Evidence synthesis is the process of systematically gathering, analyzing, and integrating available research evidence. The quality of evidence synthesis depends on the quality of the original studies included. Validity assessment, also known as risk of bias assessment, is an essential method for assessing the quality of these original studies. Currently, there are numerous validity assessment tools available, but some of them lack a rigorous development process and evaluation. The application of inappropriate validity assessment tools to assessing the quality of the original studies during the evidence synthesis process may compromise the accuracy of study conclusions and mislead the clinical practice. To address this dilemma, the LATITUDES Network, a one-stop resource website for validity assessment tools, was established in September 2023, led by academics at the University of Bristol, U.K. This Network is dedicated to collecting, sorting and promoting validity assessment tools to improve the accuracy of original study validity assessments and increase the robustness and reliability of the results of evidence synthesis. This study introduces the background of the establishment of the LATITUDES Network, the included validity assessment tools, and the training resources for the use of validity assessment tools, in order to provide a reference for domestic scholars to learn more about the LATITUDES Network, to better use the appropriate validity assessment tools to conduct study quality assessments, and to provide references for the development of validity assessment tools.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and antiviral antibody therapy in the treatment of COVID-19. MethodsPubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP and SinoMED databases were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine and antiviral antibody therapies for COVID-19 from inception to June 2022. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies; then, network meta-analysis was performed by using Stata 14.0 software. ResultsA total of 44 RCTs were included. The results of network meta-analysis showed that, for mortality rate, the rank of cumulative probability was: TCM+ standard care (SC) (100%)>convalescent plasma (CP)+SC (42%)>SC (8%). In terms of hospital stay time, the rank of cumulative probability was: TCM+SC (95.5%)>SC (31.4%)>CP+SC (23.2%). In terms of time to viral clearance, the rank of cumulative probability was: TCM+SC (97.4%)>SC (37.4%)>CP+SC (15.2%). In the aspect of mechanical ventilation rate, the rank of cumulative probability was: TCM+SC (98.9%)>CP+SC (42.9%)>SC (8.3%). In the aspect of adverse reactions/events, the rank of cumulative probability was: TCM+SC (99.9%)>SC (47.9%)>CP+SC (2.2%). ConclusionThe current evidence shows that TCM combined with SC is the most effective treatment in reducing mortality, shortening hospitalization time and viral negative conversion time, reducing mechanical ventilation rate, and the incidence of adverse reactions/events is low. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high quality studies are needed to verify above conclusion.
ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare the effects of aerobic training, resistance training, and aerobic training combined with resistance training on blood lipid levels for patients with hypertension using network meta-analysis. MethodsWe searched the CNKI, VIP, WanFang Data, PubMed, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, and EMbase databases to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of exercise on blood lipid levels among patients with hypertension from inception to September 16th, 2021. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Stata 15.1 software and RevMan 5.0 software were then used to perform network meta-analysis. ResultsA total of 29 RCTs involving 2 519 patients were included. Compared with the control group, aerobic training (MD=−0.47, 95%CI −0.62 to −0.319, P<0.001), resistance training (MD=−0.37, 95%CI −0.63 to −0.11, P<0.05), and aerobic training combined with resistance training (MD=−0.61, 95%CI 0.88 to −0.34, P=0.005) reduced total cholesterol levels; aerobic training (MD=0.14, 95%CI 0.08 to 0.20, P<0.001), resistance training (MD=0.10, 95%CI 0.02 to 0.19, P<0.05), and aerobic training combined with resistance training (MD=0.12, 95%CI 0.02 to 0.23, P=0.038) increased high-density lipoproteins; aerobic training (MD=−0.32, 95%CI −0.48 to −0.15, P=0.001), resistance training (MD=−0.19, 95%CI −0.48 to −0.01, P<0.05), and aerobic training combined with resistance training (MD=−0.40, 95%CI −0.70 to −0.11, P<0.05) reduced low-density lipoproteins. The SUCRA probability sorting results showed that aerobic training had the most significant effect on the improvement of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure; aerobic exercise combined with resistance training had the largest effect on total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins, and high-density lipoproteins. ConclusionsAerobic training combined with resistance training is the most effective exercise method to improve blood lipid levels for patients with hypertension. Due to the limited quantity and quality of the included studies, the above conclusions are needed to be verified by more high-quality studies.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the effect of different psychological intervention methods on depressive symptoms in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. MethodsPubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP and CBM databases were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials(RCTs) on psychological interventions on depression of patients with inflammatory bowel disease from inception to January 12, 2023. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Network meta-analysis was then conducted by using software Stata and GeMTC. ResultsA total of 18 articles, 1 567 patients and 6 psychological intervention methods were included. The results of the network meta-analysis showed that, compared with conventional nursing, music therapy, mindfulness therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy had statistically significant differences in the intervention effect of depression in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (P<0.05); Among the six psychological intervention methods included, there was a statistically significant difference in relaxation therapy compared with music therapy, writing expression and mindfulness therapy (P<0.05); The difference between cognitive behavioral therapy and music therapy and mindfulness therapy was statistically significant (P<0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference in other interventions (P>0.05). The SUCRA ranking probability chart showed that music therapy was the best intervention method for depression in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, followed by mindfulness therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. ConclusionThe current evidence suggests that music therapy has an advantage in relieving depression in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, followed by mindfulness therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy. Due to the limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high-quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.
Network meta-analysis may be performed by fitting multivariate meta-analysis models with Stata software mvmeta command; however, there are various challenges such as preprocessing the data, parameterising the model, and making good graphical displays of results. A suite of Stata programs, network, may meet these challenges. In this article, we introduce how to use the network commands to implement network meta-analysis by the example of continuous data.
Objective To systematically review the efficacy of eight time-restricted eating strategies on overweight/obese adults using network meta-analysis. MethodsThe Scopus, MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the intervention effects of eight time-restricted eating strategies on overweight/obese adults from inception to September 18, 2024. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Network meta-analysis was performed using ADDIS 1.16.8 and Stata 18.0 software. ResultsA total of 23 RCTs involving 1 306 overweight/obese adults were included. The network meta-analysis revealed that compared with standard diets, the 8-hour time-restricted eating combined with a low-carbohydrate diet (MD=−4.01, 95%CI −5.95 to −2.08, P<0.05) showed better weight reduction effects. Compared with standard diets, the 8-hour time-restricted eating combined with a low-carbohydrate diet (MD=−3.54, 95%CI −5.44 to −1.63, P<0.05) and the 8-hour time-restricted eating combined with a low-sugar diet (MD=−4.19, 95%CI −8.33 to −0.05, P<0.05) significantly improved overall fat mass. Compared with standard diets, the 8-hour time-restricted eating combined with a low-sugar diet (MD=−15.42, 95%CI −29.12 to −1.72, P<0.05) had a better effect on fasting blood glucose control. The 8-hour time-restricted eating combined with high-intensity interval training (MD=−3.68, 95%CI −6.57 to −0.79, P<0.05) showed better results in reducing waist circumference. No statistical significance was found in direct comparisons regarding bone mineral content. The efficacy ranking showed that the 8-hour time-restricted eating combined with a low-carbohydrate diet was most effective for weight reduction; the 8-hour time-restricted eating combined with a low-sugar diet was more effective in reducing overall fat mass and controlling fasting blood glucose; the 8-hour time-restricted eating combined with calorie restriction had significant effects on waist circumference improvement; and the 8-hour time-restricted eating combined with high-intensity interval training was more effective for increasing bone mineral content. ConclusionBased on the results of the network meta-analysis and ranking, different time-restricted eating strategies have specific advantages for the intervention of overweight or obese individuals. The choice of the appropriate strategy should consider individual dietary habits and health conditions. Due to the limited quantity and quality of the included studies, more high-quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the diagnostic performance of different screening tools for sarcopenia in the community for the elderly with sarcopenia, and to provide evidence-based support for the accurate screening of elderly patients with sarcopenia. MethodsThe PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, VIP, CBM, and WanFang Data databases were searched by computer, and the relevant research on the diagnosis of sarcopenia in the elderly by publicly published risk screening tools was found. The retrieval time was from inception to June 2023. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated the quality of the included studies, and then data analysis was performed by using Stata 15.1 and Meta Disc 1.4 software. ResultsA total of 24 studies were included, including 10 961 patients, involving 8 risk screening tools for sarcopenia in the elderly: leg circumference, MSRA-5, MSRA-7, upper arm circumference, ring test, Ishii score, SARC-CalF and SARC-F. Meta-analysis showed that the combined sensitivities of eight screening tools were 0.84 (95% CI 0.61 to 1.15), 0.82 (95% CI 0.48 to 1.38), 0.80 (95% CI 0.47 to 1.36) and 0.72 (95%CI 0.33 to 1.55), 0.67 (95%CI 0.37 to 1.21), 0.63 (95%CI 0.33 to 1.19), 0.49 (95%CI 0.38 to 0.63), 0.24 (95%CI 0.18 to 0.30), and the combined specificities were 0.39 (95%CI 0.18 to 0.82)、0.52 (95%CI 0.29 to 0.93)、0.54 (95%CI 0.29 to 1.03)、0.62 (95%CI 0.49 to 0.79)、0.63 (95%CI 0.50 to 0.78).The results of reticular meta-analysis showed that the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) of the eight screening tools ranked from high to low according to the cumulative sensitivity: calf circumference (67.4%) > MSRA-5 (65.3%) > MSRA-7 (64.1%) > upper arm circumference (54.5%) > ring test (46.5%) > Ishii score. The values of specificity SUCRA from highest to lowest were as follows: SARC-F (72.2%) > SARC-CALF (71.3%) > Ishii score (60.2%) > ring test (57.1%) > upper arm circumference (40.1%) > lower leg circumference (36.2%) > MSRA-5. ConclusionThe simple screening tool for common sarcopenia has high sensitivity and high specificity, so medical staff can give priority to the combination of the two screening tools, namely SARC-CalF. Due to the limited quantity and quality of the included studies, more high-quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.
ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the value of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) in predicting the occurrence of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), and to compare it with traditional Logistic regression models to assess its predictive efficacy, providing theoretical basis for the prediction of VTE risk in OSA patients. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on patients diagnosed with OSA and hospitalized in the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, from January 2018 to August 2023. Patients were divided into OSA combined with VTE group (n=128) and pure OSA control group (n=680). The dataset was randomly divided into a training set (n=646) and an independent validation set (n=162). The Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) was employed to address the issue of data imbalance. Artificial Neural Networks and Logistic regression models were then built on training sets with and without SMOTE. Finally, the performance of each model was evaluated using accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, Youden's index, and Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC). Results When oversampling was conducted using SMOTE on the training set, both the Artificial Neural Network and Logistic regression models showed improved AUC. The Artificial Neural Network model with SMOTE performed the best with an AUC value of 0.935 (95%CI: 0.898–0.961), achieving an accuracy of 90.15%, specificity of 87.32%, sensitivity of 93.44%, and Youden’s index of 0.808 at the optimal cutoff point. The Logistic regression model with SMOTE yielded an AUC value of 0.817 (95%CI: 0.765–0.861), with an accuracy of 77.27%, specificity of 83.80%, sensitivity of 69.67%, and Youden's index of 0.535. The difference in AUC between the Artificial Neural Network model and Logistic regression model was statistically significant after employing SMOTE (P<0.05). Conclusions The Artificial Neural Network model demonstrates high effectiveness in predicting VTE formation in OSA patients, particularly with the further improvement in predictive performance when utilizing SMOTE oversampling technique, rendering it more accurate and stable compared to the traditional Logistic regression model.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy of Chinese medicine injection (CMI) for treating heart failure (HF).MethodsCNKI, WanFang Data, VIP, The Cochrane Library, PubMed, and EMbase databases were electronically searched from inception to January 2021 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on CMI for treating HF. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and evaluated the risk of bias of included studies. Network meta-analysis was then performed by RevMan 5.2 software and Stata 16.0 software.ResultsA total of 47 studies were included involving 4 902 patients and 5 types of CMIs, including Shenmai, Shenfu, Yiqi Fumai (lyophilized), Shengmai, and Danhong injections. The results of network meta-analysis showed that the efficacy of combined CMIs was superior to conventional Western medicine alone. For the main efficacy, Shenmai, Shengmai, and Shenfu injections had significant advantages in improving the total clinical effectiveness. Shengmai, Shenmai, and Yiqi Fumai (lyophilized) injections were significantly more effective for reducing NT pro-BNP levels than other injections. Shenfu and Shengmai injections were significantly more effective for reducing BNP levels than other injections. Shenmai, Danhong and Shengmai injections were significantly more effective for improving the left ventricular ejection fraction than the other injections. These CMIs showed similar advantages for secondary efficacy indicators as for main efficacy indicators.ConclusionsThe combined 5 types of CMIs for treating HF can improve the clinical efficacy when compared with conventional Western medicine treatment. Shenmai injection, Yiqi Fumai injection (lyophilized), and Shengmai injection, which is part of Sheng Mai San, have clear advantages in terms of the overall curative effect or on individual indices.
SAS Software is a powerful and internationally-recognized programming statistical software, which can implement all kinds of meta-analysis, including network meta-analysis. Bayesian statistics is an important statistical method, which uses MCMC (Markov Chain Monte Carlo) arithmetic to conduct various statistical inference. With this idea, we implement network meta-analysis thorough PROC MCMC process and introduce this process in this article based on an example.