Determination of hair ketamine cut-off value from Hong Kong ketamine users by LC-MS/MS analysis.

Ketamine is one of the most frequent abused drugs in Hong Kong and South-East Asia, and the cases of ketamine abused have been reported worldwide. Hair has been commonly used as a specimen for the proof of chronic drug abused because of its non-invasiveness and long detection windows. The determinations of ketamine in hair with varieties of state-of-the-art instruments and detection methods have been developed in the past decade; however, the cut-off value for ketamine abuser has not been developed according to the international guidelines.

Opportunities and challenges in using studies without a control group in comparative effectiveness reviews.

When examining the evidence on therapeutic interventions to answer a comparative effectiveness research question, one should consider all studies that are informative on the interventions' causal effects. "Single group studies" evaluate outcomes longitudinally in cohorts of subjects who are managed with a single treatment strategy. Because these studies are "missing" a direct, concurrent comparison group, they are typically deemed non-informative on comparative effectiveness.

A systematic review of approaches for engaging patients for research on rare diseases.

Background: Patients with rare diseases have limited access to useful information to guide treatment decisions. Engagement of patients and other stakeholders in clinical research may help to ensure that research efforts in rare diseases address relevant clinical questions and patient-centered health outcomes. Rare disease organizations may provide an effective means to facilitate patient engagement in research.

A proposed approach may help systematic reviews retain needed expertise while minimizing bias from nonfinancial conflicts of interest.

Objectives: Groups such as the Institute of Medicine emphasize the importance of attention to financial conflicts of interest. Little guidance exists, however, on managing the risk of bias for systematic reviews from nonfinancial conflicts of interest. We sought to create practical guidance on ensuring adequate clinical or content expertise while maintaining independence of judgment on systematic review teams.

Self-measured blood pressure monitoring in the management of hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Clinical guidelines recommend that adults with hypertension self-monitor their blood pressure (BP).

Purpose: To summarize evidence about the effectiveness of self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) monitoring in adults with hypertension.

Data Sources: MEDLINE (inception to 8 February 2013) and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (fourth quarter 2012).

An evidence review of active surveillance in men with localized prostate cancer.

Background: Radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy for prostate cancer have side effects and unclear survival benefits for early stage and low-risk disease. Prostate cancer often has an indolent natural history, making observational management strategies potentially appealing.

Purpose: To systematically review the role of active surveillance for triggers to begin curative treatment in men with low-risk prostate cancer.

A Web-based archive of systematic review data.

Systematic reviews have become increasingly critical to informing healthcare policy; however, they remain a time-consuming and labor-intensive activity. The extraction of data from constituent studies comprises a significant portion of this effort, an activity which is often needlessly duplicated, such as when attempting to update a previously conducted review or in reviews of overlapping topics.In order to address these inefficiencies, and to improve the speed and quality of healthcare policy- and decision-making, we have initiated the development of the Systematic Review Data Repository, an open collaborative Web-based repository of systematic review data.

Auto-titrating versus fixed continuous positive airway pressure for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review with meta-analyses.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea is a relatively common disorder that can lead to lost productivity and cardiovascular disease. The form of positive airway treatment that should be offered is unclear.

Methods: MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Trials registry were searched for English language randomized controlled trials comparing auto-titrating positive airway pressure (APAP) with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in adults with obstructive sleep apnea (inception through 9/2010).

Electrocardiogram screening for disorders that cause sudden cardiac death in asymptomatic children: a meta-analysis.

Background And Objectives: Pediatric sudden cardiac death (SCD) occurs in an estimated 0.8 to 6.2 per 100 000 children annually.

Active surveillance in men with localized prostate cancer: a systematic review.

Background: Active surveillance (AS) and watchful waiting (WW) have been proposed as management strategies for low-risk, localized prostate cancer.

Purpose: To systematically review strategies for observational management of prostate cancer (AS or WW), factors affecting their utilization, and comparative effectiveness of observational management versus immediate treatment with curative intent.

Data Sources: MEDLINE and Cochrane databases (from inception to August 2011).

Comparative evaluation of radiation treatments for clinically localized prostate cancer: an updated systematic review.

Background: Radiation therapy is one of many treatment options for patients with prostate cancer.

Purpose: To update findings on the clinical and biochemical outcomes of radiation therapies for localized prostate cancer.

Data Sources: MEDLINE (2007 through March 2011) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (2007 through March 2011).

The vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque: scope of the literature.

The scope of recent literature on the concept of "vulnerable plaque" was reviewed by examining 463 abstracts of primary and review articles identified through MEDLINE (2003 to April 2010). Proposed definition criteria of vulnerable plaque included active inflammation, a thin cap with a large lipid core, endothelial denudation, fissured cap, severe stenosis, or combinations of these findings. In 242 primary studies, histopathology, biomarkers, and imaging of carotid and coronary artery plaques were evaluated for features suggestive of vulnerability.