B vitamins and berries and age-related neurodegenerative disorders.

Objectives: To assess the effects, associations, mechanisms of action, and safety of B vitamins and, separately, berries and their constituents on age-related neurocognitive disorders-primarily Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD).

Data Sources: MEDLINE and CAB Abstracts. Additional studies were identified from reference lists and technical experts.

Meta-analysis: the effect of dietary counseling for weight loss.

Background: Dietary and lifestyle modification efforts are the primary treatments for people who are obese or overweight. The effect of dietary counseling on long-term weight change is unclear.

Purpose: To perform a meta-analysis of the effect of dietary counseling compared with usual care on body mass index (BMI) over time in adults.

Insulin therapy and acute kidney injury in critically ill patients a systematic review.

Background: Intensive insulin therapy has been found to reduce mortality in some critically ill patients. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to ascertain the effect of intensive insulin therapy on the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in adult critically ill patients.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, SCOPUS and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for studies that compared 'conventional' vs 'intensive' insulin therapy in critically ill patients.

Heterogeneity and lack of good quality studies limit association between folate, vitamins B-6 and B-12, and cognitive function.

We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the association between folate, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and cognitive function in the elderly. Our search was conducted in Medline for English-language publications of human subjects from 1966 through November 2006; we supplemented these results with information from article reviews and domain experts. We included longitudinal cohort and case-control studies of B vitamins and analyses of cognitive tests or Alzheimer's disease.

A collaborative effort to apply the evidence-based review process to the field of nutrition: challenges, benefits, and lessons learned.

Evidence-based systematic reviews evaluating dietary intake and nutritional interventions are becoming common but are relatively few compared with other applications. Concerns remain that systematic reviews of nutrition topics pose several unique challenges. We present a successful collaboration to systematically review the health effects of a common nutrient, n-3 (or omega-3) fatty acids, across a wide range of clinical conditions.

Effect of chromium supplementation on glucose metabolism and lipids: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: A systematic review of the effect of chromium supplementation on glucose metabolism and lipid levels.

Research Design And Methods: A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE and the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau. Eligible studies were English language randomized controlled trials of chromium supplement intake > or = 3 weeks, with > or = 10 participants receiving chromium.

Vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid supplementation and cognitive function: a systematic review of randomized trials.

Background: Despite their important role in cognitive function, the value of B vitamin supplementation is unknown. A systematic review of the effect of pyridoxine hydrochloride (hereinafter "vitamin B(6)"), cyanocobalamin or hydroxycobalamin (hereinafter "vitamin B(12)"), and folic acid supplementation on cognitive function was performed.

Methods: Literature search conducted in MEDLINE with supplemental articles from reviews and domain experts.

Effectiveness of management strategies for renal artery stenosis: a systematic review.

Background: Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis is increasingly common in an aging population. Therapeutic options include medical treatment only or revascularization procedures.

Purpose: To compare the effects of medical treatment and revascularization on clinically important outcomes in adults with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis.

A systematic review of the effect of the Excebrane dialyser on biomarkers of lipid peroxidation.

Background: Oxidative stress is prevalent in dialysis patients and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and anaemia. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effect of Excebrane, a vitamin E-coated cellulose-based dialyser, on circulating biomarkers of lipid peroxidation, as surrogate markers of oxidative stress.

Methods: The primary sources used to identify candidate studies included PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, a bibliography provided by the dialyser manufacturer, and a manual search of abstracts from proceedings of scientific meetings and review articles.

n-3 Fatty acids from fish or fish-oil supplements, but not alpha-linolenic acid, benefit cardiovascular disease outcomes in primary- and secondary-prevention studies: a systematic review.

Studies on the relation between dietary n-3 fatty acids (FAs) and cardiovascular disease vary in quality, and the results are inconsistent. A systematic review of the literature on the effects of n-3 FAs (consumed as fish or fish oils rich in eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid or as alpha-linolenic acid) on cardiovascular disease outcomes and adverse events was conducted. Studies from MEDLINE and other sources that were of > or =1 y in duration and that reported estimates of fish or n-3 FA intakes and cardiovascular disease outcomes were included.

Gender differences in plasma lipid response to dietary fat.

The relationship between type of dietary fat, cardiovascular disease risk, and lipid/lipoprotein profiles has been studied since the early 1900s. For the most part, observational data from international comparisons, migration studies, and prospective studies have identified a positive relationship between saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, although in the latter case these observations were attenuated and in some cases became non-significant after adjusting for other dietary factors. Data from large-scale primary and secondary intervention studies support a positive relationship between CHD and SFA.

Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on serum markers of cardiovascular disease risk: a systematic review.

Greater fish oil consumption has been associated with reduced CVD risk, although the mechanisms are unclear. Plant-source oil omega-3 fatty acids (ALA) have also been studied regarding their cardiovascular effect. We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of consumption of fish oil and ALA on commonly measured serum CVD risk factors, performing meta-analyses when appropriate.

Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on coronary restenosis, intima-media thickness, and exercise tolerance: a systematic review.

Greater omega-3 fatty acid consumption is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk. Though the mechanisms of their effect are unclear, they may involve lesion formation and heart function. We conducted a systematic review of the clinical literature on the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on measures of vascular structure and function.

Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament: meta-analysis of patellar tendon versus hamstring tendon autograft.

Purpose: No graft tissue has consistently shown superiority over others for reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) and doubled hamstring tendon (semitendinosus and gracilis) (HT) are the most commonly used autologous grafts. We performed a meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness of ACL reconstruction using either BPTB or HT grafts.

Setting up a store-and-forward telemedicine service for acute trauma in a hospital trust.

Telemedicine is a valuable, but as yet underused, resource for the delivery of health-care to patients. This paper describes the development of a new store-and-forward telemedicine service at the Queen Victoria Hospital, which is a tertiary referral centre for plastic surgery in the United Kingdom. The practical requirements of such a system, and the technical and legal difficulties experienced during the initial stages, are also discussed.