The role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in the adjuvant treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been well-established. Our meta-analysis aimed to determine whether the administration of EGFR-TKIs could improve the outcomes of patients with NSCLC undergoing complete resection.

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the research on volume and outcome relationships in critical care.

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in the nonpremature pediatric patient is currently treated by surgical ligation or catheter occlusion. There is no clear superiority of one technique over the other. This meta-analysis compares the clinical outcomes of the two treatment options for PDA.

Warfarin is a widely prescribed anticoagulant, and its effect depends on various patient factors including genotypes. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing genotype-guided dosing (GD) of warfarin with standard dosing have shown mixed efficacy and safety outcomes. We performed a meta-analysis of all published RCTs comparing GD vs standard dosing in adult patients with various indications of warfarin use.

This study aimed to determine whether inhaled prostaglandins are associated with improvement in pulmonary physiology or mortality in patients with ARDS and assess adverse effects.

Visceral pleural invasion (VPI) is considered an aggressive and invasive factor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recent studies found that depending on tumor size, VPI influences T stage, but there is no consensus on whether VPI is important in node-negative NSCLC. In addition, its role in stage IB NSCLC is still uncertain. In this meta-analysis, we assessed the role of VPI in node-negative NSCLC according to various tumor sizes and especially in stage IB disease.

Although the aerobic profile of the quadriceps muscle is reduced in COPD, there is conflicting evidence regarding whether this leads to reduced quadriceps muscle endurance. We, therefore, performed a systematic review of studies comparing quadriceps endurance in individuals with COPD with that in healthy control subjects.

Self-management (SM) reduces hospital admissions in patients with stable COPD. However, its role immediately post-acute exacerbation (AE) is unclear. The objectives of this review were to describe SM interventions delivered immediately following an AE of COPD (AECOPD) and to conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis of its impact on health-care utilization and health outcomes.

An increased cancer risk in patients with sarcoidosis has been suggested, although results are conflicting in a number of case-control and cohort studies. We conducted a systematic review of all available data and performed a meta-analysis to better define and quantify the association between sarcoidosis and cancer.

The role of tiotropium for the treatment of asthma has not yet been clearly defined. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy and safety of tiotropium in patients with asthma.

Studies suggest outpatient treatment or early discharge of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (aPE) is reasonable for those deemed to be at low risk of early mortality. We sought to determine clinical prediction rule accuracy for identifying patients with aPE at low risk for mortality.

The effect of single-dose etomidate on mortality in patients with sepsis remains controversial. We systematically reviewed the literature to investigate whether a single dose of etomidate for rapid sequence intubation increased mortality in patients with sepsis.

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOAs) have been shown to be as effective and at least as safe as conventional anticoagulation for the prevention of recurrences in patients with VTE. Whether this is the case in patients with cancer-associated VTE remains undefined.

The role of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET imaging for diagnosing malignant pleural effusions is not well defined. The aim of this study was to summarize the evidence for its use in ruling in or out the malignant origin of a pleural effusion or thickening.

Several studies have described heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) from early blood samples as a predictor of outcome in acute pulmonary embolism (PE). This systematic review is designed to determine the prognostic value of H-FABP aimed for use in patients with acute PE.

Background: The use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in patients with COPD. However, the risks of other respiratory infections, such as TB and influenza, remain unclear.Methods: Through a comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to July 2013, we identified randomized controlled trials of ICS therapy lasting at least 6 months. We conducted meta-analyses by the Peto, Mantel-Haenszel, and Bayesian approaches to generate summary estimates comparing ICS with non-ICS treatment on the risk of TB and influenza.Results: Twenty-fi ve trials (22,898 subjects) for TB and 26 trials (23,616 subjects) for influenza were included. Compared with non-ICS treatment, ICS treatment was associated with a significantly higher risk of TB (Peto OR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.04-5.03) but not influenza (Peto OR, 1.24;95% CI, 0.94-1.63). Results were similar with each meta-analytic approach. Furthermore, the number needed to harm to cause one additional TB event was lower for patients with COPD treated with ICSs in endemic areas than for those in nonendemic areas (909 vs 1,667, respectively).Conclusions: This study raises safety concerns about the risk of TB and influenza associated with ICS use in patients with COPD, which deserve further investigation.

Lung cancer is the most frequent malignant asbestos-related pathology and remains the most fatal cancer of industrialized countries. In heavy smokers, early detection of lung cancer with chest CT scan leads to a 20% mortality reduction. However, the use of CT scan screening for early detection of lung cancer in asbestos-exposed workers requires further investigation. This study aimed to determine whether CT scan screening in asbestos-exposed workers is effective in detecting asymptomatic lung cancer using a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Current treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have been shown to improve dyspnea, 6-min walk distance (6MWD), and pulmonary hemodynamics, but few studies were designed to compare treatment regimens or assess the impact of treatment on mortality.

β-Blockers are avoided in asthma over concerns regarding acute bronchoconstriction. Risk is greatest following acute exposure, including the potential for antagonism of β2-agonist rescue therapy.

CPAP is considered the therapy of choice for OSA, but the extent to which it can reduce BP is still under debate. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to quantify the effect size of the reduction of BP by CPAP therapy compared with other passive (sham CPAP, tablets of placebo drug, conservative measures) or active (oral appliance, antihypertensive drugs) treatments.