
Summary: The systematic review and meta-analysis found that TG combined with DMARDs can effectively reduce symptoms and improve outcomes in RA patients. The study suggests that TG is safe and well tolerated for routine use, but more high-quality RCTs are needed for further validation.
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Virginia Solitano, Antonio Facciorusso, Dermot P. B. Mcgovern, Tran Nguyen, Ruben J. Colman, Lily Zou, Brigid S. Boland, Silje W. Syversen, Kristin Kaasen Jorgensen, Christopher Ma, Alessandro Armuzzi, Aze Wilson, Vipul Jairath, Siddharth Singh
Summary: This study evaluated the association between HLA-DQA1*05 genotype and the risk of immunogenicity with TNF-a antagonists in patients with IMIDs. The meta-analysis showed that patients with HLA-DQA1*05 variants had a 75% higher risk of immunogenicity compared to non-carriers. The study also found that patients with HLA-DQA1*05 variants had a higher risk of secondary loss of response.
CLINICAL GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Edwin Cohen, Bill Byrom, Anja Becher, Magnus Jornten-Karlsson, Andrew K. Mackenzie
Summary: This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of electronic consent (eConsent) in enhancing patient understanding, engagement, and acceptability of clinical trial information. The results show that compared to traditional paper-based consent, eConsent allows patients to better understand trial information, engage more actively, and rate the consent process as more acceptable and usable.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Caroline Tianeze de Castro, Mariana Jorge de Queiroz, Flavia Caixeta Albuquerque, Celmario Castro Brandao, Leticia Farias Gerlack, Daniella Cristina Rodrigues Pereira, Sandra Castro Barros, Wenderson Walla Andrade, Ediane de Assis Bastos, Jesse de Nobrega Batista Azevedo, Roberto Carreiro, Mauricio Lima Barreto, Djanilson Barbosa dos Santos
Summary: According to administrative health databases, this study found that biological therapy effectively treats patients with rheumatoid arthritis. TNFi showed lower effectiveness compared to non-TNFi, and bDMARDs exhibited lower effectiveness compared to JAKi. Adalimumab, etanercept, and golimumab showed higher effectiveness than infliximab. There were no significant differences in the effectiveness between bDMARD monotherapy and combination therapy.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Edwin Cohen, Bill Byrom, Anja Becher, Magnus Jornten-Karlsson, Andrew K. Mackenzie
Summary: This systematic review examines the effectiveness of electronic consent (eConsent) compared to traditional paper-based consent. The findings show that patients using eConsent have a better understanding of study information, greater engagement with content, and find the consenting process more acceptable and usable. eConsent has the potential to address data quality concerns related to flawed consenting processes.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Haiyang Kou, Lei Huang, Meng Jin, Qi He, Rui Zhang, Jianbing Ma
Summary: The study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of curcumin in rheumatoid arthritis patients. It finds that curcumin supplementation is beneficial for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and can improve inflammation levels and clinical symptoms.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Jiraporn Chittrakul, Ratana Sapbamrer, Wachiranun Sirikul
Summary: There is some evidence suggesting an association between exposure to pesticides, particularly insecticides, and an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the current evidence is limited and further epidemiological studies are needed to confirm this relationship.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Dan Ouyang, Yuan Zhi Ma, Jie Zou, Yong Long Wang, Zheng Chen, Yu Ying Yang, Bin Zou, Xin Li, Jian Zhong Cao
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of iguratimod (IGU) monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate (MTX) in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The results showed that IGU monotherapy was superior to MTX monotherapy in improving ACR20 and DAS28-ESR, while IGU + MTX was more effective in improving ACR20, ACR50, ACR70, and DAS28-ESR compared to MTX alone. The combination therapy did not increase the risk of adverse events and even lowered the risk of liver function tests.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Jie Liu, Hui Wu, Sheng-Li Xia
Summary: This systematic review examined the incidence and symptoms of new-onset arthritis after COVID-19 vaccination. Most patients developed joint-related symptoms after the first dose of vaccine, with the most common symptoms being joint swelling and joint pain. Treatment mainly involved glucocorticoid drugs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and most patients showed significant improvement in symptoms with no relapse after follow-up.
Review
Rheumatology
Hema Chaplin, Lewis Carpenter, Anni Raz, Elena Nikiphorou, Heidi Lempp, Sam Norton
Summary: The study identified that refractory disease in RA and polyJIA is defined mainly as resistance to multiple drugs with different mechanisms of action and persistence of symptoms and high disease activity. It is concluded that there is a need for a clear unified definition to aid study comparisons and appropriate identification of patients.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Zhe Feng, Ling Fu, Junqin Wang, Yamei Zhu, Xiaojin He, Lingling Zhou, Xueping Zhou
Summary: This study aims to explore the efficacy and safety of the combination of TG and conventional DMARD in treating RA. The results showed that the combination of TG was superior to monotherapy with conventional DMARD in improving RA conditions, with a good safety profile. The efficacy of TG was related to its ability to suppress IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. Furthermore, the combination of TG showed significant advantages in improving joint signs, symptoms, inflammatory indicators, and overall health. However, factors such as age, treatment course, type of combined DMARDs, and risk of bias were important factors influencing the efficacy.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Eduardo Villa, Teresita Sarquis, Jose de Grazia, Rene Nunez, Pablo Alarcon, Rodrigo Villegas, Carlos Guevara
Summary: Rheumatoid meningitis predominantly affects older adults with manifestations of transient neurological signs, systemic symptoms, episodic headache, and neuropsychiatric alterations. Maintenance therapy with high-dose corticosteroids is key for a better outcome in RM patients.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Pauline Sanchez, Jean-Guillaume Letarouilly, Yann Nguyen, Johanna Sigaux, Thomas Barnetche, Sebastien Czernichow, Rene-Marc Flipo, Jeremie Sellam, Claire Daien
Summary: This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the effect of probiotics supplementation on symptoms and disease activity in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases. The results showed that probiotic supplementation might decrease rheumatoid arthritis activity with a moderate decrease effect on C-reactive protein, but there is a lack of evidence and heterogeneity among studies to recommend them as a treatment option for inflammatory arthritis.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Julia Harlfinger, Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit, Gerald Gartlehner
Summary: The aim of this study was to extend the guideline for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the hepatitis B virus to include antiviral prophylaxis. The guideline was developed in accordance with World Health Organization standards. In addition to the recommendations for testing and vaccination, two new recommendations were formulated to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HBV.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Isolde Sommer, Andreea Dobrescu, Dominic Ledinger, Isabel Moser, Kylie Thaler, Emma Persad, Martin Fangmeyer, Robert Emprechtinger, Irma Klerings, Gerald Gartlehner
Summary: This study assessed the benefits and harms of 12 different COVID-19 treatments in the outpatient setting. The findings suggest that certain antiviral medications and monoclonal antibodies may improve outcomes for patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, but the generalizability of the findings to the currently dominant Omicron variant is limited.
ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Lisa Affengruber, Gernot Wagner, Andreea Dobrescu, Ana Toromanova, Andrea Chapman, Emma Persad, Irma Klerings, Gerald Gartlehner
Summary: Developers of clinical practice guidelines should consider patient values and preferences when evaluating treatments for depressive disorder. This study assessed patient values and preferences regarding pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments. Findings indicate that there may be differences in preferences based on gender or race/ethnicity, and that insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, weight gain, agitation, and sexual dysfunction are important nonserious adverse events for patients treated with antidepressants.
ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Gerald Gartlehner, Leila Kahwati
JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Gerald Gartlehner, Emma Persad, Dominic Ledinger, Andrea Chapman, Arianna Gadinger, Johanna Feyertag, Robert Emprechtinger
Summary: The study examines the language used by systematic review authors to emphasize the meaningful differences shown by statistically nonsignificant results. It also compares the magnitude of these treatment effects with nonsignificant results that authors interpreted as not different. The findings suggest that some authors may overstate the importance of nonsignificant differences, while others may overlook meaningful differences.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Gerald Gartlehner, Eva Schernhammer, Sigurd F. Lax, Matthias Preusser, Herbert Bachler, Harald Tietzer, Maria Kletecka-Pulker, Helga Turnher, Uwe Siebert
Summary: Colorectal cancer screening in Austria is currently opportunistic and the Austrian National Committee for Cancer Screening has developed evidence-based recommendations for an organized nationwide screening program. The recommendations suggest that adults aged 45-75 should undergo either a 10-year screening colonoscopy or biennial fecal immunochemical tests. Screening decisions for individuals aged 65 and older should be based on their overall health, prior screening history, and preferences.
WIENER KLINISCHE WOCHENSCHRIFT
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit, Isolde Sommer, Candyce Hamel, Declan Devane, Anna Noel-Storr, Livia Puljak, Marialena Trivella, Gerald Gartlehner
Summary: This paper is part of a series of methodological guidance from the Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group (RRMG). It discusses considerations around the acceleration of study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment in rapid reviews (RRs). The paper suggests methodological shortcuts such as dual screening at the title/abstract level, single data extraction on relevant data points, and single risk of bias assessment on important outcomes with verification by a second person.
BMJ EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Gerald Gartlehner, Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit, Declan Devane, Leila Kahwati, Meera Viswanathan, Valerie J. King, Amir Qaseem, Elie Akl, Holger J. Schuenemann
Summary: This paper is a part of a series of methodological guidance provided by the Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group, which explains that rapid reviews (RRs) are designed to speed up the review process while maintaining systematic and transparent methods. The paper focuses on considerations for rating the certainty of evidence (COE) in RRs and provides recommendations for the implementation of GRADE. It also suggests alternative approaches for rating COE if full implementation of GRADE is not feasible.
BMJ EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Irma Klerings, Shannon Robalino, Andrew Booth, Camila Micaela Escobar-Liquitay, Isolde Sommer, Gerald Gartlehner, Declan Devane, Siw Waffenschmidt
Summary: This paper discusses considerations for conducting rapid reviews (RR), including steps for preparation, planning, information sources, search methods, strategy development, quality assurance, reporting, and record management. To reduce the workload of literature screening, it is recommended to invest time in planning and optimizing the search process, work with an information specialist, select relevant information sources, and use search methods that are likely to identify relevant literature. Quality assurance measures such as peer review and validation of search strategies should be applied to minimize errors.
BMJ EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Isolde Sommer, Dominic Ledinger, Kylie Thaler, Andreea Dobrescu, Emma Persad, Martin Fangmeyer, Irma Klerings, Gerald Gartlehner
Summary: This study evaluated the benefits and harms of 22 different COVID-19 treatments. The findings indicate that Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and molnupiravir may improve outcomes for outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19.
ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Correction
Medicine, General & Internal
Gerald Gartlehner, Eva Schernhammer, Sigurd F. Lax, Matthias Preusser, Herbert Bachler, Harald Titzer, Maria Kletecka-Pulker, Helga Turnher, Uwe Siebert
WIENER KLINISCHE WOCHENSCHRIFT
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Clinical
Karen Crotty, Meera Viswanathan, Sara Kennedy, Mark J. Edlund, Rania Ali, Mariam Siddiqui, Roberta Wines, Piotr Ratajczak, Gerald Gartlehner
Summary: This study systematically assessed the comparative effectiveness of commonly used psychotherapies versus treatment as usual (TAU) or other psychotherapies for borderline personality disorder (BPD) treatment. The findings suggest that all commonly used psychotherapies improve the severity, symptoms, and functioning of BPD, but there is no strong evidence suggesting that any one psychotherapy is more beneficial than another.
JOURNAL OF CONSULTING AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Julia Harlfinger, Isolde Sommer, Gerald Gartlehner
Summary: This guideline provides an updated and comprehensive overview of cervical cancer prevention through screening and therapy, covering screening methods, test regimens, and screening intervals. The target populations include adult females without known risk factors and women living with HIV.
Correction
Medicine, General & Internal
G. Gartlehner, S. Patel, S. Reddy, C. Rains, M. Schwimmer, Kahwati L. Hormone
JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Gabriel Torbahn, Andrew Jones, Alex Griffiths, Jamie Matu, Maria-Inti Metzendorf, Louisa J. Ells, Gerald Gartlehner, Aaron S. Kelly, Daniel Weghuber, Tamara Brown
ANNALS OF NUTRITION AND METABOLISM
(2023)