Helicobacter pylori infection and risk of multiple sclerosis: An updated meta‐analysis

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Helicobacter pylori infection and risk of multiple sclerosis: An updated meta‐analysis via Helicobacter Abstract Background There is considerable controversy around the question as to whether Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has a protective or causative role in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS). This study evaluated published information to assess the association between H. pylori infection and MS. Methods We conducted a comprehensive systematic review of relevant observational studies in international databases. A random-effects model was used to calculate pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). I 2 statistic was used to assess the between-study heterogeneity. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were applied to identify the source of heterogeneity. Results In total, 22 studies (25 datasets) were eligible for the meta-analysis: 17 datasets had prevalence data and eight datasets had data on the mean titer of anti-H. pylori IgG. The pooled prevalence of H. pylori was 44.1% (908/2606) in the MS patients and 46.1% (1016/2200) in the controls, indicating a non-significant protective effect of H. pylori on MS (OR, 0.82; 95%CI, 0.58–1.17). In the subgroup analysis, studies that used ELISA yielded a significant protective association (OR, 0.59; 95%CI, 0.46–0.77), while a positive non-significant association (OR, 1.33; 95%CI, 0.83–2.15) was found from studies that used other serological methods; interestingly, a significant positive association (OR, 6.64; 95%CI, 2.40–13.76) was found from studies that used histological methods to detect H. pylori infection. Conclusions Our findings do not support the hypothesis that H. pylori infection represents a protective factor against the development of MS; however, the results varied depending on the diagnostic method(s). Particularly, a significant positive association was identified when studies introduced results based on histological examination, suggesting that active H. pylori infection might be a risk factor for development of MS. Thus, further studies are needed utilizing accurate diagnostic methods to elucidate the association between active H. pylori infection and MS. View on Web

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Diagnostic test accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy in squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Diagnostic test accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy in squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx: A systematic review and meta‐analysis via Head & Neck Abstract The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the diagnostic test accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with oropharyngeal, laryngeal, and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). For this purpose, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched from inception to March 8, 2022. Included were studies evaluating diagnostic test accuracy of SLNB to identify cervical lymph node metastases with elective neck dissection or follow-up as reference. A bivariate generalized linear mixed model approach was used for the meta-analysis. Nineteen studies were eligible, evaluating 377 cases in total. The pooled estimates of sensitivity and negative predictive value were 0.93 (95% CI: 0.86–0.96) and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.94–0.98), respectively. The excellent accuracy of SLNB justifies a place in the diagnostic workup of patients with larynx and pharynx SCC. Randomized trials are required to demonstrate oncologic safety and benefits on treatment related morbidity and quali ty of life when omitting elective neck treatment based on SLNB. View on Web

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Disease Burden, Risk Factors, and Trends of Primary Central Nervous System (CNS) Cancer: a global study of registries data

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Disease Burden, Risk Factors, and Trends of Primary Central Nervous System (CNS) Cancer: a global study of registries data via Neuro-Oncology Advance Access Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate the global incidence, mortality, associated risk factors, and temporal trends of central nervous system (CNS) cancer by sex, age, and country. Methods We extracted incidence and mortality of CNS cancer from the GLOBOCAN (2020), Cancer Incidence in Five Continents series I-X, WHO mortality database, the Nordic Cancer Registries, and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. We searched the Global Health data exchanges for the prevalence of its associated risk factors. We tested the trends by Average Annual Percentage Change (AAPC) from Joinpoint regression analysis with 95% confidence intervals in different age groups. Results The age-standardized rates (ASRs) of CNS cancer incidence and mortality were 3.5 and 2.8 per 100,000 globally. Southern Europe (ASR=6.0) and Western Asia (ASR=4.2) had the highest incidence and mortality, respectively. The incidence was associated with Human Development Index, Gross Domestics Products per capita, prevalence of traumatic brain injuries, occupational carcinogens exposure, and mobile phone use at the country level. There was an overall stable and mixed trend in the CNS cancer burden. However, increasing incidence was observed in younger male population from five countries, with Slovakia (AAPC=5.40; 95% CI=1.88, 9.04; p=0.007) reporting the largest increase. Conclusions While the overall global trends of cancer have been largely stable, significant increasing trends were found in the younger male population. The presence of some higher-HDI countries with increasing mortality suggested an ample scope for further research and exploration of the reasons behind these epidemiological trends. View on Web

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