Xin-long Ma

A methodological, systematic review of evidence-based independent risk factors for surgical site infections after spinal surgery

ObjectiveTo identify the independent risk factors, based on available evidence in the literature, for patients developing surgical site infections (SSI) after spinal surgery.MethodsNon-interventional studies evaluating the independent risk factors for patients developing SSI following spinal surgery were searched in Medline, Embase, Sciencedirect and OVID. The quality of the included studies was assessed by a modified quality assessment tool that had been previously designed for observational studies. The effects of studies were combined with the study quality score using a best-evidence synthesis model.ResultsThirty-six observational studies involving 2,439 patients with SSI after spinal surgery were identified. The included studies covered a wide range of indications and surgical procedures. These articles were published between 1998 and 2012. According to the quality assessment criteria for included studies, 15 studies were deemed to be high-quality studies, 5 were moderate-quality studies, and 16 were low-quality studies. A total of 46 independent factors were evaluated for risk of SSI. There was strong evidence for six factors, including obesity/BMI, longer operation times, diabetes, smoking, history of previous SSI and type of surgical procedure. We also identified 8 moderate-evidence, 31 limited-evidence and 1 conflicting-evidence factors.ConclusionAlthough there is no conclusive evidence for why postoperative SSI occurs, these data provide evidence to guide clinicians in admitting patients who will have spinal operations and to choose an optimal prophylactic strategy. Further research is still required to evaluate the effects of these above risk factors.

Balloon kyphoplasty versus percutaneous vertebroplasty in treating osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture: grading the evidence through a systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo assess the safety and efficacy of balloon kyphoplasty (KP) compared with percutaneous vertebroplasty (VP) and provide recommendations for using these procedures to treat osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF).MethodsA systematic search of all studies published through March 2012 was conducted using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, OVID, ScienceDirect and Cochrane CENTRAL databases. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized controlled trials that compared KP to VP and provided data on safety and clinical effects were identified. Demographic characteristics, adverse events and clinical outcomes were manually extracted from all of the selected studies. The evidence quality levels and recommendations were assessed using the GRADE system.ResultsTwelve studies encompassing 1,081 patients met the inclusion criteria. Subgroup meta-analyses were performed according to the study design. In the RCT subgroup, there were significant differences between the two procedures in short-term visual analog scale (VAS), long-term kyphosis angles, operative times and anterior vertebrae heights. In the cohort study subgroup, there were significant differences between the two procedures in short- and long-term VAS, short- and long-term Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), cement leakage rates, short- and long-term kyphosis angles, operative times and anterior vertebrae heights. However, there were no significant differences in long-term VAS or adjacent vertebral fracture rates in the RCT subgroup. There were no significant differences in short- or long-term VAS, short- or long-term ODI, cement leakage rates, adjacent vertebral fracture rates, short- or long-term kyphosis angles or anterior vertebrae heights in the CCT subgroup, and the adjacent vertebral fracture rates did not differ significantly in the cohort study subgroup. The overall GRADE system evidence quality was very low, which lowers our confidence in their recommendations.ConclusionsKP and VP are both safe and effective surgical procedures for treating OVCF. KP may be superior to VP in patients with large kyphosis angles, vertebral fissures, fractures in the posterior edge of the vertebral body or significant height loss in the fractured vertebrae. Due to the poor quality of the evidence currently available, high-quality RCTs are required.

A meta-analysis of balloon kyphoplasty compared to percutaneous vertebroplasty for treating osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures

A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of balloon kyphoplasty (KP) compared to percutaneous vertebroplasty (VP) in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF). Ten studies, encompassing 783 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the results of the meta-analysis indicated that there were significant differences between the two groups in the long-term kyphosis angle (mean difference [MD] = -2.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -4.66 to -0.61; p = 0.01), the anterior height of the vertebral body (MD = 3.67, 95% CI = 1.40 to 5.94; p = 0.002), and the cement leakage rates (risk ratio [RR] = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.52 to 0.95; p = 0.02). However, there were no significant differences in the short-term visual analog scale (VAS) scores (MD = -0.57, 95% CI -1.33 to 0.20; p = 0.15), the long-term VAS scores (MD = -0.99, 95% CI = -2.29 to 0.31; p = 0.14), the short-term Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores (MD = -6.54, 95% CI = -14.57 to 1.48; p = 0.11), the long-term ODI scores (MD=-2.01, 95% CI = -11.75 to 7.73; p = 0.69), the operation time (MD = 4.47, 95% CI = -0.22 to 9.17; p = 0.06), the short-term kyphosis angle (MD = -2.25, 95% CI = -5.14 to 0.65; p = 0.13), or the adjacent-level fracture rates (RR = 1.52, 95% CI = 0.76 to 3.03; p = 0.24). This meta-analysis demonstrates that KP and VP are both safe and effective surgical procedures for treating OVCF. Compared with VP, KP can significantly relieve a long-term kyphosis angle, improve the height of the vertebral body, and reduce the incidence of bone cement leakage. However, because of the limitations of this meta-analysis, a large randomized controlled trial is required to confirm our findings.

Topical application of tranexamic acid in primary total hip arthroplasty: A systemic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs was performed to evaluate efficacy for the reduction of postoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements of topical use of tranexamic acid in patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty. METHOD Potential articles were identified from Medline (1966 - September 2014), Embase (1980 - September 2014), Pubmed (1980 - September 2014) and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Other internet databases are also searched to find trials according to the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. Moreover, gray literatures are also selected from the reference list of the included studies. High quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs were selected. The software RevMan 5.1 was used for the mate-analysis. RESULTS Four RCTs and four non-RCT meet the inclusion criteria. There were significant differences in hemoglobin, total blood loss, transfusion requirements and postoperative drainage volume between TXA groups and control groups. There were no significant differences in length of stay, incidence of wound infection, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) between treatment and control groups. CONCLUSIONS Present meta-analysis indicates that the antifibrinolytic agent, also known as tranexamic acid, could reduce hemoglobin decline, volume of drainage, total blood loss and transfusion requirements after THA, and is not related to adverse reactions or complications such as wound infection, DVT and PE.

Continuous Local Infiltration Analgesia for Pain Control After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

AbstractA total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has always been associated with moderate to severe pain. As more research is conducted on the use of continuous local infiltration analgesia (CLIA) to manage pain after a TKA, it is necessary to reassess the efficacy and safety of the TKA method. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pain control of CLIA versus placebo after a TKA.In January 2015, a systematic computer-based search was conducted in the Medline, Embase, PubMed, CENTRAL (Cochrane Controlled Trials Register), Web of Science, Google database, and Chinese Wanfang databases. This systematic review and meta-analysis were performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement criteria. The primary endpoint was the visual analog scale score after a TKA with rest or mobilization at 24, 48, and 72 hours, which represents the effect of pain control after TKA. The complications of infection, nausea, and whether it prolonged wound drainage were also compiled to assess the safety of CLIA. RevMan 5.30 software was used for the meta-analysis. After testing for publication bias and heterogeneity across studies, data were aggregated for random-effects modeling when necessary.Ten studies involving 735 patients met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis revealed that continuous infusion analgesia provided better pain control with rest at 24 hours (mean difference [MD] −12.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] −16.63 to 8.45), and with mobilization at 24 hours (MD −18.27, 95% CI −27.52 to 9.02) and 48 hours (MD −14.19, 95% CI −21.46 to 6.93). There was no significant difference with respect to the visual analog scale score at 48 hours (MD −6.15, 95% CI −13.51 to 1.22, P = 0.10) and 72 hours (MD −3.63, 95% CI −10.43 to 3.16, P = 0.29) with rest and at 72 hours with mobilization (MD −4.25, 95% CI −16.27 to 7.77, P = 0.49). However, CLIA increased the rate of infection (relative risk [RR] 3.16, 95% CI 1.18–8.50, P = 0.02) and the rate of nausea or vomiting (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.37–0.96, P = 0.03). There were no significant differences in the length of hospital stay (MD −0.34, 95% CI −1.09 to 0.42, P = 0.38), deep venous thrombosis (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.41, P = 0.99), or duration of surgery (MD 1.20, 95% CI −4.59 to 6.98, P = 0.69).On the basis of the current meta-analysis, CLIA was more efficacious for reducing postoperative pain than the placebo at 24 hours with rest and at 24 and 48 hours with mobilization, but it increased the risk of infection. However, CLIA did not prolong the length of hospital stay or the duration of surgery. There was also a higher heterogeneity of different analgesic drugs mixed and a high risk of selection bias in this analysis; therefore, more high-quality randomized controlled trials with standardized CLIA are necessary for proper comparisons of this technique with other methods.

Identification of long noncoding RNA associated with osteoarthritis in humans.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an important class of genes involved in various biological functions; however, knowledge about lncRNAs in osteoarthritis (OA) is limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify which lncRNAs are expressed in OA versus normal cartilage.

A meta-analysis of cervical arthroplasty compared to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for single-level cervical disc disease

There is no consensus on whether anterior cervical arthroplasty or anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is the optimal treatment for single-level cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to compare the safety and efficacy of anterior cervical arthroplasty with ACDF. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, there were significant differences between these two treatment approaches in the arm visual analog scale (VAS) scores [mean difference (MD)=-4.86, 95% confidence interval (CI)=-6.42 to -3.30], neck VAS scores (MD=-7.90, 95% CI=-10.36 to -5.44), overall success rate [odds ratio (OR)=1.84, 95% CI=1.43 to 2.36], neurological success rate (OR=1.75, 95% CI=1.20 to 2.55), and incidence of reoperation [risk ratio (RR)=0.50, 95% CI=0.26 to 0.97]. However, there were no significant differences in the neck disability index (NDI) scores (MD=-3.81, 95% CI=-8.12 to 0.51), number of adverse events (RR=0.77, 95% CI=0.48 to 1.23), or radiological success rate (OR=0.87, 95% CI=0.36 to 2.09). Based on this meta-analysis, cervical arthroplasty is a safe and effective surgical procedure for treating single-level cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy.

Risk factors for new vertebral compression fractures after percutaneous vertebroplasty: qualitative evidence synthesized from a systematic review.

Study Design. Methodological systematic review. Objective. To identify the risk factors for new vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) in patients after percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) and to grade the evidence according to the quality of included studies. Summary of Background Data. PVP is an effective procedure for the treatment of VCFs. A major concern after PVP in patients with osteoporosis is the occurrence of new VCFs in the untreated vertebrae. The risk factors for new VCFs after PVP reported thus far remain controversial. These risk factors have neither been well identified or summarized. This systematic review was performed to identify the risk factors for new VCFs after PVP. Methods. Noninterventional studies evaluating the risk factors for new VCFs of patients with osteoporosis after PVP were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, and OVID databases (all up to November 2012). Only observational studies with eligible data were included. Quality of included studies was assessed by a modified quality assessment tool, which was previously designed for observational study. The effects of studies were combined with the study quality score using a model of best-evidence synthesis. Results. Twenty-four observational studies involving 3789 patients were included. These articles were published between 2004 and 2012. According to the quality assessment criteria for included studies, 8 studies were deemed as high-quality studies, 6 as moderate-quality studies, and 10 as low-quality studies. There were strong evidences of 3 risk factors, including lower bone mineral density, lower body mass index, intradiscal cement leakage, and vertebral height restoration. We also identified 6 moderate-evidence factors including lower body mass index, number of pre-existing vertebral fractures, thoracolumbar junction in initial VCFs, cement distraction, older age, and number of treated vertebrae. Thirteen factors were classified into the limited-evidence risk factors. Conclusion. Although there is no conclusive evidence for new VCFs of patients with osteoporosis after PVP procedure, these data provide evidence to guide the surgeon and develop optimal preventions for new VCFs after PVP. Special attention should be paid to the 3 strong-evidence risk factors. Further studies were still required to evaluate the effects of the earlier mentioned risk factors. Level of Evidence: 2

Intramedullary nail versus dynamic compression plate fixation in treating humeral shaft fractures: grading the evidence through a meta-analysis.

There is a debate regarding the choice of operative intervention in humeral shaft fractures that require surgical intervention. The choices for operative interventions include intramedullary nailing (IMN) and dynamic compression plate (DCP). This meta-analysis was performed to compare fracture union, functional outcomes, and complication rates in patients treated with IMN or DCP for humeral shaft fractures and to develop GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation)-based recommendations for using the procedures to treat humeral shaft fractures. A systematic search of all the studies published through December 2012 was conducted using the Medline, Embase, Sciencedirect, OVID and Cochrane Central databases. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs that compared IMN with DCP in treating adult patients with humeral shaft fractures and provided data regarding the safety and clinical effects were identified. The demographic characteristics, adverse events and clinical outcomes were manually extracted from all of the selected studies. Ten studies that included a total of 448 patients met the inclusion criteria. The results of a meta-analysis indicated that both IMN and DCP can achieve similar fracture union with a similar incidence of radial nerve injury and infection. IMN was associated with an increased risk of shoulder impingement, more restriction of shoulder movement, an increased risk of intraoperative fracture comminution, a higher incidence of implant failure, and an increased risk of re-operation. The overall GRADE system evidence quality was very low, which reduces our confidence in the recommendations of this system. DCP may be superior to IMN in the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. Because of the low quality evidence currently available, high-quality RCTs are required.

Open reduction and internal fixation versus external fixation for unstable distal radial fractures: A meta-analysis

PURPOSE To compare the clinical outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) versus the ones of closed reduction and external fixation (EF) in the treatment of distal radial fractures. METHODS We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that compared the clinical results of ORIF to EF in the treatment of distal radial fractures. A systemic retrieve from PubMed, EMBASE, OVID and Cochrane Collaboration CENTRAL database resulted in 11 studies with 824 patients. We thus performed data synthesis using RevMan (version 5.1). RESULTS Superior statistical differences were observed for DASH scores (at 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up) grip strength (at 3 months follow-up), volar tilt (at 12 months follow-up), flexion and supination (at 3 months follow-up), and extension (at 3 and 6 months follow-up) in ORIF patients group, compared with those in EF group. We also found a significantly higher risk of infection associated with EF. There was no significant difference in the incidence of malunion and median nerve dysfunction. CONCLUSION Regarding surgical fixation of unstable distal radius fractures, ORIF yields significantly better subjective outcome (DASH scores) the first year after operation, restoration of anatomic volar tilt, and forearm flexion and extension at the end of the follow-up period. However, EF results in higher incidence of infection compared to ORIF. ORIF is equal to EF for either grip strength, or range of motion of the injured wrist, or incidence of malunion or median nerve dysfunction at the end of the follow-up period. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level II. Therapeutic study.