OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the methodological quality and reporting quality of Meta-analysis literature published by acupuncture journals included in Chinese Science Citation Database (CSCD), and to provide references and demonstration for relevant studies. METHODS: The Meta-analysis literature published before December 2017 in , , and was retrieved by computer. AMSTAR was used for methodology quality evaluation, and PRISMA was used for reporting quality evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 69 literature was included. Among them, the co-authorship rate was 100% and the cooperation degree was 5.45. The first authors came from 32 institutions, and 29 literature (42.0%) was funded. The cited rate was 98.6%, and averagely each paper was cited 16.3 times. The mean score of methodology quality evaluation was (7.78±1.14) points, including 14 high-quality literature (20.3%), 50 moderate-quality literature (72.5%) and 5 low-quality literature (7.2%). The average score of reporting quality evaluation was (20.33±2.36) points, including 24 relatively complete literature (34.8%), 41 literature with certain defects (59.4%) and 4 literature with serious defects (5.8%). CONCLUSION The Meta-analysis reports published by acupuncture journals in CSCD have relatively high methodological quality and reporting quality, which could provide evidence for clinical decision making, but still the quality level needed to be further enhanced according to the writing standard of Meta-analysis report. At the same time, the overall level of experimental research should be constantly improved to promote the development of evidence-based research on acupuncture and promote the formation of high-quality evidence.
Acupuncture Therapy ; China ; Databases, Factual ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Periodicals as Topic ; standards ; statistics & numerical data ; Publications

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to compare instrumental vaginal deliveries (IDs) and Caesarean sections (CSs) performed at full cervical dilatation, including factors influencing delivery and differences in maternal and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients who experienced a prolonged second stage of labour at Singapore General Hospital from 2010 to 2012. A comparison between CS and ID was made through analysis of maternal/neonatal characteristics and peripartum outcomes. RESULTS: Of 253 patients who required intervention for a prolonged second stage of labour, 71 (28.1%) underwent CS and 182 (71.9%) underwent ID. 5 (2.0%) of the patients who underwent CS had failed ID. Of the maternal characteristics considered, ethnicity was significantly different. Induction of labour and intrapartum epidural did not influence delivery type. 70.4% of CSs occurred outside office hours, compared with 52.7% of IDs (p = 0.011). CS patients experienced a longer second stage of labour (p < 0.001). Babies born via CS were heavier (p < 0.001), while the ID group had a higher proportion of occipitoanterior presentations (p < 0.001). Estimated maternal blood loss was higher with CSs (p < 0.001), but neonatal outcomes were similar. CONCLUSION More than one in four parturients requiring intervention for a prolonged second stage of labour underwent emergency CS. Low failed instrumentation rates and larger babies in the CS group suggest accurate diagnoses of cephalopelvic disproportion. The higher incidence of CS after hours suggests trainee reluctance to attempt ID. There were no clinically significant differences in maternal and neonatal morbidity.
Adult ; Cesarean Section ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Databases, Factual ; Delivery, Obstetric ; Emergency Medical Services ; Extraction, Obstetrical ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Labor Stage, First ; Labor Stage, Second ; Obstetrical Forceps ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Singapore ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To establish a digital subtraction angiography (DSA) information management and image analysis system to realize scientific management of DSA image information and efficient processing of image data. METHODS: Based on Java Web under Windows 7 environment, a dynamic Browser/Server mode system was constructed by JSP and Servlet on the network. Eclipse and MySQL were used as development tool and database development platform. Tomcat network information service was used as application server. Matlab codes were embedded to analyze DSA image. RESULTS: The system consists of five modules:image information management, image processing, image analysis, advanced retrieval and clinical data management. It may complete such process as storing, deleting, saving, analyzing of DSA image and basic information of patients. CONCLUSIONS The main interface of the system is user-friendly and easy to operate. The system will be helpful to the clinical, teaching and scientific research work related to DSA.
Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; statistics & numerical data ; Databases, Factual ; Humans ; Indonesia ; Information Management ; Internet ; Software ; User-Computer Interface

Objective: To carry out a quantitative estimate that related to the effects of short-term exposure to PM(2.5) on all-cause mortality and emergency visits in China by using the systematic review and Meta-analysis. Methods: We selected all the studies published before March 2018 from China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, PubMed and EMBASE and data on relative risk (RR), excess risk (ER) and their 95%CIs: appeared in these papers were extracted. According to the differences in the size or direction (heterogeneity) of the results, we computed summary estimates of the effect values using a random-effect or fixed effect model. We also conducted the subgroup analysis and Meta-analysis to have assessed the selected studies for the evidence of study bias. Results: A total of 33 original studies, indexed in databases, were identified. Among those studies, 39 sets of data on mortality and 4 sets of data on emergency were valid to show that within the daily concentration range from 47.7 to 176.7 μg/m(3), for 10 μg/m(3) increases in PM(2.5) concentrations, it would increase the daily numbers of deaths by 0.49% (95%CI: 0.39%-0.59%) and 0.30% (95%CI: 0.10%-0.51%) for all-cause deaths and all-cause emergency-room visits, respectively. For subgroup analysis, the combined effect of PM(2.5) in causing short-term all-cause deaths in the northern areas (ER=0.42%, 95%CI: 0.30%-0.54%) seemed lower than that in the southern areas (ER=0.63%, 95%CI: 0.44%-0.82%). The combined effect of PM(2.5) concentration below 75 μg/m(3) (ER=0.50%, 95%CI: 0.37%-0.62%) was higher than that of PM(2.5) concentration ≥75 μg/m(3) (ER=0.39%, 95%CI: 0.26%-0.52%). Conclusion: Within the concentration range from 47.7 to 176.7 μg/m(3), short-term exposure to current level of PM(2.5) might increase both the all-cause daily mortality and daily emergency visits in China.
Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution/statistics & numerical data* ; China ; Databases, Factual ; Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data* ; Environmental Exposure/statistics & numerical data* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Particulate Matter/toxicity* ; Time Factors

Administration, Oral ; Analysis of Variance ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cohort Studies ; Databases, Factual ; Disease Progression ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitalization ; statistics & numerical data ; Hospitals, Pediatric ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Orbital Cellulitis ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Severity of Illness Index ; Singapore ; Treatment Outcome

The Western China Gastric Cancer Collaboration (WCGCC) was founded in Chongqing, China in 2011. At the early stage of the collaboration, there were only about 20 centers. While now, there are 36 centers from western area of China, including Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Shanxi, Guizhou, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Ningxia and Tibet. During the past few years, the WCGCC organized routinely gastric cancer standardized treatment tours, training courses of mini-invasive surgical treatment of gastric cancer and the clinical research methodology for members of the collaboration. Meanwhile, the WCGCC built a multicenter database of gastric cancer since 2011 and the entering and management refer to national gastric cancer registration entering system of Japan Gastric Cancer Association. During the entering and collection of data, 190 items of data have unified definition and entering standard from Japan Gastric Cancer Guidelines. Nowadays, this database included about 11 872 gastric cancer cases, and in this paper we will introduce the initial results of these cases. Next, the collaboration will conduct some retrospective studies based on this database to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of patients in the western area of China. Besides, the WCGCC performed a prospective study, also. The first randomized clinical trial of the collaboration aims to compare the postoperative quality of life between different reconstruction methods for total gastrectomy(WCGCC-1202, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02110628), which began in 2015, and now this study is in the recruitment period. In the next steps, we will improve the quality of the database, optimize the management processes. Meanwhile, we will engage in more exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese Cochrane Center, reinforce the foundation of the clinical trials research methodology. In aspect of standardized surgical treatment of gastric cancer, we will further strengthen communication with other international centers in order to improve both the treatment and research levels of gastric cancer in Western China.
Cancer Care Facilities ; China ; Clinical Protocols ; standards ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; methods ; standards ; Databases, Factual ; statistics & numerical data ; trends ; Education, Medical, Continuing ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; education ; Organizational Objectives ; Organizations ; statistics & numerical data ; trends ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Registries ; statistics & numerical data ; Research Design ; standards ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; therapy

To determine the reason for the different mortality trends of ischemic heart disease (IHD) for China between Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2010 and GBD2013, and to improve garbage code (GC) redistribution. All data were obtained from the disease surveillance points system, and two proportions for assigning chronic pulmonary heart disease (PHD) as GC to IHD were from GBD2010 and GBD2013, which were different for years before 2004. By using the GBD2013 approach, the age-standard mortality rate (ASMR) increased by 100.21% in 1991, 44.81% in 1996, and 42.47% in 2000 in comparison with the GBD2010 approach. The different methods of chronic PHD redistribution impacted the trend of IHD mortality, which elevated it in the earlier 1990s by using the GBD2013 approach. Thus, improving the redistribution of GC as a key step in mortality statistics is important.
Algorithms ; China ; epidemiology ; Databases, Factual ; Global Burden of Disease ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Models, Biological ; Myocardial Ischemia ; classification ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Population Surveillance ; Time Factors

In this study, we evaluated national differences in emergency department (ED) crowding to identify factors significantly associated with crowding in institutes and communities across Korea. This was a cross-sectional nationwide observational study using data abstracted from the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS). We calculated mean occupancy rates to quantify ED crowding status and divided EDs into three groups according to their occupancy rates (cutoffs: 0.5 and 1.0). Factors potentially related to ED crowding were collected from the NEDIS. We performed a multivariate regression analysis to identify variables significantly associated with ED crowding. A total of 120 EDs were included in the final analysis. Of these, 73 were categorized as 'low crowded' (LC, occupancy rate < 0.50), 37 as 'middle crowded' (MC, 0.50 ≤ occupancy rate < 1.00), 10 EDs as 'high crowded' (HC, 1.00 ≤ occupancy rate). The mean ED occupancy rate varied widely, from 0.06 to 2.33. The median value was 0.39 with interquartile ranges (IQRs) from 0.20 to 0.71. Multivariate analysis revealed that after adjustment, ED crowding was significantly associated with the number of visits, percentage of patients referred, number of nurses, and ED disposition. This nationwide study observed significant variety in ED crowding. Several input, throughput, and output factors were associated with crowding.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Databases, Factual ; Emergency Service, Hospital/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nurses/statistics & numerical data ; Patient Transfer/statistics & numerical data ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

In this study, we evaluated national differences in emergency department (ED) crowding to identify factors significantly associated with crowding in institutes and communities across Korea. This was a cross-sectional nationwide observational study using data abstracted from the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS). We calculated mean occupancy rates to quantify ED crowding status and divided EDs into three groups according to their occupancy rates (cutoffs: 0.5 and 1.0). Factors potentially related to ED crowding were collected from the NEDIS. We performed a multivariate regression analysis to identify variables significantly associated with ED crowding. A total of 120 EDs were included in the final analysis. Of these, 73 were categorized as 'low crowded' (LC, occupancy rate < 0.50), 37 as 'middle crowded' (MC, 0.50 ≤ occupancy rate < 1.00), 10 EDs as 'high crowded' (HC, 1.00 ≤ occupancy rate). The mean ED occupancy rate varied widely, from 0.06 to 2.33. The median value was 0.39 with interquartile ranges (IQRs) from 0.20 to 0.71. Multivariate analysis revealed that after adjustment, ED crowding was significantly associated with the number of visits, percentage of patients referred, number of nurses, and ED disposition. This nationwide study observed significant variety in ED crowding. Several input, throughput, and output factors were associated with crowding.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Databases, Factual ; Emergency Service, Hospital/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nurses/statistics & numerical data ; Patient Transfer/statistics & numerical data ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

We evaluated the differences in utilization patterns including persistence and adherence among medications in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The current study was performed using data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment claims database from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2013. Our study sample consisted of 10,343 children and adolescents with ADHD who were not given their newly prescribed medication in 360 days before the initial claim in 2010. Data were followed up from the initiation of treatment with ADHD medications in 2010 to December 31, 2013. Discontinuation rates for 4 ADHD medications in our sample ranged from 97.7% for immediate-release methylphenidate to 99.4% for atomoxetine using refill gap more than 30 days and from 56.7% for immediate-release methylphenidate to 62.3% for extended-release methylphenidate using refill gap more than 60 days. In the number of discontinued, we found significant differences among medications using refill gap more than 30 days. Among 4 ADHD medications, extended-release methylphenidate and atomoxetine had more days than immediate-release methylphenidate and osmotic-controlled oral delivery system methylphenidate. In logistic regression analyses, extended-release methylphenidate, osmotic-controlled oral delivery system methylphenidate, and atomoxetine showed less discontinuation compared to immediate-release methylphenidate group when a refill gap more than 30 days was used. In logistic regression analysis of adherence, we could not find any differences among 4 medication types. We suggest that the utilization patterns should be assessed regularly in order to improve future outcomes in children and adolescents with ADHD.
Administration, Oral ; Adolescent ; Atomoxetine Hydrochloride/therapeutic use ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/*drug therapy ; Central Nervous System Stimulants/*therapeutic use ; Child ; Databases, Factual ; Drug Compounding ; Female ; Humans ; Insurance Claim Review ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Medication Adherence/*statistics & numerical data ; Methylphenidate/therapeutic use ; Odds Ratio ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies