Renal response status to predict long-term renal survival in patients with lupus nephritis: results from the Toronto Lupus Cohort.

Objective: To evaluate modified versions of the Belimumab International Study in Lupus Nephritis (BLISS-LN) belimumab study primary efficacy renal response (mPERR) and complete renal response (mCRR) criteria (excluding mandatory corticosteroid tapering) as predictors of real-world, long-term renal outcomes among patients with lupus nephritis (LN).

Methods: This retrospective, observational study (GSK Study 212866) used deidentified data between 1970 and 2015 from the University of Toronto Lupus Cohort from adults diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus and biopsy-proven Class III±V, IV±V or V LN. At 24 months postbiopsy, patients were retrospectively indexed as responders/non-responders based on mPERR (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤20% below biopsy value/≥60 mL/min/1.

Cost-effectiveness of blinatumomab for the treatment of B‑precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia pediatric patients with high‑risk first‑relapse in Mexico.

Background: Blinatumomab is a CD3/CD19-directed bispecific T-cell engager molecule that engages T cells to lyse CD19-expressing B cells. Based on a multicenter, open-label, phase 3, randomized clinical trial (Clinical Trials ID: NCT02393859), we aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness (CE) of blinatumomab compared to standard consolidation chemotherapy (SC) for the treatment of pediatric patients with high-risk first-relapsed Philadelphia chromosome-negative B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) from a Mexico healthcare payer perspective.

Methods: A decision-analytic model, a partitioned survival model, was used to estimate the life-years (LYs) and costs over a lifetime horizon.

Serum S100A8/A9 and MMP-9 levels are elevated in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with cognitive impairment.

Objective: Cognitive impairment (CI) is one of the most common manifestations of Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (NPSLE). Despite its frequency, we have a limited understanding of the underlying immune mechanisms, resulting in a lack of pathways to target. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating differences in serum analyte levels in SLE patients based on their cognitive performance, independently from the attribution to SLE, and exploring the potential for various serum analytes to differentiate between SLE patients with and without CI.

Conduct and reporting of multivariate network meta-analyses: a scoping review.

Objectives: Combining multivariate and network meta-analysis methods simultaneously in a multivariate network meta-analysis (MVNMA) provides the methodological framework to analyze the largest amount of evidence relevant to decision-makers (i.e., from indirect evidence and correlated outcomes).

Extending the age criteria of lung transplant donors to 70+ years old does not significantly affect recipient survival.

Objectives: To determine the impact of older donor age (70+ years) on long-term survival and freedom from chronic lung allograft dysfunction in lung transplant (LTx) recipients.

Methods: A retrospective single-center study was performed on all LTx recipients from 2002 to 2017 and a modern subgroup from 2013 to 2017. Recipients were stratified into 4 groups based on donor lung age (<18, 18-55, 56-69, ≥70 years).

Corticosteroids for managing acute pain subsequent to surgical extraction of mandibular third molars: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Corticosteroids are used to manage pain after surgical tooth extractions. The authors assessed the effect of corticosteroids on acute postoperative pain in patients undergoing surgical tooth extractions of mandibular third molars.

Types Of Studies Reviewed: The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Impact of Allocation Concealment and Blinding in Trials Addressing Treatments for COVID-19: A Methods Study.

We aimed to assess the impact of allocation concealment and blinding on the results of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) trials, using the World Health Organization COVID-19 database (to February 2022). We identified 488 randomized trials comparing drug therapeutics with placebo or standard care in patients with COVID-19. We performed random-effects meta-regressions comparing the results of trials with and without allocation concealment and blinding of health-care providers and patients.

Injectable and topical local anesthetics for acute dental pain: 2 systematic reviews.

Background: Local anesthesia is essential for pain control in dentistry. The authors assessed the comparative effect of local anesthetics on acute dental pain after tooth extraction and in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.

Types Of Studies Reviewed: The authors searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the US Clinical Trials registry through November 21, 2020.

Systemic lupus erythematosus phenotypes formed from machine learning with a specific focus on cognitive impairment.

Objective: To phenotype SLE based on symptom burden (disease damage, system involvement and patient reported outcomes), with a specific focus on objective and subjective cognitive function.

Methods: SLE patients ages 18-65 years underwent objective cognitive assessment using the ACR Neuropsychological Battery (ACR-NB) and data were collected on demographic and clinical variables, disease burden/activity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), depression, anxiety, fatigue and perceived cognitive deficits. Similarity network fusion (SNF) was used to identify patient subtypes.

Association of mycophenolate and azathioprine use with cognitive function in systemic lupus.

Objectives: Cognitive dysfunction (CD) is a common manifestation of SLE that can have detrimental consequences for those affected. To date, no treatments have been approved for SLE-CD. This study aims to assess the association of azathioprine (AZA) and mycophenolate (MMF) use with SLE-CD, given that these medications have demonstrated neuroprotective qualities in prior studies.

Assessing the Utility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment in Screening for Cognitive Impairment in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective: Screening for cognitive impairment (CI) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) relies on the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) neuropsychological battery (NB). By studying the concurrent criterion validity, our goal was to assess the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as a screening tool for CI compared to the ACR-NB and to evaluate the added value of the MoCA to the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM).

Methods: A total of 285 adult SLE patients were administered the ACR-NB, MoCA, and ANAM.

Validation of the automated neuropsychological assessment metrics for assessing cognitive impairment in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: We previously demonstrated the utility of the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) for screening cognitive impairment (CI) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and developed composite indices for interpreting ANAM results. Our objectives here were to provide further support for the ANAM's concurrent criterion validity against the American College of Rheumatology neuropsychological battery (ACR-NB), identify the most discriminatory subtests and scores of the ANAM for predicting CI, and provide a new approach to interpret ANAM results using Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis.

Methods: 300 adult SLE patients completed an adapted ACR-NB and ANAM on the same day.

Insight into intraindividual variability across neuropsychological tests and its association with cognitive dysfunction in patients with lupus.

Objective: Dispersion, or variability in an individual's performance across multiple tasks at a single assessment visit, has been associated with cognitive dysfunction (CD) in many neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. We aimed to compute a dispersion score using neuropsychological battery (NB) tests and determine its association with CD in patients with SLE.

Methods: CD was defined as a z-score of ≤-1.

Antibody and cellular therapies for treatment of covid-19: a living systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of antiviral antibody therapies and blood products for the treatment of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19).

Design: Living systematic review and network meta-analysis, with pairwise meta-analysis for outcomes with insufficient data.

Data Sources: WHO covid-19 database, a comprehensive multilingual source of global covid-19 literature, and six Chinese databases (up to 21 July 2021).

Computerised clinical decision support systems and absolute improvements in care: meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials.

Objective: To report the improvements achieved with clinical decision support systems and examine the heterogeneity from pooling effects across diverse clinical settings and intervention targets.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources: Medline up to August 2019.

Effect of TNF-inhibitor therapy on spinal structural progression in ankylosing spondylitis patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

To review the effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor (TNFi) therapies on radiographic progression in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients as evaluated by the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (mSASSS). Pubmed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to August 2019. All comparative and non-comparative studies that evaluated the clinical effectiveness of TNFi on radiographic progression as assessed by mSASSS change at a minimum follow-up of 1 year were included.

Joint trajectories of disease activity, and physical and mental health-related quality of life in an inception lupus cohort.

Objectives: To examine for latent patterns of SLE disease activity trajectories that associate with specific latent patterns of health-related quality of life (HRQoL; Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36), and to determine baseline predictors of class membership.

Methods: In this retrospective longitudinal inception cohort of 222 SLE adults over 10 years, trajectories of three outcomes were studied jointly: Short Form-36 physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summaries and adjusted mean SLEDAI-2000 (AMS). Group-based joint trajectory modelling was used to model latent classes; univariable and multivariable analyses were used to identify predictors of class membership.

Comparative Effectiveness of Phosphate Binders in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) has been linked to poor health outcomes, including diminished quality and length of life. This condition is characterized by high phosphate levels and requires phosphate-lowering agents-phosphate binders. The objective of this systematic review is to compare the effects of available phosphate binders on patient-important outcomes in patients with CKD-MBD.

A systematic review and mixed treatment comparison of monotherapy in early Parkinson's disease: implications for Latin America.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. There are no clinical trials comparing all available pharmacological therapies for the treatment of early PD. The objective of this review is to indirectly analyze the efficacy of antiparkinson drugs currently available in Latin America.