Press review
The essentials of recent medical publications, unpacked by our newsroom into a clear, sourced digest, specialty by specialty.
Urology-nephrologyChronic endometritis and recurrent reproductive failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis
The endometrium plays a crucial role in reproduction by promoting blastocyst adhesion, cytotrophoblast invasion and foetal development. Among the various uterine disorders, endometritis, particularly chronic endometritis, has attracted attention due to its association with adverse reproductive outcomes (recurrent pregnancy loss, recurrent implantation failure and infertility).The association betwe
Cardiology and Vascular MedicineExpert consensus on the diagnosis and management of digoxin toxicity
Although there has been a decline in the use of digoxin in patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation, acute and chronic digoxin toxicity remains a significant clinical problem. Digoxin's narrow therapeutic window and non-specific signs and symptoms of toxicity create clinical challenges and uncertainty regarding diagnostic criteria for toxicity and responsive treatment choices for the be
NeurologyPromoting medication compliance in children with epilepsy: a cross-sectional survey
Medication compliance in children with epilepsy is crucial for a good prognosis. The aim of this study was to assess the determinants of medication compliance and to build a predictive model of the risk of non-compliance in patients with paediatric epilepsy.The study involved children diagnosed with epilepsy and treated in hospital between 1 February and 30 September 2023. The authors assessed the
RhumatologyEfficacy and safety of denosumab and teriparatide compared with oral bisphosphonates in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Although bisphosphonates have traditionally been the cornerstone of pharmacological management of bone protection in patients, new evidence suggests that teriparatide and denosumab merit further investigation as potential first-line treatments. The optimal choice between denosumab, teriparatide and oral bisphosphonates for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis remains a subject of debate an
Gastroenterology and HepatologyEfficacy and safety of etrolizumab in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease: a meta-analysis
This study explores the efficacy and safety of etrolizumab in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through a meta-analysis.A comprehensive search encompassed randomised controlled trials examining the efficacy of etrolizumab in the treatment of IBD in PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science, with a search cut-off date of 1 December 2023. Quality assessment was based on
OncologyCombinations of immunotherapies in the first-line treatment of urothelial cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data
Platinum-based chemotherapy represents the standard of care for the first-line treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma (mUC). The benefit of adding immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) to platinum-based chemotherapy has recently been investigated. The authors conducted a meta-analysis of individual patient data (IPD) from phase 3 clinical trials comparing ICI-based therapies.A systematic literat
Pharmacology and ToxicologyIL6 receptor inhibitors: exploring the therapeutic potential of several diseases using Mendelian randomisation of drug targets
Elevated levels of interleukin-6 are correlated with diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases and infections. IL-6 receptor inhibitors (IL-6Ri), used for rheumatoid arthritis and COVID-19, may have wider uses.The authors applied Mendelian randomisation (MR) to study the effects of IL-6Ri. To simulate the effects of IL-6R gene blockade, they selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) withi
Gastroenterology and HepatologyEfficacy of sorafenib combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation (TACE) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with tumour thrombosis of the portal vein: a meta-analysis
Twelve randomised controlled trials published up to 2022 were included. Of a total of 1,746 patients, 458 received sorafenib + TACE (S+TACE arm) and 1,288 underwent TACE (TACE arm).Overall survival (HR: 0.596, 95% CI: 0.507-0.685, p
OncologyCurcumin enhances the synergistic potential of paclitaxel, reduces cancer cell viability, tumour volume and drug resistance in different cancers: systematic review and meta-analysis
To treat diseases such as cancer, conventional Paclitaxel (PTX)-based treatment regimens are becoming less effective due to the development of resistance. In this respect, the phytomolecule curcumin, which has ethnopharmacological significance in traditional South Asian remedies such as Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, was investigated as a promising chemosensitising and synergistic part
GeriatricsRelationship between biological ageing, periodontitis and cardiovascular disease: results of a national population-based study and a Mendelian randomisation analysis
The relationship between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been extensively studied, but the role of biological ageing in this relationship remains poorly understood.This study seeks to elucidate the causal association between periodontitis, CVD and biological ageing.The authors included 3269 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Survey (2009-2014) with diagnostic info
Cardiology and Vascular MedicineNocturnal versus morning dosing of antihypertensive drugs for nocturnal hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 107 randomised controlled trials
Given that the effects of antihypertensive drugs taken once a day are most pronounced in the first few hours after ingestion, their administration in the evening may be a feasible treatment for nocturnal hypertension (HT). However, no relevant meta-analysis has been performed in patients with nocturnal HT.This meta-analysis included randomised controlled trials involving patients with elevated mea
Endocrinology and MetabolismThe additive value of platelet-rich plasma to topical Minoxidil in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
It remains to be determined whether platelet-rich plasma (PRP) offers an additional advantage over Minoxidil in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. The authors reviewed randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing PRP + Minoxidil scalp injections versus Minoxidil alone for the management of androgenetic alopecia.All RCTs published in Embase, Cochrane Library and PubMed comparing PRP plus Mino