ObjectivesTo overview the systematic reviews of traditional Chinese herb injections for viral pneumonia.MethodsCNKI, CBM, WanFang Data, VIP, PubMed, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library and EMbase databases were electronically searched to collect systematic reviews (SRs) of traditional Chinese herb injections for viral pneumonia from inception to March 2020. Two reviewers independently screened literature and extracted data. Then, AMSTAR 2 was used to assess the methodological quality and GRADE was used to grade the outcome indicators of included SRs.ResultsA total of 10 SRs were included, containing six Chinese herb injections (Xiyanping injection, Yanhuning injection, Tanreqing injection, Reduning injection, Shuanghuanglian injection, and Chuanhuning injection). Five items of AMSTAR 2 were reported well, and two items were not reported in any of the included SRs, and the quality was unsatisfactory. The efficacy of Chinese herb injection was superior than that of western medicine in many outcome indicators, such as antipyretic time, the pulmonary rales disappearing time, and the total clinical efficiency. The quality of evidence ranged from medium to very low.ConclusionsCurrent evidence shows that the quality of SRs of Chinese herb injections for viral pneumonia requires improvement, and most of the results show that Chinese herb injections are more effective than western medicines.
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical application and safety of Shenmai injection.MethodsWe collected clinical data of 30 012 patients using Shenmai injection from 26 hospitals nationwide from September, 2009 to June, 2013. The SPSS 15.0 software was used to analyze demographic characteristics, diagnostic information, and clinical application of the injection.ResultsAmong all patients, 14 270 were females (47.55%), 8 218 were aged 45-60 (27.38%), and 10 452 were aged 61-75 (34.83%). The primary use of Shenmai injection was as an adjuvant treatment of chemotherapy for cancer patients, and the top 3 cancers were lung cancer (1 533, 5.11%), breast cancer (1 509, 5.03%) and gastric cancer (847, 2.82%). The second important use of Shenmai injection was the treatment of coronary heart disease (5 703, 19.00%), of which the most common single dose was 50 mL (14 406, 48.00%), followed by 100 mL (10 804, 36.00%) and 200 mL (600, 2.00%). The solvents were used in 18 902 patients (62.98%), and the 5% glucose injection was used most frequently (84.64%). The adverse effects (AEs) rate was 0.15%, and 57.78% AEs occurred within 24 hours of infusion. The most common AEs were damage of the cardiovascular system, followed by damaging of blood system and respiratory system.ConclusionsShenmai injection has a wide range of applications and can be used in treatment of numerous diseases in the real-world, and the AEs have been linked to off-label uses.
With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies, the development of AI-based prediction models has become increasingly prevalent in the medical field. However, the PROBAST tool, which is used to evaluate prediction models, has shown growing limitations when assessing models built on AI technologies. Therefore, Moons and colleagues updated and expanded PROBAST to develop the PROBAST+AI tool. This tool is suitable for evaluating prediction model studies based on both artificial intelligence methods and regression methods. It covers four domains: participants and data sources, predictors, outcomes, and analysis, allowing for systematic assessment of quality in model development, risk of bias in model evaluation, and applicability. This article interprets the content and evaluation process of the PROBAST+AI tool, aiming to provide references and guidance for domestic researchers using this tool.
Objective To systematically review respiratory muscle training (RMT) on respiratory functions of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods PubMed, EMbase and The Cochrane Library were electronically searched to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about RMT on pulmonary functions in patients with SCI from inception to April, 2017. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies, then, meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software. Results A total of 11 RCTs involving 263 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that, compared with conventional rehabilitation group, RMT effectively improved vital capacity (MD=0.41, 95%CI 0.12 to 0.69, P=0.005), inspiratory capacity (MD=0.35, 95%CI 0.05 to 0.65, P=0.02), maximal inspiratory pressure (MD=7.75, 95%CI 0.11 to 15.39, P=0.05) and maximal voluntary ventilation (MD=17.52, 95%CI 8.11 to 26.93, P=0.000 3). There were significant differences between two groups. Conclusion Current evidence shows that RMT can effectively improve the respiratory function of patients with SCI. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high quality studies are needed to verify above conclusion.
Using the AGREE Ⅱ standard, this paper interpretated from methodological perspective of the Korean Guidelines for Appropriate use of cardiac CT which was made by Korean Society of Radiology and the Korean Society of Cardiology.
Since its initial publication in 2013, the SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) guidelines have received widespread international attention. The guidelines aim to enhance the standardization and transparency of clinical trial protocol reporting. With continuous advancements in clinical trial methodologies, the SPIRIT group released an updated version, SPIRIT 2025, in 2025. The SPIRIT 2025 reporting guideline comprises 34 items; compared to the 2013 version, 2 items were added, 5 were revised, 2 were merged, and 3 were deleted. Its core updates are reflected in: The addition of an "open science" section, which emphasizes trial registration, accessibility of the trial protocol and statistical analysis plan, a data sharing statement, and a dissemination policy for research findings; The addition of a "patient and public involvement" item, which requires the protocol to describe the participation of patients or the public in the trial's design, conduct, and reporting phases; Structural optimization, which reorganizes the original items into five major sections for clearer logic and strongly recommends the use of a schedule diagram to present the trial timeline. This article provides an illustrative interpretation of the items contained in the SPIRIT 2025 statement using a randomized controlled trial protocol, aiming to offer guidance and convenience for domestic researchers utilizing this tool.
It is a challenge for clinicians and diagnostic systematic reviewers to determine the best test in clinical diagnosis and screening. Meanwhile, it also becomes the new chance and challenge for diagnostic test meta-analysis. Network meta-analysis has been commonly used in intervention systematic reviews, which can compare the effect size of all available interventions and to choose the best intervention. Network meta-analysis of diagnostic test can be defined as comparing all available diagnostic technologies in the same conditions based on the common reference tests. In order to provide the guide for diagnostic systematic reviewers, we aims to introduce four methods of conducting diagnostic test accuracy network meta-analysis, and to explore two ranking methods of network meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy.
Mendelian randomization (MR) studies use genetic variants as instrumental variables to explore the effects of exposures on health outcomes. STROBE-MR (strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology using Mendelian randomization) assists authors in reporting their MR studies clearly and transparently, and helpfully to improve the quality of MR. This paper interpreted the STROBE-MR, aiming to help Chinese scholars better understand, disseminate, and apply it.
The PRISMA aims to enhance the transparency and reporting quality of systematic reviews. PRISMA 2020 is an update version of PRISMA 2009, which was published in BMJ in March, 2021. This article compared the PRISMA 2020 and PRISMA 2009, interpreted PRISMA 2020 with representative examples, aiming to help Chinese scholars better understand and apply this reporting guideline, thus to improve the reporting quality of systematic reviews.
This study comprehensively reviews the theoretical foundations, historical development, practical applications, and potential challenges of network meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy (DTA-NMA). DTA-NMA, as a method for evaluating and comparing the accuracy of different diagnostic tests, demonstrates its unique value in improving diagnostic accuracy and optimizing treatment strategies by integrating direct and indirect evidence, providing crucial support for clinical decision-making. However, despite significant progress in methodology and practice, DTA-NMA still faces multiple challenges in implementation, including enhancing research transparency, integrating diverse evidence, accurately assessing bias risks, presenting and interpreting results, and evaluating evidence quality. In the future, further refinement of reporting standards and evidence grading specific to DTA-NMA research will be crucial for the development of this field, facilitating evidence-based efficient medical decision-making and ultimately improving patient outcomes. This study aims to provide scholars conducting DTA-NMA research with reflection and insights to promote the steady development of this field.