Conclusions of clinical trials assessing monoclonal antibodies and sponsored by pharmaceutical industry: a meta-research study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe and critically appraise the conclusions of randomized clinical trials assessing monoclonal antibodies sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry.

Methods: This is a meta-research study on conclusions' characteristics of randomized clinical trials with monoclonal antibodies as interventions sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry.

Results: A total of 82 publications were considered.

Advanced therapy with mesenchymal stromal cells for knee osteoarthritis: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Advanced cell therapies emerged as promising candidates for treatment of knee articular diseases, but robust evidence regarding their clinical applicability is still lacking.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of advanced mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) therapy for knee osteoarthritis (OA) and chondral lesions.

Methods: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials conducted in accordance with Cochrane Handbook and reported following PRISMA checklist.

Methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews on aesthetics and reconstructive breast surgery: A meta-research.

Objective: To evaluate the methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews (SR) of randomized controlled trials on esthetics and reconstructive breast surgery.

Methods: Meta-research study with a broad search strategy was developed to retrieve all relevant systematic reviews. We evaluated the methodological and reporting guidance adopted by these reviews and assessed their adequacy to items from AMSTAR-2 (methodological quality) and PRISMA 2020 (reporting quality).

Primary outcomes and characteristics of clinical trial registries (up to October 2021) on COVID-19 vaccines.

Objectives: To analyse the general and primary outcome-related characteristics of clinical trials protocols on COVID-19 vaccines.

Study Design And Setting: A meta-research study. A search for clinical trial protocols on COVID-19 vaccines was conducted on the ClinicalTrials.

High certainty evidence is stable and trustworthy, whereas evidence of moderate or lower certainty may be equally prone to being unstable.

Objectives: To assess to what extent the overall quality of evidence indicates changes to observe intervention effect estimates when new data become available.

Methods: We conducted a meta-epidemiological study. We obtained evidence from meta-analyses of randomized trials of Cochrane reviews addressing the same health-care question that was updated with inclusion of additional data between January 2016 and May 2021.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in dockworkers. Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Dockworkers are exposed to physical overloads that can contribute to the development of musculoskeletal disorders, leading to functional disability and absenteeism.

Objective: to map, critically appraise, and synthesize the available evidence on the prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases associated with port occupational activities.

Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in structured and unstructured databases in August 2023, with no date or language restriction, to identify observational studies evaluating the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in dockworkers' occupational activity.

Definition and reporting of composite outcomes are often inadequate in randomized clinical trials on pharmacological interventions for coronary artery disease.

Objectives: To estimate the frequency and critically appraise the use and reporting of composite outcomes in randomized clinical trials on pharmacological interventions for coronary artery disease.

Study Design And Setting: A metaresearch study. A search strategy was developed to retrieve references from MEDLINE.

Antiplatelet agents for the treatment of adults with COVID-19.

Background: Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause thrombotic events that lead to severe complications or death. Antiplatelet agents, such as acetylsalicylic acid, have been shown to effectively reduce thrombotic events in other diseases: they could influence the course of COVID-19 in general.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of antiplatelets given with standard care compared to no treatment or standard care (with/without placebo) for adults with COVID-19.

What is an "ongoing" clinical trial? An analysis of different sources revealed heterogeneous definitions of when a clinical trial starts and ends: a meta-research study.

Background: Although the concept of an "ongoing study" seems self-explanatory, it is difficult to determine whether a trial is underway.

Objective: To analyze the definitions of "ongoing clinical trial" across different clinical trial registries, methodological guidelines, and other sources.

Design And Setting: This meta-research study was conducted at the Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil.

Strategies for communicating scientific evidence on healthcare to managers and the population: a scoping review.

Background: Health evidence needs to be communicated and disseminated in a manner that is clearly understood by decision-makers. As an inherent component of health knowledge translation, communicating results of scientific studies, effects of interventions and health risk estimates, in addition to understanding key concepts of clinical epidemiology and interpreting evidence, represent a set of essential instruments to reduce the gap between science and practice. The advancement of digital and social media has reshaped the concept of health communication, introducing new, direct and powerful communication platforms and gateways between researchers and the public.

Alemtuzumab for multiple sclerosis.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, T-cell-dependent, inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, with an unpredictable course. Current MS therapies focus on treating and preventing exacerbations, and avoiding the progression of disability. At present, there is no treatment that is capable of safely and effectively reaching these objectives.

Minimally invasive interventions for biopsy of malignancy-suspected pulmonary nodules: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Imaging tests are important for diagnosis during the management of pulmonary nodules; however, biopsy is required to confirm the malignancy.

Objectives: To compare the effects of different techniques used for the biopsy of a pulmonary nodule.

Design And Setting: Systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using Cochrane methodology in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Most Cochrane systematic reviews and protocols did not adhere to the Cochrane's risk of bias 2.0 tool.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the frequency of Cochrane systematic reviews and Cochrane systematic reviews protocols using (or planning to use) the risk of bias 2.0 tool to assess the risk of bias of the included randomized clinical trials.

Study Design: This is a meta-research study.

Erythromycin prior to endoscopy for acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage.

Background: Upper endoscopy is the definitive treatment for upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage (UGIH). However, up to 13% of people who undergo upper endoscopy will have incomplete visualisation of the gastric mucosa at presentation. Erythromycin acts as a motilin receptor agonist in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract and increases gastric emptying, which may lead to better quality of visualisation and improved treatment effectiveness.

Supporting Decisions of the Brazilian Regulatory Agency for Supplementary Healthcare: A Case Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to report implementation and partial results of the project "Supporting the Brazilian regulatory agency for supplementary healthcare through health technology assessment actions" conducted at Hospital Sírio-Libanês, Brazil, from 2020 to 2023, through Programa de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Institucional do Sistema Único de Saúde, a Brazilian Ministry of Health initiative.

Methods: This was a case study conducted at Health Technology Center, Hospital Sírio-Libanês.

Results: From its inception, in 2020, to July 2022, the following activities and products were completed: 59 technical-methodological reports assessing the efficacy, safety, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of technologies received by Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar (ANS) to compose its catalog of drugs products and services; 50 analyses of society contributions from public consultation; 34 methodological or clinical tutorial sessions to support ANS team; 2 templates to systematize the update process of ANS catalog; and one training course on systematic reviews and meta-analysis for ANS team.

Most systematic reviews that used the term "update" in title/abstract were not an updated version.

Objectives: To analyze whether articles labelled as systematic reviews or meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) in the title and used terms "updated" or "update" in the title or abstract are indeed a report of an updated version of a previously existing SR/MA.

Study Design And Setting: We searched PubMed for SRs/MAs, using descriptors updated/update in the title/abstract published in 2018-2019. We analyzed how the articles used the term "update"/"updated" and whether the previous version of SR was referenced.

Resistance training for postmenopausal women: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Importance: Numerous studies have been published assessing the effects of resistance muscle training to mitigate menopausal symptoms, given the endocrine muscle function and its metabolic regulation. Therefore, mapping and synthesizing high-quality studies are necessary to help clinical decisions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effects (benefits and harms) of resistance muscle training for postmenopausal women.

Biperiden for prevention of post-traumatic epilepsy: A protocol of a double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial (BIPERIDEN trial).

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most important causes of acquired structural epilepsy, post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE), however, efficient preventative measures and treatment are still not available to patients. Preclinical studies indicated biperiden, an anticholinergic drug, as a potential drug to modify the epileptogenic process. The main objective of this clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy of biperiden as an antiepileptogenic agent in patients that suffered TBI.

CAR-T cell therapy for patients with hematological malignancies. A systematic review.

Hematological malignancies represent defying clinical conditions, with high levels of morbidity and mortality, particularly considering patients who manifest multiple refractory diseases. Recently, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has emerged as a potential treatment option for relapsed/refractory B cell malignancies, which have motivated the Food and Drug Administration approval of a series of products based on this technique. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy and safety of CAR-T cell therapy for patients with hematological malignancies.

Efficacy and safety of hemodialysis strategies for pregnant women with chronic kidney disease: Systematic review.

Pregnancy in chronic kidney disease (CKD) women is relatively rare, and the less risky choice of hemodialysis is unknown. The objective of this systematic review was to identify, systematically evaluate and summarize the available evidence on the efficacy and safety of hemodialysis strategies for pregnant CKD women. Sensitive search strategies were applied to six databases without data or language restrictions.

Vitamin C-based regimens for sepsis and septic shock: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Purpose: to critically appraise and synthesize the evidence on the effects of vitamin C-based regimens for patients with sepsis or septic shock.

Methods: a broad search was performed on May 2021 to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) assessing vitamin C-based regimens as adjuvant therapy for adults with sepsis or septic shock. We used the Cochrane Risk of Bias table to assess the methodological quality of the included RCTs and the GRADE approach to evaluate the evidence certainty.