Search results for "Observational studies"
showing 10 items of 89 documents
The German COPD cohort COSYCONET: Aims, methods and descriptive analysis of the study population at baseline
2016
Abstract Background The German COPD cohort study COSYCONET (" CO PD and SY stemic consequences- CO morbidities NET work") investigates the interaction of lung disease, comorbidities and systemic inflammation. Recruitment took place from 2010 to 2013 in 31 study centers. In addition to the baseline visit, follow-up visits are scheduled at 6, 18, 36 and 54 months after baseline. The study also comprises a biobank, image bank, and includes health economic data. Here we describe the study design of COSYCONET and present baseline data of our COPD cohort. Methods Inclusion criteria were broad in order to cover a wide range of patterns of the disease. In each visit, patients undergo a large panel …
Assessing the quality of studies in meta-research: Review/guidelines on the most important quality assessment tools
2020
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses pool data from individual studies to generate a higher level of evidence to be evaluated by guidelines. These reviews ultimately guide clinicians and stakeholders in health-related decisions. However, the informativeness and quality of evidence synthesis inherently depend on the quality of what has been pooled into meta-research projects. Moreover, beyond the quality of included individual studies, only a methodologically correct process, in relation to systematic reviews and meta-analyses themselves, can produce a reliable and valid evidence synthesis. Hence, quality of meta-research projects also affects evidence synthesis reliability. In this overview…
Methods for evaluating causality in observational studies.
2019
BACKGROUND: In clinical medical research, causality is demonstrated by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Often, however, an RCT cannot be conducted for ethical reasons, and sometimes for practical reasons as well. In such cases, knowledge can be derived from an observational study instead. In this article, we present two methods that have not been widely used in medical research to date. METHODS: The methods of assessing causal inferences in observational studies are described on the basis of publications retrieved by a selective literature search. RESULTS: Two relatively new approaches—regression-discontinuity methods and interrupted time series—can be used to demonstrate a causal relat…
Blood Component Therapy and Coagulopathy in Trauma: A Systematic Review of the Literature from the Trauma Update Group
2016
Background Traumatic coagulopathy is thought to increase mortality and its treatment to reduce preventable deaths. However, there is still uncertainty in this field, and available literature results may have been overestimated. Methods We searched the MEDLINE database using the PubMed platform. We formulated four queries investigating the prognostic weight of traumatic coagulopathy defined according to conventional laboratory testing, and the effectiveness in reducing mortality of three different treatments aimed at contrasting coagulopathy (high fresh frozen plasma/packed red blood cells ratios, fibrinogen, and tranexamic acid administration). Randomized controlled trials were selected alo…
Using natural analogues to investigate the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on Northern ecosystems
2018
AbstractNorthern oceans are in a state of rapid transition. Still, our knowledge of the likely effects of climate change and ocean acidification on key species in the food web, functionally important habitats and the structure of Arctic and sub-Arctic ecosystems is limited and based mainly on short-term laboratory studies on single species. This review discusses how tropical and temperate natural analogues of carbonate chemistry drivers, such as CO2 vents, have been used to further our knowledge of the sensitivity of biological systems to predicted climate change, and thus assess the capacity of different species to show long-term acclimation and adaptation to elevated levels of pCO2. Natur…
Physical activity and exercise in mild cognitive impairment and dementia::an umbrella review of intervention and observational studies
2020
Objectives:\ud \ud The aim of this umbrella review was to determine the effect of physical activity/exercise on improving cognitive and noncognitive outcomes in people with MCI (mild cognitive impairment) and dementia.\ud \ud Design:\ud \ud Umbrella review of systematic reviews (SR), with or without meta-analyses (MAs), of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies.\ud \ud Settings and Participants:\ud \ud People with MCI or dementia, confirmed through validated assessment measures. Any form of physical activity/exercise was included. As controls, we included participants not following any prespecified physical activity/exercise intervention or following the same standard…
Orthostatic hypotension and health outcomes: an umbrella review of observational studies
2019
To investigate potential relationships between orthostatic hypotension (OH) and negative health outcomes and mortality, through an umbrella review with integrated meta-analyses. Orthostatic hypotension is significantly associated with several negative outcomes in older people, but a suggestive evidence is available only for higher risk of coronary heart disease congestive heart failure, stroke, falls dementia, and all-cause mortality. Orthostatic hypotension seems to be significantly associated with several negative health outcomes in older people, even if only associations with coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, falls, dementia, and all-cause mortality are supported …
The Association between Lead and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review.
2019
The etiology of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is complex and multifactorial. Although the development of ADHD symptoms remains to be elucidated, in recent years, epigenetic processes have emerged as candidate mechanisms. Lead is one of the most dangerous environmental pollutants, and it is suspected to be associated with ADHD. The aim of the present study was to review the epidemiological literature currently available on the relation between lead exposure and the diagnosis of ADHD. The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched from 1 July 2018 up to 31 July 2018. The authors included observational studies (cohort, case–control and cross-sectional studies) published in Eng…
Colorectal cancer health services research study protocol: the CCR-CARESS observational prospective cohort project
2016
The REDISSEC CARESS-CCR (Results and Health Services Research in Colorectal Cancer)- group: Jose María Quintana, Marisa Baré, Maximino Redondo, Eduardo Briones, Nerea Fernández de Larrea, Cristina Sarasqueta, Antonio Escobar, Francisco Rivas, Maria M. Morales-Suárez, Juan Antonio Blasco, Isabel del Cura, Inmaculada Arostegui, Amaia Bilbao, Nerea González, Susana García-Gutiérrez, Iratxe Lafuente, Urko Aguirre, Miren Orive, Josune Martin, Ane Antón-Ladislao, Núria Torà, Marina Pont, María Purificación Martínez del Prado, Alberto Loizate, Ignacio Zabalza, José Errasti, Antonio Z Gimeno, Santiago Lázaro, Mercè Comas, Jose María Enríquez, Carlos Placer, Amaia Perales, Iñaki Urkidi, Jose María E…
Prevalence and comorbidity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Spain: study protocol for extending a systematic review with updated meta-a…
2019
© The Author(s) 2019.