Search

Background Nutritional deficiencies are seen in patients with food allergy. Low vitamin D levels have been found in patients with atopic conditions. Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic immune antigen-mediated disease found to be highly associated in patients with atopic disease and treated with dietary elimination with recommendations to utilize a dietician to prevent nutritional deficiencies. Nonetheless, the relationship between EoE and vitamin deficiency remains unclear. We aimed to systematically review the evidence to support a possible association between vitamin deficiency and eosinophilic esophagitis. Methods Electronic searches were performed with keywords relating to EoE and vitamins among pediatric patients in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library. Summary estimates were calculated. Citations were reviewed against pre-defined criteria. (Inclusion: human subjects, aged 0-18, with eosinophilic esophagitis. Exclusion: adults over 18 years, non-English papers). Results The search yielded 1707 studies. Five of these studies with a total of 137 pediatric patients were included in the systematic review. Outcome measures were assessed at different points in EoE treatment across studies. The single common outcome measure across all included studies was vitamin D. Reported prevalence of low vitamin D varied in these studies (0%-52%). Vitamin D levels of children with EoE both pre- and post-intervention were low. Conclusions There is limited published literature on vitamin deficiencies associated with EoE both pre- and post-intervention. The limited data on vitamin D suggest that insufficiency or deficiency may be present in these patients, but it remains unclear whether deficiency is caused by diet. More prospective, well-defined studies, in addition to routine reporting on dietary intake and nutritional status, are needed to make any conclusions or recommendations for screening.

Background The objective of this study was to assess the overall quality of study-level meta-analyses in high-ranking journals using commonly employed guidelines and standards for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Methods 100 randomly selected study-level meta-analyses published in ten highest-ranking clinical journals in 2016–2017 were evaluated by medical librarians against 4 assessments using a scale of 0–100: the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS), Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) Standards for Systematic Reviews, and quality items from the Cochrane Handbook. Multiple regression was performed to assess meta-analyses characteristics’ associated with quality scores. Results The overall median (interquartile range) scores were: PRESS 62.5(45.8–75.0), PRISMA 92.6(88.9–96.3), IOM 81.3(76.6–85.9), and Cochrane 66.7(50.0–83.3). Involvement of librarians was associated with higher PRESS and IOM scores on multiple regression. Compliance with journal guidelines was associated with higher PRISMA and IOM scores. Conclusion This study raises concerns regarding the reporting and methodological quality of published MAs in high impact journals Early involvement of information specialists, stipulation of detailed author guidelines, and strict adherence to them may improve quality of published meta-analyses.

Context: Viscosupplementation is widely used for management of knee osteoarthritis. Many formulations of hyaluronic acid (HA) are available, ranging from a single injection to a series of up to 5 injections per treatment. Objective: To compare efficacy between single and multiple HA injection formulations. Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus databases were all searched. Study Selection: Full-text prospective randomized and nonrandomized controlled human trials, cohort studies, and cost-effectiveness evaluations in the English language comparing different injection regimens of viscosupplementation were included. Study Design: Systematic review. Level of Evidence: Level 1. Data Extraction: Data were collected using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Four databases were searched by a librarian and the principal investigator, identifying 6196 articles for screening. Results: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the studies comparing single- with multiple-injection formulations of HA for treatment of knee osteoarthritis, there was no consistent difference in patient-reported outcomes. Furthermore, 5-injection formulations do not appear to be superior to 3-injection formulations. Conclusion: There are limited head-to-head trials comparing viscosupplementation formulations that differ based on number of injections, and in particular, there is a paucity of trials evaluating single-injection formulations. Based on the currently available data, there appears to be similar efficacy with the possibility for greater cost-effectiveness and less patient inconvenience with single-injection formulations.

Although a growing number of studies suggest interactions between Schistosoma parasites and viral infections, the effects of schistosome infections on the host response to viruses have not been evaluated comprehensively. In this systematic review, we investigated how schistosomes impact incidence, virulence, and prevention of viral infections in humans and animals. We also evaluated immune effects of schistosomes in those coinfected with viruses. We screened 4,730 studies and included 103. Schistosomes may increase susceptibility to some viruses, including HIV and Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, and virulence of hepatitis B and C viruses. In contrast, schistosome infection may be protective in chronic HIV, Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus-Type 1, and respiratory viruses, though further research is needed. Schistosome infections were consistently reported to impair immune responses to hepatitis B and possibly measles vaccines. Understanding the interplay between schistosomes and viruses has ramifications for anti-viral vaccination strategies and global control of viral infections., Author summary Many studies have described the effects of parasitic Schistosoma worm infections on the way that humans and animals respond to a variety of viral infections. Our goal was to evaluate, in a systematic manner, how having a schistosome parasitic infection affects a host’s susceptibility to viral infections, the clinical disease course of viral infections, and prevention of viral infections by vaccines. We also assessed the effects of schistosome infection on the host immune response to viruses. We screened 4,730 studies for potential relevance and included 103 of them in this review. Overall, our analysis showed that schistosome infection impairs the host response to many viruses. This includes increasing host susceptibility to HIV and possibly Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, worsening the severity of clinical disease in hepatitis B and C infections, and decreasing immune responses to vaccines for hepatitis B and possibly measles. The studies that we analyzed also suggested that schistosome infection may protect the host against poor clinical outcomes from some viral infections including Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus-Type 1, respiratory viruses, and chronic HIV. We discuss how these findings might be interpreted, and the additional research needed, in order to improve anti-viral vaccination strategies and control of viral infections globally.

Clinical Medical Librarians at Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), Samuel J. Wood Library provide unique health literacy services for patients, families, and caregivers on the Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children’s Health pediatric floors of New York-Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH) by conducting twice weekly patient rounds and bringing consumer health information and services to bedsides. Although in its infancy, the Pediatric Consumer Librarian Service (PCLS) generates statements of appreciation from patients and parents, enthusiasm among stakeholders, and reports of increased job satisfaction by librarians. We report on experiences, methods, feedback from users, and plans for the future.

Objective: The goal of this scoping review was to collect data on patient- and family-centered care (PFCC) programs and initiatives that have included the direct involvement of librarians and information professionals to determine how librarians are involved in PFCC and highlight opportunities for librarians to support PFCC programs.Methods: Systematic literature searches were conducted in seven scholarly databases in the information, medical, and social sciences. Studies were included if they (1) described initiatives presented explicitly as PFCC programs and (2) involved an information professional or librarian in the PFCC initiative or program. Based on the definition of PFCC provided by the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care, the authors developed a custom code sheet to organize data elements into PFCC categories or initiatives and outcomes. Other extracted data elements included how the information professional became involved in the program and a narrative description of the initiatives or programs.Results: All included studies (n=12) identified patient education or information-sharing as an integral component of their PFCC initiatives. Librarians were noted to contribute to shared decision-making through direct patient consultation, provision of health literacy education, and information delivery to both provider and patient with the goal of fostering collaborative communication.Conclusions: The synthesis of available evidence to date suggests that librarians and information professionals should focus on patient education and information-sharing to support both patients or caregivers and clinical staff. The burgeoning efforts in participatory care and inclusion of patients in the decision-making process pose a unique opportunity for librarians and information professionals to offer more personalized information services.

Fredrick E. Batten defined the pathology of subacute combined degeneration and made seminal observations about myasthenia gravis, poliomyelitis, and infantile neuronal lipofuscinosis.Fredrick Eusta...

Background: Anatomical subjects depicted in Eduard Pernkopf’s richly illustrated Topographische Anatomie des Menschen may be victims of the Nazi regime. Special collections librarians in the history of medicine can use this primary resource to initiate dialogs about ethics with medical students.Case Presentation: Reported here is the authors’ use of Pernkopf’s Atlas in an interactive medical humanities seminar designed for third-year medical students. Topical articles, illustrations, and interviews introduced students to Pernkopf, his Atlas, and the surrounding controversies. We aimed to illustrate how this controversial historical publication can successfully foster student discussion and ethical reflection.Conclusions: Pernkopf’s Atlas and our mix of contextual resources facilitated thoughtful discussions about history and ethics amongst the group. Anonymous course evaluations showed student interest in the subject matter, relevance to their studies, and appreciation of our special collection’s space and contents.