A collaborative study to establish the second national standard for antithrombin concentrate in Korea.

This study aimed to establish a second national standard for antithrombin (AT) concentrate that can be used for potency assays of AT products. A collaborative study was conducted involving four laboratories, including national control laboratories and manufacturers in Korea, and the suitability of a candidate material to serve as the second national standard for AT concentrate was evaluated. The candidate material was manufactured using a process approved for Good Manufacturing Practices.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between long working hours and hypertension risk.

Background: Hypertension, a major public health problem worldwide, has been linked to lifestyle factors and work conditions, with conflicting evidence on the association between long work hours and risk of hypertension.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies to investigate the relationship between working hours and hypertension or blood pressure, assessed the risk of bias and performed subgroup analyses. The protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews.

Report for the Eighth Asian National Control Laboratory Network meeting in 2023: Self-sufficiency strategy of plasma-derived medicinal products and regulatory harmonisation.

The Eighth Asian National Control Laboratory (NCL) Network meeting, entitled "Biological Products Quality Control and Self-Sufficiency Strategy focusing on plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs)" was held in Seoul on 31 August 2023. The participants were NCL experts from Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the Republic of Korea. Special lectures included the PDMPs self-sufficiency strategies of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Indonesian Food and Drug Authority, and a case study on Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) assessment for vaccines by the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

Comparative Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Behavioral Therapy in Obesity: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

We aimed to evaluate the effects of obesity treatment with behavioral therapy (BT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions compared with multiple comparators and find effective techniques or combinations of techniques in BT and CBT interventions for weight loss. We systematically searched electronic databases and selected randomized controlled trials using CBT or BT intervention for obesity treatment in overweight adults or adults with obesity without psychological symptoms. Both pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were performed to comprehensively evaluate the comparative effects between interventions.

Report on the seventh meeting of national control laboratories for vaccines and biologicals of the WHO Western Pacific and South-East Asia member states.

The Biregional Network of National Control Laboratories (NCLs) of the WHO Western Pacific and South-East Asia Regions has been meeting annually since 2018 to enhance NCLs' voluntary participation capacity. Its seventh meeting was hosted by the Korea National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation (NIFDS) of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), in conjunction with the Global Bio Conference, in Seoul on September 6, 2022. Over 60 participants from seven countries, (India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam) attended the meeting on-site and online.

A collaborative study to establish the second national standard for hepatitis B immunoglobulin in Korea.

This study aimed to establish a second national standard for hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) that can be used for potency assays of hepatitis B and normal immunoglobulin. The candidate material was manufactured using a process approved as Good Manufacturing Practice. The freeze-dried candidate preparation was tested for physicochemical and biological properties, including pH, residual moisture, molecular size distribution, and potency.

Evaluation of the Reporting Standard Guidelines of Network Meta-Analyses in Physical Therapy: A Systematic Review.

The concept of network meta-analyses (NMA) has been introduced to the field of physical therapy. However, the reporting standard guidelines of these studies have not been evaluated. In this systematic review, we included all published NMA physical therapy studies that compared the clinical efficacy of three or more interventions to evaluate whether NMAs in physical therapy exhibit adequate reporting recommendations.

Comparison of the clinical effectiveness of treatments for aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia in breast cancer patients: A systematic review with network meta-analysis.

Aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia (AIA) contributes to poor adherence of aromatase inhibitor therapies in patients with breast cancer. A systematic review using network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted to examine the clinical effectiveness of multiple therapies and rank probabilities for the management of AIA. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing treatments for AIA in postmenopausal women with stage 0-III hormone receptor-positive breast cancer were searched from inception to October 2021.

Comparative effectiveness of a low-calorie diet combined with acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, meal replacements, or exercise for obesity over different intervention periods: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of a low-calorie diet (LCD) combined with acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), meal replacements (MR), and exercise on weight loss.

Methods: The electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CNKI, RISS, and KISS were searched systematically. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that directly compared the effect of a low-calorie diet (LCD)-combined acupuncture, CBT, and exercise and an MR-based diet on weight loss with LCD-alone for adults with simple obesity (body mass index [BMI] > 25) published before August 2021 were included in the study.

Efficacy and feasibility of surgery and external radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal invasion: A meta-analysis.

Background: External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and surgery are local treatment modalities for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein thrombosis (PVT). This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of these treatment modalities.

Methods: PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched until April 2021.

Radiotherapy for bone metastases of hepatocellular carcinoma: a hybrid systematic review with meta-analyses.

Introduction: External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is commonly used as a palliative treatment for bone metastases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We planned a hybrid systematic review that meta-analyzed the efficacy and feasibility of EBRT and reviewed the literature to answer specific clinical questions.

Methods: The PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched through 1 December 2021.

Benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy for gallbladder cancer: a comparability-based meta-analysis.

Background And Purpose: The benefits of adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) in gallbladder cancer (GBC) treatment remain inconclusive owing to the rarity of GBC and lack of randomized studies.

Methods: PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched until March 2021. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS).

A Methodological Quality Evaluation of Meta-Analyses on Nursing Home Research: Overview and Suggestions for Future Directions.

(1) Background: The nursing home (NH) research field lacks quality reporting about meta-analyses (MAs), and most gradings of MA evidence are biased on analyzing the effectiveness of independent variables in randomized control trials. (2) Objectives: This study aimed to perform a critical methodological review of MAs in the NH research field. (3) Methods: We searched the articles from four databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) until 15th January 2021.

Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Quality Assessment-Based Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: The benefits of adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma are uncertain largely because existing publications lack clear comparisons between ART and non-ART arms.

Methods: PubMed, Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane library were systematically searched until December 2020. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS).

Salvage External Beam Radiotherapy after Incomplete Transarterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

: Although transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been the commonest local modality for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), incomplete repsonse occurs especially for tumors with a large size or difficult tumor accessment. The present meta-analysis assessed the efficacy and feasibility of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) as a salvage modality after incomplete TACE. : We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane databases.

A Reporting Quality Assessment of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses in Sports Physical Therapy: A Review of Reviews.

This review of reviews aimed to evaluate the reporting quality of published systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the field of sports physical therapy using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. This review of reviews included a literature search; in total, 2047 studies published between January 2015 and December 2020 in the top three journals related to sports physical therapy were screened. Among the 125 identified articles, 47 studies on sports physical therapy were included in the analysis (2 systematic reviews and 45 meta-analyses).

Addendum to the Acknowledgments: Stepwise-Hierarchical Pooled Analysis for Synergistic Interpretation of Meta-analyses Involving Randomized and Observational Studies: Methodology Development.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/29642.].

The Beneficial Effects of Eccentric Exercise in the Management of Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

As a first-line treatment for lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET), eccentric exercise has been suggested as a conservative treatment method. This study aimed to investigate the impact of eccentric exercise on LET with regard to pain reduction, and strength and functional improvement. The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched, and studies up to May 2021 were included if (1) randomization was used for patient allocation, (2) the study comprised patients with LET, (3) the intervention was eccentric exercise, and (4) the primary outcomes included improvement in pain intensity, muscle strength, or function.

Critical evaluation of reporting quality of network meta-analyses assessing the effectiveness of acupuncture.

Background: and purpose: Network meta-analyses (NMAs) comparing the effectiveness of multiple acupuncture have been published but the key concepts underlying NMAs have not been properly reported. This critical evaluation aims to assess the completeness of reporting for NMAs of acupuncture to enhance the validity of findings.

Materials And Methods: Five databases were searched.

Stepwise-Hierarchical Pooled Analysis for Synergistic Interpretation of Meta-analyses Involving Randomized and Observational Studies: Methodology Development.

Background: The necessity of including observational studies in meta-analyses has been discussed in the literature, but a synergistic analysis method for combining randomized and observational studies has not been reported. Observational studies differ in validity depending on the degree of the confounders' influence. Combining interpretations may be challenging, especially if the statistical directions are similar but the magnitude of the pooled results are different between randomized and observational studies (the "gray zone").

Is the Concurrent Use of Sorafenib and External Radiotherapy Feasible for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma? A Meta-Analysis.

We evaluate the feasibility of a concurrent application of sorafenib and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane Library were searched up to 9 April 2021. The primary endpoint was grade ≥3 complications, and the secondary endpoint was overall survival (OS).

The Effect of Meal Replacement on Weight Loss According to Calorie-Restriction Type and Proportion of Energy Intake: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Portion control is a useful component of weight reduction interventions and meal replacement (MR) plans represent a promising strategy for portion control. Research performed with pooled data on the effect of MR plans according to various characteristics of MR interventions remains scarce.

Objective: Our aim was to assess the effects of MR-based diets compared with food-based diets on weight loss, according to calorie-restriction types and energy intake proportions from MR.

Updating Perspectives on Meta-Analyses in the Field of Radiation Oncology.

Meta-analyses have been conventionally performed to extract the firmest conclusions from randomized controlled trials while minimizing the risk of bias. However, the field of oncology does not always allow for collecting the best evidence. Radiation oncology is a discipline where intractable or rare diseases are commonly encountered; hence, more practical data suitable for detailed clinical evaluations are needed.

Benefits of local consolidative treatment in oligometastases of solid cancers: a stepwise-hierarchical pooled analysis and systematic review.

We conducted a meta-analysis of articles published in PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane library to investigate the effectiveness of local consolidative therapy (LCT) against oligometastases. Data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), balanced studies, and all studies combined were analyzed in a hierarchical manner. Pooled analyses of 31 studies (including seven randomized trials) investigating the effectiveness of LCT on overall survival revealed odds ratios of 3.

Surgery versus external beam radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma involving the inferior vena cava or right atrium: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

We investigated the efficacy and safety of surgery and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involving the inferior vena cava (IVC) and/or right atrium (RA) through a comparative meta-analysis. A systematic search of PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library was performed for entries until July 2020. Eighteen studies with 22 cohorts were included, encompassing 755 patients.