Latest news with #metaAnalysis
Medscape
5 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Pollution, Weather Linked to Atopic Dermatitis
TOPLINE: In a meta-analysis of 42 studies, exposure to air pollutants and high temperatures was associated with higher risk for clinic visits and worsened symptoms in adults with atopic dermatitis. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review of 42 studies from 14 countries between 1985 and 2024. They included cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies that examined associations between environmental exposures and atopic dermatitis outcomes in adults. Researchers assessed exposure to ambient air pollutants: Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), particulate matter with a diameter of 10 µm or less (PM 10 ), PM with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less (PM 2.5 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), ozone (O 3 ), temperature, precipitation, sunlight or solar radiation, humidity, secondhand smoke, seasonal variations, and pollution from traffic or industrial sources. TAKEAWAY: Outpatient clinic visits for atopic dermatitis increased with every 10-µg/m 3 increase in PM 10 (risk ratio [RR], 1.008; 95% CI, 1.003-1.012; high certainty evidence) and SO 2 (RR, 1.029; 95% CI, 1.020-1.039; high certainty evidence). increase in PM (risk ratio [RR], 1.008; 95% CI, 1.003-1.012; high certainty evidence) and SO (RR, 1.029; 95% CI, 1.020-1.039; high certainty evidence). High temperatures were also associated with moderate (OR, 2.39; 95%CI, 1.40-4.09) and severe atopic dermatitis (OR, 3.91; 95% CI, 2.20-6.96). Higher precipitation and humidity levels demonstrated probable associations with increased atopic dermatitis severity. Secondhand smoking exposure and traffic-related pollution showed probable associations with increased atopic dermatitis prevalence. IN PRACTICE: 'Increased air pollution and other environmental factors were associated with increased prevalence and activity of atopic dermatitis,' the authors wrote. These findings, they added, 'have direct public health implications, adding to the impetus to decrease pollution and mitigate climate change worldwide.' SOURCE: The study was led by Megan Park, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was published online on June 25 in JAMA Dermatology. LIMITATIONS: Limitations included heterogeneity in air pollutant measurement and reporting across regions. Only moderate-to-severe disease was likely captured. Socioeconomic data was not available and inconsistent lag reporting restricted analysis of short-term and long-term effects. DISCLOSURES: The authors did not disclose any funding source. One author reported receiving consulting fees and research grants from the British Journal of Dermatology, American Academy of Dermatology, Canadian Dermatology Today, National Eczema Association, Eczema Society of Canada, Canadian Dermatology Foundation, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, National Institutes of Health, and Physicians Services Incorporated Foundation. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Medscape
7 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
MRI Detects Missed Cervical Injuries After Negative CT
TOPLINE: MRI identified missed cervical spine injuries in 17% of patients with trauma who had negative CT results, prompting treatment changes in 4% of them. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 36 studies involving 6784 patients with trauma who underwent cervical spine MRI after a negative CT scan. Most included studies were retrospective (n = 29). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with missed injuries. Changes in treatment due to MRI findings were also evaluated. TAKEAWAY: MRI identified missed injuries in 17% of patients with initially negative CT findings. Most injuries were soft tissue injuries, with 40.1% involving the intervertebral disk and posterior ligamentous complex and 2% due to prevertebral edema. Missed injuries were more common in children than in adults (32% vs 13%). Alert patients had a higher rate of missed injuries than obtunded patients (28% vs 14%). MRI findings led to treatment changes in 4% of patients, most of which were related to the intervertebral disk and the ligaments supporting the spine, highlighting the role of MRI in reducing missed injury rates through its superior soft tissue visualization compared with CT. IN PRACTICE: "While there was no established algorithm for the indication of MRI after negative CT findings, MRI should be considered under certain circumstances to prevent missing injuries. This includes the pediatric population, obtunded patients, patients experiencing persistent pain, and when there are uncertain clinical examination findings," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Jung Hahn Yong, National University of Singapore, Singapore. It was published online on May 23, 2025, in European Spine Journal. LIMITATIONS: Most included studies were retrospective. Variability in patient age groups and incomplete reporting of MRI findings leading to treatment changes could have limited the generalizability of the results. Researchers also noted moderate-to-high heterogeneity between studies. DISCLOSURES: This study did not receive any funding. The authors declared having no conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Revealed How Much Exercise You Need to 'Offset' Sitting All Day
We know that sitting for long periods of time isn't good for us, but just how much exercise is needed to counteract the negative health effects of not escaping our desk all day? Research suggests about 30 to 40 minutes of building up a sweat should do the trick. Committing to a good half our or so of "moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity" at some point each day ought to balance out 10 hours of sitting still, the research says – although any amount of exercise or even just standing up helps to some extent. That's based on a meta-analysis study published in 2020 analyzing nine previous studies, involving a total of 44,370 people in four different countries who were wearing some form of fitness tracker. Watch the video below for a short summary: The analysis found the risk of death among those with a more sedentary lifestyle went up as time spent engaging in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity went down. "In active individuals doing about 30-40 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity, the association between high sedentary time and risk of death is not significantly different from those with low amounts of sedentary time," the researchers explained in their paper. Related: Too Much Sitting Can Still Be Harmful Even if You Exercise, Study Warns In other words, putting in some reasonably intensive activities – cycling, brisk walking, gardening – can lower your risk of an earlier death right back down to what it would be if you weren't doing all that sitting around, to the extent that this link can be seen in the amassed data of many thousands of people. While meta-analyses like this one always require some elaborate dot-joining across separate studies with different volunteers, timescales, and conditions, the benefit of this particular piece of research is that it relied on relatively objective data from wearables – not data self-reported by the participants. At the time, the study was published alongside the release of the World Health Organization 2020 Global Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour, put together by 40 scientists across six continents. The British Journal of Sports Medicine (BHSM) also put out a special edition to carry both the study and the revised guidelines. "As these guidelines emphasize, all physical activity counts and any amount of it is better than none," said physical activity and population health researcher Emmanuel Stamatakis from the University of Sydney in Australia. "People can still protect their health and offset the harmful effects of physical inactivity." The research based on fitness trackers is broadly in line with the 2020 WHO guidelines, which recommend 150-300 mins of moderate intensity or 75-150 mins of vigorous intensity physical activity every week to counter sedentary behavior. Walking up the stairs instead of taking the lift, playing with children and pets, taking part in yoga or dancing, doing household chores, walking, and cycling are all put forward as ways in which people can be more active – and if you can't manage the 30-40 minutes right away, the researchers say, start off small. Making recommendations across all ages and body types is tricky, though the 40-minute time frame for activity fits in with previous research. As more data gets published, we should learn more about how to stay healthy even if we have to spend extended periods of time at a desk. "Although the new guidelines reflect the best available science, there are still some gaps in our knowledge," said Stamatakis. "We are still not clear, for example, where exactly the bar for 'too much sitting' is. But this is a fast-paced field of research, and we will hopefully have answers in a few years' time." The research was published here, and the 2020 guidelines are available here, in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Further information is available here. An earlier version of this article was published in November 2020. Social Media Might Impair Your Recovery From Injury. Here's Why. Cat Parasite Can Seriously Disrupt Brain Function, Study Suggests New Treatment May Cure Severe Type 1 Diabetes, Study Finds
Free Malaysia Today
23-06-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
How screen use can create a vicious cycle for some children and teens
Children's screen time and socioemotional problems fuel each other over time, an Australian study finds. (Envato Elements pic) PARIS : It has long been known that screens are harmful to children. Excessive exposure has been linked to cognitive development delays, as well as learning, language and memory disorders. In adolescents, excessive screen use may cause manic symptoms, such as mood disorders and sleep disturbances. But a new Australian meta-analysis highlights a lesser-known problem: excessive screen use can exacerbate socioemotional problems in children, such as anxiety, depression, hyperactivity and aggression – in turn driving them to screens to cope with these issues. This vicious circle mainly affects children aged six to 10 and seems to be more prevalent in boys than in girls. Conducted by researchers at the University of Queensland, the findings, published in the journal Psychological Bulletin, examined around 100 studies involving more than 292,000 children from around the world. Most of the cases included in this study were conducted in the United States (41 studies), Canada (13), Australia (11), Germany, and the Netherlands (7 each). The researchers found that video games are associated with higher risks of developing behavioral disorders compared to other screen-based content, including those intended for educational or recreational purposes. 'As a kid I loved video games – they give you a challenge and powerful feedback when you're doing a good job. For this reason, games are particularly tempting for children having problems and especially hard to get children away from,' said study senior author Michael Noetel, quoted in a news release. While it's true that some video games have an educational dimension – some of them have even been recognised as a vehicle for mental well-being among teenagers – excessive use can be counterproductive. 'Parents and policymakers have long debated whether screens cause problems, or whether children with problems were simply drawn to screens,' the news release notes. 'Our review shows it's both,' Noetel revealed. 'If we only address one side of the equation – cutting down on screen time but overlooking anxiety or aggression that leads kids to screens – we risk leaving children stuck in a cycle.' However, the researcher tempers this by pointing out that the emotional and behavioral disorders mentioned can also be explained by other factors, such as exposure to alcohol and/or drugs. The '3-6-9-12 rule' In France, some health professionals now recommend keeping children under six away from screens entirely, which is three years longer than the current official recommendations. To help parents limit their children's screen time, French pediatrician Serge Tisseron has invented the '3-6-9-12 rule', designed according to children's age and stage of cognitive development. The rules are as follows: no screens before the age of 3; no personal consoles before age 6; no internet before age 9; and no internet without supervision before age 12. Other initiatives have recently emerged to encourage children and teens to 'detox' from digital devices, such as the challenge of spending 10 days without using any screens at all, in favour of activities that promote relaxation and creativity.
Medscape
12-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Pediatric HS Linked to Obesity, Acne, Other Comorbidities
A meta-analysis of 19 studies found that pediatric patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) show an increased rate of medical and psychiatric comorbidities, including obesity. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 observational studies (14 US studies), which included 17,267 pediatric patients with HS (76.7% girls; mean age, 12-17 years) and 8,259,944 pediatric patients without HS. The primary outcome was the prevalence of comorbidities in pediatric patients with HS. The main categories included metabolic, endocrinologic, inflammatory, psychiatric, dermatologic, and genetic comorbidities. TAKEAWAY: In the meta-analysis, the most prevalent condition in patients with HS was acne vulgaris (43%), followed by obesity (37%), anxiety (18%), and hirsutism (14%). Obesity showed moderate certainty association with HS in children, with prevalence ratios ranging up to 2.48, odds ratios ranging from 1.27 to 2.68, and hazard ratios up to 1.52 ( P < .001). < .001). Researchers also found a probable association between depression and HS (moderate certainty), with all studies reporting a higher incidence among patients with HS. An association with diabetes was reported in three studies (low certainty). IN PRACTICE: 'Given the significant risk of chronic comorbidities and negative sequelae in pediatric HS, our findings highlight a need for comprehensive comorbidity screening clinical guidelines in this population and emphasize the involvement of multidisciplinary teams to achieve this,' the study authors wrote. SOURCE: The study was led by Samiha T. Mohsen, MSc, University of Toronto, Toronto, and was published online on June 11 in JAMA Dermatology . LIMITATIONS: Several of the included studies were graded as low quality, and most studies did not compare the risks of comorbidities between the two groups. Most of the studies were from the US, which could limit generalizability. Significant heterogeneity was reported across the studies. DISCLOSURES: The funding source was not disclosed. Three authors reported receiving grants, personal fees, and honoraria from multiple pharmaceutical companies, including AbbVie, Novartis, UCB, Incyte, Novartis, Celltrion, Leo Pharma, Pfizer, Sanofi, and the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance. Other authors reported no conflicts of interest.
