BACKGROUND Liver fibrosis leads to liver-related events in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection. Although non-invasive tests (NITs) are critical to early detection of the development of liver fibrosis, the prognostic role of NITs remains unclear due to the limited types of NITs and liver outcomes explored in previous studies. AIM To determine the prognostic value of NITs for risk stratification in CHC patients. METHODS The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews; no. CRD42019128176). The systematic review was performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Search was performed using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases under a timeframe from the inception of the databases through February 25, 2020. We restricted our search to CHC cohort studies reporting an association between liver fibrosis assessed by NITs and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, decompensation, or mortality. Pooled hazard ratios (HR) and area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) for each NIT were estimated using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed for NITs assessed at pre-treatment or post-treatment with sustained virologic response (SVR), treatment with either pegylated interferon and ribavirin or direct acting antiviral, Eastern or Western countries, and different cutoff points. RESULTS The present meta - analysis included 29 cohort studies, enrolling 69339 CHC patients. Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio (APRI) score, and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were found to have hepatocellular carcinoma predictive potential with pooled adjusted HRs of 2.48 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.91-3.23, I 2 = 96%], 4.24 (95%CI: 2.15-8.38, I 2 = 20%) and 7.90 (95%CI: 3.98-15.68, I 2 = 52%) and AUROCs of 0.81 (95%CI: 0.73-0.89, I 2 = 77%), 0.81 (95%CI: 0.75-0.87, I 2 = 68%), and 0.79 (95%CI: 0.63-0.96, I 2 = 90%), respectively. Pooled adjusted HR with a pre-treatment FIB-4 cutoff of 3.25 was 3.22 (95%CI: 2.32-4.47, I 2 = 80%). Pooled adjusted HRs for post-treatment with SVR FIB-4, APRI, and LSM were 3.01 (95%CI: 0.32-28.61, I 2 = 89%), 9.88 (95%CI: 2.21-44.17, I 2 = 24%), and 6.33 (95%CI: 2.57-15.59, I 2 = 17%), respectively. Pooled adjusted HRs for LSM in patients with SVR following direct acting antiviral therapy was 5.55 (95%CI: 1.47-21.02, I 2 = 36%). Pooled AUROCs for po...
BackgroundPatients with psoriasis are more likely than matched controls in the general population to have advanced liver fibrosis; however, our understanding of these patients is limited. There is currently no systematic evaluation of the prevalence and risk factors of liver fibrosis in psoriasis patients.ObjectiveTo evaluate the prevalence of psoriasis patients who are at high or low risk for advanced liver fibrosis and determine the risk factors for developing liver fibrosis.MethodsElectronic searches were conducted using the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases from the dates of their inception till May 2022, using the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases. Any observational study describing the prevalence and/or risk factors for liver fibrosis in patients with psoriasis was included.ResultsPatients with psoriasis at high risk for advanced liver fibrosis had a pooled prevalence of 9.66% [95% confidence interval (CI): 6.92–12.75%, I2 = 76.34%], whereas patients at low risk for advanced liver fibrosis had a pooled prevalence of 77.79% (95% CI: 73.23–82.05%, I2 = 85.72%). Studies that recruited methotrexate (MTX)-naïve patients found a lower prevalence of advanced liver fibrosis (4.44, 95% CI: 1.17–9.22%, I2 = 59.34%) than those that recruited MTX-user cohorts (12.25, 95% CI: 6.02–20.08%, I2 = 82.34%). Age, sex, BMI, PASI score, psoriasis duration, MTX cumulative dose, and the prevalence of obesity, MTX users, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome were not identified as sources of heterogeneity by meta-regression analysis. The pooled odds ratios for age >50 years, BMI > 30, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome were 2.20 (95% CI: 1.42–3.40, I2 = 0%), 3.67 (95% CI: 2.37–5.68, I2 = 48.8%), 6.23 (95% CI: 4.39–8.84, I2 = 42.4%), 2.82 (95% CI: 1.68–4.74, I2 = 0%), 3.08 (95% CI: 1.90–4.98, I2 = 0%), and 5.98 (95% CI: 3.63–9.83, I2 = 17%), respectively.ConclusionApproximately 10% of the population with psoriasis is at high risk for advanced liver fibrosis, while 78% are at low risk. Patients over the age of 50 with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and/or metabolic syndrome have an increased risk of developing liver fibrosis, necessitating monitoring.Systematic review registration[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022303886], identifier [CRD42022303886].
BackgroundImmune-mediated alopecias (IMAs), a group of hair disorders associated with immunological reactions, remain a therapeutic challenge since available treatments are generally unfavorable with potential side effects. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been recently proposed as a treatment option based on several limited-quality studies; however, there is no systematic evaluation of PRP efficacy on IMAs in the literature.ObjectiveTo assess PRP’s effects in treating IMAs using a systematic review.MethodsElectronic searches were conducted using PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases. A search strategy was designed to retrieve all studies exploring PRP in treating IMAs, including alopecia areata (AA) and primary cicatricial alopecias (PCAs). In addition, all randomized and non-randomized studies reporting subjective and/or objective outcomes of alopecia treatment with PRP were included.ResultsThirty-two studies were included, comprising 621 patients with AA and 19 patients with PCAs. PRP had superior efficacy as monotherapy in five studies, comparable to intralesional corticosteroids in six studies in AA treatment. In addition, in the analysis of PCAs, including lymphocytic and neutrophilic subtypes, PRP was efficacious in alleviating disease progression in nine studies.ConclusionPRP is considered a promising treatment for AA and PCAs in patients who experienced unfavorable outcomes from conventional treatment. However, its clinical application remains to be standardized, and its recommendation as a treatment for IMAs could not be ascertained due to a lack of high-quality evidence.Systematic review registration[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=353859], identifier [CRD42022353859].
BACKGROUND Although surgery is the treatment of choice for Bowen disease (BD) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), nonsurgical treatments such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) may be preferred for select tumors. Previous meta-analysis have failed to gather strong evidence to recommend PDT. OBJECTIVE This study evaluates the effectiveness of PDT in the treatment of cSCC and BD for clearance rate (CR) after 1 year. METHODS A literature search of studies of biopsy-proven BD and cSCC treated with PDT was performed. Pooled CRs were estimated. Subgroup analyses were performed based on follow-up, treatment regimen, lesion size, and site. RESULTS Forty-three studies were included, enrolling 1943 BD lesions and 282 SCC lesions. Pooled CRs for BD and SCC were 76% (95% CI: 71%–80%; I2 = 78.9%) and 51% (95% CI: 35%–66%; I2 = 85.7%), respectively. CONCLUSION Our findings support the selective use of PDT for BD; however, patients should be advised of potential for recurrence. Although PDT can be used for certain cases of cSCC, the high rate of treatment failure necessitates close surveillance for residual or recurrent disease. Further studies are needed to justify the usage of PDT in the treatment of BD and cSCC.
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