Objective Due to limited efficacy of medications, non-pharmacological interventions (NPI) are frequently co-administered to people with moderate to severe dementia (PWMSD). This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effects of NPI on activities of daily living (ADL), behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), and cognition and quality of life (QoL) of PWMSD. Methods A literature search was conducted in the following databases: Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, Medline, CIHNAL, PsycINFO, KoreaMED, KMbase, and KISS. We conducted a meta-analysis on randomized controlled trials and used the generic inverse variance method with a fixed-effects model to calculate the standardized mean difference (SMD). The protocol had been registered (CRD42017058020). Results Ten randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria of the current meta-analysis. NPI were effective in improving ADL [SMD=0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.11–0.45] and reducing depression (SMD=-0.44, 95% CI=-0.70– -0.19). However, NPI were not effective in reducing agitation, anxiety, or overall, or improving cognitive function. In a subgroup analysis, music therapy was effective in reducing overall BPSD (SMD=-0.52, 95% CI=-0.90– -0.13). Conclusion Albeit the number of studies was limited, NPI improved ADL and depression in PWMSD.

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BackgroundThe efficacy of two artificial tears, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and hyaluronate (HA), was compared in the treatment of patients with dry eye disease.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized controlled trials in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. The efficacy was compared in terms of the mean change from baseline in tear break-up time. The meta-analysis was conducted using both random and fixed effect models. The quality of the selected studies was assessed for risk of bias.ResultsFive studies were included involving 251 participants. Random effect model meta-analysis showed no significant difference between CMC and HA in treating dry eye disease (pooled standardized mean difference [SMD]=-0.452; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.911 to 0.007; P=0.053). In contrast, fixed effect model meta-analysis revealed significant improvements in the CMC group when compared to the HA group (pooled SMD=-0.334; 95% CI, -0.588 to -0.081; P=0.010).ConclusionThe efficacy of CMC appeared to be better than that of HA in treating dry eye disease, although meta-analysis results were not statistically significant. Further research is needed to better elucidate the difference in efficacy between CMC and HA in treating dry eye disease.

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Introduction: This study aimed to observe changes in working posture by measuring the REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) score of dental hygiene students according to digital sound feedback linked with a smartphone application.Methods: This study was conducted on 28 fourth-year dental hygiene students who received theoretical and practical training on dental posture in the second year and then practised on mannequins and patients for about four semesters. Periodontal instrumentation was performed freely by applying digital sound notification feedback for four weeks after baseline, 30 minutes per week. REBA was measured after performing periodic structure construction without providing digital sound notification feedback for the last 1-2 minutes. Follow-up was conducted the same way 2-3 weeks after the intervention period. Results:The REBA score for total, neck and trunk of all subjects showed statistically significant decreases post-intervention compared with the baseline scores (total p < .001, neck p < .001 and trunk p = .042). Conclusions:A digital sound feedback system was shown to be effective in encouraging correct working posture in dental hygiene students by helping them improve their REBA scores.