ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the effect of combination of motherwort injection and oxytocin for promoting the involution of uterus. MethodsData of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of motherwort injection and oxytocin in promoting the effect of postpartum involution of uterus were collected by searching the electronic databases including PubMed, EMbase, CNKI, WanFang Data, CENTRAL and WHO ICTRP from inception to August 26th, 2016. Two reviewers independently screened literatures according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.3 software. ResultsA total of 18 RCTs involving 6 468 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that:Compared with the oxytocin alone group, the combination group of motherwort injection and oxytocin was higher on promoting the drop height of uterus (MD=1.33, 95%CI 1.03 to 1.63), lower on the height of uterus (MD=-2.12, 95%CI -2.64 to -1.61) and duration of lochia (MD=-7.11, 95%CI -8.84 to -5.38). There was no statistical difference in adverse effect rate between the two groups (OR=0.87, 95%CI 0.64 to 1.19, P=0.38). ConclusionsMotherwort injection combined with oxytocin is superior to oxytocin alone in promoting the drop height of postpartum uterus and shortening the duration of lochia. Because of the low quality of the included studies, more high quality RCTs are needed to prove the above conclusion.
Strengthening the management and evaluation of clinical pathways is one of the most important strategies of "Healthy China 2030" Strategic Plan. Evidence-based assessment and clinical guidelines can provide the best relevant evidence to develop clinical pathways. We planned to analyze the current situation of clinical pathways in China and explore how to apply evidence-based assessment on clinical pathway management. We searched PubMed, EMbase, ISI, CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP and the The Cochrane Library using "critical pathways" and "clinical guidelines" as key words or subject terms. And we conducted a comparison of their published volume, definitions, differences and connections. The management system of clinical pathway in China is fundamentally flawed, it is still a challenge to implement the clinical pathways effectively without scientific methodologies and standardized evidence-based evaluation system. In order to improve the management quality of clinical pathway in China, we should develop clinical pathways based on national situation and innovate the evaluation system to standardize the clinical pathway management according to WHO recommendations of clinical guideline and appraisal.
ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy and safety of focused ultrasound (FU) and microwave therapy (MW) for cervical ectopy (CE). MethodsWe searched the following databases:PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CBM, VIP, CNKI and WanFang Data from inception to 30th August 2014. Two reviewers (Tang XL and Gao Z) independently screened literatures according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.2.0 software. ResultsA total of 33 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 1 759 patients were included. All the included studies were considered to be at high risk of bias. The results of meta-analysis showed that:compared with MW, FU could significantly reduce the risk of vaginal bleeding (RR=0.09, 95%CI 0.05 to 0.17, P<0.000 01) and vaginal discharge (RR=0.10, 95%CI 0.04 to 0.24, P<0.000 01), increase cure rate (RR=1.10, 95%CI 1.05 to 1.15, P<0.000 1) and total effective rate (RR=1.04, 95%CI 1.02 to 1.06, P=0.000 5). However, there was no difference in decreasing recurrence rate (RR=0.13, 95%CI 0.02 to 1.00, P=0.05). ConclusionCurrent available evidence suggest that FU is safer and more effective than MW for treating CE. Due to the limitation of quality of included studies, more high quality RCTs are needed to verify the above conclusion.
ObjectivesThe primary objectives of this rapid health technology assessment (RHTA) were to assess the safety and effectiveness of Da Vinci surgical system compared with traditional e surgeries, so as to provide the currently-available best evidence for health decision makers and clinical workers. MethodsA comprehensive search of electronic databases (EMbase, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, CBM and WanFang Data) and relevant professional HTA websites were conducted from inceptionto October 9, 2012. Two reviews independently screen literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data, and assess the quality of included studies. The data based on secondary studies were reported, and a final recommendation and its level was made based on assessment outcome. ResultsA total of 21 studies were included, encompassing 7 HTAs and 14 systematic reviews/metaanalyses. The included studies involved radical prostatectomy, hysterectomy, nephrectomy, coronary artery bypass graft, and gastric fundoplication. Though the included HTAs and systematic reviews/meta-analyses focus on different diseases, the outcomes showed significant differences existed between Da Vinci surgical system and other routine surgery in clinical effectiveness and safety of different diseases. Compared with routine surgery, Da Vinci surgical system shortened hospital stay; decreased operation conversion rates, blood loss and blood transfusion rates during surgery; but it increased operative time. Besides, compared with traditional laparoscopic surgery, Da Vinci surgical system shortened operation time and hospital stay, and decreased operation conversion rates, blood loss and blood transfusion rates during surgery. ConclusionCurrent evidence shows that the clinical effectiveness and safety outcomes of Da Vinci surgical system differ in diseases. Currently, most included HTAs and systematic reviews/meta-analyses are based on observational studies, relevant prospective randomized controlled trials lack, and the evidence is graded as low quality, health decision makers are suggested to apply this evidence with caution on the basis of comprehensive consideration.
After 38 years of development, the procedure of selection and evaluation of the World Health Organization Essential Medicine List (WHO EML) is increasingly scientific and formal. However, peer review for the applications of WHO EML is always required in a short period. It is necessary to build up a set of methods and processes for rapid review. The most important items for the rapid review of WHO EML peer reviewers are: 1) to confirm the requirements and identify the purposes; 2) to establish the research questions and translate the questions into the ‘Participants, Interventions, Comparators, Outcomes, Study design' (PICOS) format; 3) to search and screen available evidence, for which high-level evidence is preferred, such as systematic reviews or meta-analyses, health technology assessment (HTA), clinical guidelines; 4) to extract data, where we extract primary information based on the purposes; 5) to synthesize data by qualitative methods, assess the quality of evidence, and compare the results; 6) to provide the answers to the applications, quality of evidences and strength of recommendations. Our study established a set of methods and processes for the rapid review of WHO EML peer review, and our findings were used to guide the reviewers to fulfill the 19th WHO EML peer review. The methods and processes were feasible and met the necessary requirements in terms of time and quality. Continuous improvement and evaluation in practice are warranted.
ObjectiveTo rapidly review the effectiveness, safety, costs and applicability of helical tomotherapy (HT), so as to provide currently-available best evidence for decision makers of government health policies. MethodsWe electronically searched databases including PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP, CBM and other relevant professional websites. Two reviewers independently screened literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data, assessed quality, and then performed descriptive analysis. Resultsa) We finally included 150 studies, encompassing 5 health technology assessments (HTAs), 18 clinical controlled trials (CCTs), and 127 observational studies. b) Four included HTAs were published during 2006-2009, providing fairly less evidence of low quality and the results of 145 primary studies showed that:HT was mainly used in the treatments of 14 types of cancer, with relatively low total toxicity and high survival rates. Although the quality of the included studies was poor, there was much evidence about prostate cancer, head and neck cancer, nasopharynx cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer and liver cancer, with accumulatively enough sample size and fairly reliable results in HT's efficacy and safety. And c) a total of 56 clinical trials had bee registered in Clinicaltrials.gov, most of which were registered by the occident; among them, 9 had been come to the end, yet without results published. ConclusionCurrent evidence of this study showed that, HT is safe and effective in clinic. But the abovementioned conclusion needs to be verified by conducting more high quality studies with long-term follow-up. The costs of HT in procurement, maintenance and application are high; and the skills, training and qualification of operators are required. We suggest that the procurement of HT should be reduced; it should be allocated rationally and effectively used after comprehensive assessment in China's cancer epidemiology characteristics, health resource allocation, disease burden, medical service level, etc.; and also high quality studies with long-term follow-up should be financially supported on the basis of establishing projects, so as to provide local evidence and consistently guide and improve scientific decision making.
ObjectiveCapsule endoscopy (CE) has been widely used in the diagnosis of small bowel disease (SBD) in the world. To bring CE into the national health insurance directory, and intensify its popularization in primary hospitals, the government needs high quality health technology assessment (HTA) evidence for decision making. This study was aimed to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness, safety, applicability and economics of CE in the diagnosis of SBD based on global review, to providing the best currently-available evidence for decision making. MethodsWe electronically searched The Cochrane Library (Issue 8, September 2013), PubMed, EMbase, INAHTA, VIP, CBM, CNKI and WanFang Data. We screened studies, extracted data, and evaluated quality independently, according to inclusion and exclusion criteria; and then we made final conclusion after comprehensive analysis. ResultsWe finally included 4 HTAs, 11 systematic reviews (SRs)/ Meta-analyses, 2 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 5 guidelines, and 10 economics studies for assessment. The results of HTAs, SRs/ meta-analyses and RCTs all showed that, the disease detection rate of CE was higher than that of many other traditional technologies, and that the main adverse event for CE was retention (0.7% to 3.0%), which were consistent with those of the guidelines' recommendations. Besides, the comprehensive results of economics studies showed the superiority of CE compared with other technologies. As the first choice, CE could significantly decrease potential costs, especially when used in outpatients. Conclusiona) Compared with similar technologies, CE indeed has advantages in diagnostic yield, safety and potential costs in the diagnosis of SBD. However, its application has certain limitations, which still needs to be verified by more high quality evidence about CE diagnosis accuracy. b) It is sug gested that, when the government approves the introduction of CE to hospitals, many factors must be considered, such as local disease burden, clinical demands, ability to pay, and staff configuration. At the same time, it is necessary to standardize training for medical technicians, to reduce economic loss caused by poor technical abilities of medicaltechnicians.
ObjectivesTo explore the using status of psychological assessment instruments including checklists, questionnaires and scales after earthquake, so as to provide baseline data for establishing a standard method and process in developing earthquake-related population psychological screening and assessment instruments in future. MethodsWe searched WanFang Data, CNKI, VIP, PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library and CiNii databases, as well as special websites about earthquake and disaster management from inception to July 30th, 2014 to collect studies evaluating the population psychological health conditions with assessment instruments after earthquakes. The earthquake countries/regions, the main assessment institutions, the time of assessment, the objects of assessment, and the instruments used were analyzed. ResultsA total of 794 studies were included, of which 87.4% were from mainland China, and 78.0% were related to the Wenchuan earthquake. Most of assessments were conducted by universities (47.9%) and hospitals (46.9%) in Sichuan, Beijing and Guangdong provinces of China. The psychological assessments conducted in the first year after quake were found in 537 studies (67.6%), of which 244 studies (45.4%) reported the psychological assessments results in the first month after quake. The top five assessment objects were children/teenagers, survivors, wounded, military rescuers, and medical staff. In the 794 included studies, a total of 217 instruments were used. In the 244 studies reported the assessment results in the first month after quake, a total of 73 instruments were used. 122 of the 244 studies reported only one instrument was used, and the other 122 of the 244 studies reported two or more instruments were used. Most of the instruments were translation versions and developed for mental disorders. The top 5 instruments were Symptom Checklist 90, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version and Impact of Event Scale Revised, respectively. ConclusionAll the psychological assessment instruments are not developed for assessing earthquake-related psychological health problem, so a simple, economic, feasible and specialized instrument for earthquake-related population should be developed. It's needed to organize professionals to design a local guideline and training material for earthquake survivors and rescuers, and to establish a standardized, sustainable normal training base and trainer's team, so as to standardize the psychological aid work.
Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness, safety, applicability and economy of psychological assessment instruments including checklists, questionnaires and scales used in population exposed to earthquake. MethodsWe searched PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, VIP, WanFang Data, and CiNii databases, as well as special websites about earthquake and disaster management from inception to July 30th, 2014 to collect studies related to psychological assessment of population exposed to earthquake in the first month after quake. A descriptive analysis was conducted to analyze the positive detection rate of psychological problems, rate of informed consent, and effective response rate in population exposed to earthquake, as well as the cost of psychological assessment. ResultsA total of 67 studies were included which involved 4 instruments including Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20), Chinese Psychosomatic Health Scale-134 (CPSHS-134) and 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). SCL-90 was the most commonly used scale. Forty-five studies reported the positive detection rate of psychological problems in population exposed to earthquake. The positive detection rates by using SCL-90, GHQ-12 and SRQ-20 were 8.6% to 77.8%, 65.6% to 89.9% and 65.6% to 89.9%, respectively. Informed consent was reported in 27 studies, and effective response rate was reported in 20 studies with the highest one 99.56% for CPSHS-134. No study reported the cost of psychological assessment. ConclusionSCL-90, RQ-20, CPSHS-134 and GHQ-12 are mainly used instruments for assessing psychological problems in population exposed to earthquake in the first month after quake. The reporting of important information related to effectiveness, safety, applicability and economy of psychological assessment instruments is insufficient and not standardized. A concise and authoritative psychological assessment instrument for population exposed to earthquake is warranted.