Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of L-ornithine-L-aspartate (LOLA) in the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Methods Such databases as PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, Chinese Journals Full-text Database, CBM and WanFang Data were searched from the date of their establishment to November 30, 2011 to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on LOLA in treating HE. The quality of included studies was evaluated by two reviewers independently, data were extracted and cross-checked, and then meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.0 software. Results Among the total six included RCTs, 432 patients were diagnosed as type-C HE and 185 were diagnosed as type-A HE. Compared with the placebo group, for the patients with type-C HE, LOLA could significantly reduce the serum ammonia level (WMD=16.60, 95%CI 8.34 to 24.85, Plt;0.000 1) and the time of number connection test-A (NCT-A) (WMD=9.6, 95%CI 5.26 to 13.93, Plt;0.00 01), and it could also effectively improve the clinical remission rate (RR=1.36, 95%CI 1.06 to 1.73, P=0.01). However, no significant differences were found between the two groups for the patients with type-A HE (Pgt;0.05). Conclusion LOLA is effective for the patients with type-C hepatic encephalopathy, and it could be regarded as a choice in clinic. However, more high-quality RCTs are needed to further evaluate the effect of LOLA in treating type-A hepatic encephalopathy.
ObjectivesTo systematically review the association between pepper consumption and risk of gastric cancer.MethodsPubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, WanFang Data, VIP and CNKI databases were electronically searched to collect epidemiological studies of evaluating the association between pepper consumption and the risk of gastric cancer 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 Stata 12.0 software.ResultsA total of 18 studies involving 17 case-control studies and 1 cohort study with 13 142 participants were included. The studies were divided into quantitative group and non-quantitative group. The results of meta-analysis showed that: ① In quantitative group, medium to heavy pepper consumption was the risk factor of gastric cancer (OR=1.55, 95%CI 1.13 to 2.14, P=0.008). Whereas there was no significant association between low pepper consumption and the risk of gastric cancer (OR=0.63, 95%CI 0.26 to 1.50, P=0.297). ② In the non-quantitative group, pepper consumption was the risk factor of gastric cancer (OR=1.37, 95%CI 1.09 to 1.74, P=0.008). ③ Subgroup analysis results showed that medium to heavy pepper consumption in Asian population had significant association with gastric cancer (OR=2.24, 95%CI 1.88 to 2.67, P=0.005), however, there was no significant association between low pepper consumption and the risk of gastric cancer (OR=0.62, 95%CI 0.33 to 1.18, P=0.144).ConclusionsThe association between pepper consumption and risk of gastric cancer remains unclear, medium to heavy pepper consumption may be related to the risk of gastric cancer, especially in Asian population.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs)/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) therapy and digestive system neoplasms.MethodsPubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP and CBM databases were searched from inception to February 2017 to collect studies about ACEIs/ARBs therapy and risk of digestive system neoplasms or survival of digestive system neoplasms patients. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, extracted the data and evaluated the risk of bias of included studies, then meta-analysis was performed using Stata 12.0 software.ResultsA total of 21 articles including 32 studies were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that ACEIs/ARBs therapy could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer (OR=0.92, 95%CI 0.86 to 0.99, P=0.023), but there were no relationships between ACEIs/ARBs therapy and the risk of liver cancer or gastric cancer. ACEIs/ARBs therapy could improve the survival of colorectal cancer patients (HR=0.79, 95%CI 0.63 to 0.98, P=0.031), but there was no association between ACEIs/ARBs therapy and the survival of pancreatic cancer patients (HR=0.75, 95%CI 0.50 to 1.13, P=0.165).ConclusionACEIs/ARBs therapy may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, as well as improve the survival of colorectal cancer patients, but there are no significant relationships between ACEIs/ARBs therapy and the risk or the survival of other digestive system neoplasms, such as liver cancer, gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high quality studies are needed to verify above conclusion.