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Background and Aims During the current Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with diabetes face disproportionately more. This study was performed to clarify anti-inflammatory effects of anti-diabetic agents on COVID-19 in patients with diabetes. Methods and Results Relevant literature was searched on 15 databases up to November 14, 2020 and was updated on April 13, 2021. The pooled ORs along with 95% CIs were calculated to evaluate combined effects. 31 studies with 66,914 patients were included in qualitative and quantitative synthesis. Meta-analysis showed that metformin was associated with a statistically significant lower mortality (pooled OR = 0.62, 95% CI, 0.50–0.76, p = 0.000) and poor composite outcomes (pooled OR = 0.83, 95% CI, 0.71–0.97, p = 0.022) in diabetic patients with COVID-19. Significance of slight lower mortality remained in sulfonylurea/glinides (pooled OR = 0.93, 95% CI, 0.89–0.98, p = 0.004), but of poor composite outcomes was not (pooled OR = 1.48, 95% CI, 0.61–3.60, p = 0.384). Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4 inhibitors) were associated with statistically non-significant lower mortality (pooled OR = 0.95, 95% CI, 0.72–1.26, p = 0.739) or poor composite outcomes (pooled OR = 1.27, 95% CI, 0.91–1.77, p = 0.162) of COVID-19 in diabetic patients. Conclusion Metformin might be beneficial in decreasing mortality and poor composite outcomes in diabetic patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. DPP-4 inhibitors, sulfonylurea/glinides, SGLT-2 inhibitors, and GLP-1RA wouldn't seem to be adverse. There's insufficient evidence to conclude effects of other anti-diabetic agents. Limited by retrospective characteristics, with relative weak capability to verify causality, more prospective studies, especially RCTs are needed. Registration number: PROSPERO-CRD42020221951.

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Introduction: The highly infectious coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has now rapidly spread around the world. This meta-analysis was strictly focused on the influence of smoking history on the severe and critical outcomes on people with COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in eight online databases before 1 February 2021. All studies meeting our selection criteria were included and evaluated. Stata 14.0 software was used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 109 articles involving 517,020 patients were included in this meta-analysis. A statistically significant association was discovered between smoking history and COVID-19 severity, the pooled OR was 1.55 (95%CI: 1.41-1.71). Smoking was significantly associated with the risk of admission to intensive care unit (ICU) (OR=1.73, 95%CI: 1.36-2.19), increased mortality (OR=1.58, 95%CI: 1.38-1.81), and critical diseases composite endpoints (OR=1.61, 95%CI: 1.35-1.93), whereas there was no relationship with mechanical ventilation. The pooled prevalence of smoking using the random effects model (REM) was 15% (95%CI: 14%-16%). Meta-regression analysis showed that age ( P= 0.004), hypertension ( P =0.007), diabetes ( P =0.029), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ( P =0.001) were covariates that affect the association. Conclusions: Smoking was associated with severe or critical outcomes and increased the risk of admission to ICU and mortality in COVID-19 patients, but not associated with mechanical ventilation. This association was more significant for former smokers than in current smokers. Current smokers also had a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 compared with non-smokers. More detailed data, which are representative for more counties, are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

BackgroundAs an irreversible disease, a treatment delay can negatively affect treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ultrasound and MRI have played an important role in assessing disease progression and response to treatment in RA for many years. The present study was designed to compare the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasound grading and MRI in early RA.MethodsIn this retrospective study, 62 early RA patients within 12 months of symptom onset were included. DAS28, rheumatoid factor (RF), CRP, ESR, and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (CCP) of the patients were measured. Bilateral hand joints and wrists were examined by ultrasonography (US) and MRI; diagnosis outcome was compared. Relationship between DAS28 scores, laboratory parameters, and ultrasound findings were analyzed.ResultsUltrasound and MRI had an equivalent diagnosis value in synovitis, joint effusion, and tenosynovitis. The detection rate of synovitis, arthroedema, and tenosynovitis on ultrasound and MRI was very close (P > 0.05). The detection rate of bone erosion was lower in ultrasonography than that in MRI (P < 0.05). There were significant differences between power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS) and gray-scale ultrasonography (GSUS) in the diagnosis of synovitis (χ 2 = 3.92, P < 0.05); the sensitivity of GSUS was better than that of PDUS (P < 0.05). PDUS was positively correlated with DAS28, ESR, CRP, and CCP (P < 0.01), but not correlated with RF and disease duration (P > 0.05). GSUS was positively correlated with RF and CRP (P < 0.01), but not correlated with DAS28, CCP, ESR, and disease duration (P > 0.05). Bone erosion was positively correlated with disease duration, CCP, and RF (P < 0.01) and was not correlated with DAS28, ESR, and CRP (P > 0.05).ConclusionUltrasonography has a high reliability in the diagnosis of early RA in synovitis, joint effusion, tenosynovitis, and bone erosion. Ultrasonography and clinical and laboratory parameters had a great correlativity. Both ultrasound and MRI are effective techniques. In view of the advantages of low cost and convenience, ultrasound may be a better choice during early RA diagnosis.

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