A systematic review of the effects of probiotic administration in inflammatory arthritis.

Objective: To systematically identify and appraise evidence of the formulation specific effects and population specific responses of probiotics in inflammatory arthritis.

Methods: MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, EMBASE, and SCOPUS databases were searched for studies utilising probiotics in populations with inflammatory arthritis. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) method was used to conduct the systematic review.

The impact of integrated care for people with chronic conditions on hospital and emergency department utilization: a rapid review.

Aim: Integrated care commonly involves provision of comprehensive community-based care for people with chronic conditions. It is anticipated that implementation of integrated care, with a proactive approach to management of chronic conditions, will reduce reliance on hospital and emergency department (ED) services. The aim of this rapid review was to summarize the best available evidence on the impact of integrated care for patients with chronic conditions on hospital and ED utilization and investigate trends in outcomes over time.

Metformin Use Associated with Reduced Risk of Dementia in Patients with Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Metformin, a first line antihyperglycemic medication, is an AMPK activator and has been hypothesized to act as a geroprotective agent. Studies on its association with various classifications of age-related cognitive decline have shown mixed results with positive and negative findings.

Objective: To synthesize the best available evidence on the association of metformin-use with risk, progression, and severity of dementia.

Metformin reduces all-cause mortality and diseases of ageing independent of its effect on diabetes control: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review investigated whether the insulin sensitiser metformin has a geroprotective effect in humans. Pubmed and Embase were searched along with databases of unpublished studies. Eligible research investigated the effect of metformin on all-cause mortality or diseases of ageing relative to non-diabetic populations or diabetics receiving other therapies with adjustment for disease control achieved.

Metformin and Alzheimer's disease, dementia and cognitive impairment: a systematic review protocol.

The objective of the review is to assess the effect of metformin on the risk, progression and severity of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, as well as any measures of cognitive performance or impairment.

Assessing healthcare professionals' experiences of integrated care: do surveys tell the full story?

Background: Integrated care is the combination of different healthcare services with the goal to provide comprehensive, seamless, effective and efficient patient care. Assessing the experiences of healthcare professionals (HCPs) is an important aspect when evaluating integrated care strategies.

Aims: The aim of this rapid review was to investigate if quantitative surveys used to assess HCPs' experiences with integrated care capture all the aspects highlighted as being important in qualitative research, with a view to informing future survey development.

Methotrexate-induced toxicity pharmacogenetics: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Purpose: Methotrexate chemotherapy is associated with various toxicities which can result in the interruption or discontinuation of treatment and a subsequently raised risk of relapse. This umbrella systematic review was conducted to synthesize the results of all existing systematic reviews that investigate the pharmacogenetics of methotrexate-induced toxicity, with the aim of developing a comprehensive reference for personalized medicine.

Methods: Databases searched were PubMed, Embase, JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, DARE, and ProQuest.

Fluoropyrimidine and platinum toxicity pharmacogenetics: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Fluoropyrimidine (FU) and platinum-based chemotherapies are greatly complicated by their associated toxicities. This umbrella systematic review synthesized all systematic reviews that investigated associations between germline variations and toxicity, with the aim of informing personalized medicine. Systematic reviews are important in pharmacogenetics where false positives are common.

Anti-HCV confirmatory testing of voluntary blood donors: comparison of the sensitivity of two immunoblot assays.

Background: In this study, the sensitivity of two commercially available anti-HCV immunoblot assays (HCV Western blot (Wellcozyme] and RIBA 3.0 SIA [RIBA-3, Chiron]) was compared in a voluntary blood donor population.

Study Design And Methods: Four groups of donor samples were retrospectively tested in this study.