Efficacy of endoscopic treatments for acute esophageal variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients: systematic review and meta-analysis.

 Guidelines recommend use of ligation and vasoactive drugs as first-line therapy and as grade A evidence for acute variceal bleeding (AVB), although Western studies about this issue are lacking.  We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) to evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic treatments for AVB in patients with cirrhosis. Trials that included patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, use of portocaval shunts or esophageal resection, balloon tamponade as first bleeding control measure, or that received placebo or elective treatment in one study arm were excluded.

Prevalence of Psoriatic Arthritis Patients Achieving Minimal Disease Activity in Real-world Studies and Randomized Clinical Trials: Systematic Review with Metaanalysis.

Objective: To estimate the frequency of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) achieving minimal disease activity (MDA) status in real-world studies and randomized controlled trials (RCT).

Methods: A systematic literature search for 2009-2017 was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and LILACS. Study selection and data extraction were performed by 2 independent researchers.

Anticoagulant-related nephropathy: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The aim of this study was to report the prevalence and mortality associated with anticoagulant-related nephropathy (ARN) through a systematic review of the literature.

Methods: Electronic searches were conducted in the Medline and EMBASE databases, and manual searches were performed in the reference lists of the identified studies. The studies were selected by two independent researchers, first by evaluating the titles and abstracts and then by reading the complete texts of the identified studies.

Efficacy of low-level laser for treatment of cancer oral mucositis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Review effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in the curative treatment of oral mucositis (OM) in patients receiving cancer therapy. A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed using Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases according to PRISMA guidelines, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCT) on OM in patients during and/or after cancer therapy and in which the therapeutic approach was LLLT, with wavelengths between 632 and 970 nm. We considered grade of OM as a dichotomous variable (such as an improvement or not in severe OM on the seventh day of therapy), with the analysis of subgroups of adult patients or children and adolescents and as a continuous variable with determination of the time for the complete resolution and the subgroup analysis occurred with the strata of the samples by treatment only with chemotherapy or chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Performance of Cystatin C-Based Equations for Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate in Diabetes Patients: A Prisma-Compliant Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The accuracy of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equations in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients has been extensively questioned. We evaluated the performance of cystatin C-based equations alone or in combination with creatinine to estimate GFR in DM patients. A PRISMA-compliant systematic review was performed in the MEDLINE and Embase databases, with "diabetes mellitus" and "cystatin C" as search terms.

The direct costs of treating human visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil.

Introduction:: The drugs available for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) treatment in Brazil have specific characteristics in terms of operability, effectiveness, toxicity, and cost. The aim of this study was to estimate the direct costs of therapies recommended by the Ministry of Health (MH) for VL treatment in Brazil.

Methods:: The analytical perspective used was that adopted by the Brazilian Public Health System.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of diagnostic tests for human visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil.

Background: The objective of study was to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of diagnostic options for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil.

Methods: Six diagnostic tests were considered: IT LEISH, Kalazar Detect, DAT-LPC (DAT made in the Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas), IFAT, PCR and direct examination of bone marrow aspirate performed in either an ambulatory or a hospital setting. A database was built using the cost and effectiveness.

Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations of Units Dedicated to Acute Coronary Syndromes.

Background: Dedicated units for the care of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have been submitted to economic evaluations; however, the results have not been systematically presented.

Objective: To identify and summarize economic outcomes of studies on hospital units dedicated to the initial care of patients with suspected or confirmed ACS.

Methods: A systematic review of literature to identify economic evaluations of chest pain unit (CPU), coronary care unit (CCU), or equivalent units was done.