Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Can the geriatric nutritional risk index predict the risk of osteoporosis in the elderly? A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Wanghao Liu, Xiaoying Sun","doi":"10.12669/pjms.41.4.11539","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.4.11539","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The elderly are at a high risk of malnutrition as well as osteoporosis. In this review, we examined if the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) can predict the risk of osteoporosis in the elderly.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this PRISMA compliant systematic review we searched the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. The search included studies from inception of databases to December 29, 2023. All studies examining the association between GNRI and osteoporosis were included.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seven studies were selected. All studies were cross-sectional in design. Meta-analysis of all seven studies showed that low GNRI was significantly associated with the risk of osteoporosis in elderly patients (OR: 1.33 95% CI: 1.15, 1.53). The interstudy heterogeneity was high as the I² value was 87%. Results did not change on sensitivity analysis. Subgroup analysis based on study location, presence of diabetes, sample size, GNRI cut-off, method to determine cut-off, and diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis showed mixed results.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Low GNRI can be a simple marker for predicting osteoporosis in the elderly. Current evidence is from a few studies with a high risk of bias.</p>","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"41 4","pages":"1219-1225"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12022571/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143993150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A qualitative study on compassion fatigue experience and influencing factors of geriatric nurses.","authors":"Yang Dong, Yuee Huang, Danli Li, Xiaoling Li, Hongying Rao","doi":"10.12669/pjms.41.4.9051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.4.9051","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>With the rapid development of an aging society, the workload of geriatric nurses is increasing, but their psychological health issues are not receiving enough attention. This study explores the experience of compassion fatigue and its influencing factors among geriatric nurses, and provides targeted recommendations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This qualitative study, conducted at the Guangzhou First People's Hospital. Sixteen nurses of a geriatric department were selected using purposive sampling and subjected to semi-structured in-depth interviews. The study was carried out from September 2022 to February 2023, Colaizzi's method was used to analyze the qualitative data obtained from the interviews.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three main themes were extracted from the analysis: compassion fatigue greatly affects my personal mentality, various things can cause nurses to experience compassion fatigue, and compassion fatigue causes many problems in the lives and work of nurses, including ten sub-themes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This qualitative study reports nurses in geriatric department are prone to compassion fatigue. The factors influencing nurses' compassion fatigue need to be correctly identified so that targeted pre-control strategies can be adopted to promote nurses' physical and mental health, increase compassion satisfaction and reduce burnout.</p>","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"41 4","pages":"1008-1012"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12022570/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144030944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Percutaneous Kyphoplasty combined with different anti-osteoporosis drugs for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.","authors":"Weiliang Du, Wenshuai Li, Lixing Kang, Linfeng Wang","doi":"10.12669/pjms.41.4.11569","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.4.11569","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To explore the effectiveness of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) combined with different anti-osteoporosis drugs in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) by assessing bone mineral density, pain, lumbar functional recovery, and incidence of vertebral refractures after the combined therapy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this single-center retrospective study, medical records of 138 patients with OVCF who underwent PKP in the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University between January 2021 and October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 41 patients treated with calcium and alfacalciferol supplementation after PKP (Group-A), 58 patients treated with calcium and calcitonin after PKP (Group-B), and 39 patients treated with calcium, calcitonin, and alendronate sodium after PKP (Group-C). Bone mineral density, pain, lumbar functional recovery, and incidence of vertebral refractures in the three groups were compared before and after PKP.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>At six and 12 months after PKP, bone density T-values of Group-B and Group-C were significantly higher than Group-A (P<0.05). The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of Group-B and Group-C were significantly lower than Group-A (<i>P</i><0.05). At 12 months after PKP, T-value of bone density in Group-C was significantly higher, while the VAS score was significantly lower than Group-B; At six months after PKP, the Cobb angle in Group-B and Group-C was significantly lower than Group-A (<i>P</i><0.05). At 12 months after PKP, Oswestry disability index (ODI) and Cobb angle of Group-B and Group-C were significantly lower than Group-A, and the lowest in Group-C. The extent of vertebral loss in Group-C was significantly lower than Groups A and B (<i>P</i><0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures after percutaneous kyphoplasty, a combination of calcium therapy with calcitonin and alendronate sodium had a positive effect, which may effectively improve bone density, pain, and functional status, and reduce the incidence of vertebral body fractures.</p>","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"41 4","pages":"1013-1018"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12022564/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144038241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predictive value of triglyceride glucose index and systemic inflammation index for diabetic retinopathy in Type-2 diabetes.","authors":"Jie Li, Yanling Li, Qiannan Qi, Na Chen, Yueling Zhang","doi":"10.12669/pjms.41.4.11374","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.4.11374","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To explore the predictive efficacy of the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index and systemic immune inflammation index (SII) levels for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective study was conducted on 200 T2DM patients admitted to the Ophthalmology Department at Baoding No.1 Central Hospital from June 2023 to December 2023. The patients were divided into 80 none-DR, 120 with DR. General information, biochemical tests, TyG index, and SII were collected. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the predictive ability of TyG index and SII for DR. Binary logistic regression was employed to assess the relationship between DR occurrence and TyG index and SII.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean TyG index and SII levels were higher in the DR group compared to none-DR group (P<0.05). The ROC curve analysis indicated that the combination of TyG index and SII had the highest area under the curve (AUC) at 0.912, surpassing the AUC of TyG index and SII individually. Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that TyG index and SII were independent predictors of DR occurrence in diabetic patients (OR=1.745, 95%CI: 1.213-2.547, <i>P</i><0.05; OR=1.347, 95%CI: 1.115-1.843, <i>P</i><0.05, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>TyG index and SII levels may predict the occurrence of DR in T2DM patients, and the combination of these two indices offers the best predictive efficacy for DR.</p>","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"41 4","pages":"1072-1077"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12022588/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144042006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of the efficacy of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation combined with and without budesonide/glycopyrrolate/formoterol fumarate metered dose inhaler in the treatment of acute exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.","authors":"Jielu Sun, Xinkai Xu, Fang Wang","doi":"10.12669/pjms.41.4.11507","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.4.11507","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Mechanical ventilation, such as noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV), is often used to relieve the symptoms of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), but its treatment effect is limited. This study explored the application effect of NIPPV combined with budesonide/glycopyrrolate/formoterol fumarate metered dose inhaler (BGF MDI) in AECOPD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The clinical records of 152 patients with AECOPD treated in the First People's Hospital of Yongkang City from March 2023 to March 2024 were retrospectively selected and grouped based on the ventilation method used: simple NIPPV treatment (n=78) and NIPPV combined with BGF MDI (n=74). The primary outcome was improvement in oxygenation; the secondary outcomes were the recovery of body function and levels of inflammatory markers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After two weeks of treatment, the arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) in the combination group was significantly lower than in the NIPPV group, while the arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and oxygenation index (OI) were significantly higher (P<0.05). The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) scores of the combined group were significantly lower, while the 6-minute walking test (6MWT) score was higher compared to the NIPPV group (P<0.05). The levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the combined group were significantly lower compared to the NIPPV group (P<0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>NIPPV combined with BGF MDI has higher benefits than NIPPV alone for treating patients with AECOPD.</p>","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"41 4","pages":"1157-1163"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12022568/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143999397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quadratus lumborum block vs femoral/fascia iliaca block for hip surgeries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Yufan Wang, Lina Zhu","doi":"10.12669/pjms.41.4.11531","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.4.11531","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The current systematic review was conducted to compare quadratus lumborum block (QLB) vs fascia iliaca block (FIB) and femoral nerve block (FNB) for improving analgesic outcomes in patients undergoing hip surgeries.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We searched for randomized controlled trials from inception to on Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, clinical trial registry, and Google Scholar comparing QLB vs FIB/FNB for hip surgeries. The search was initiated on 1^st December and culminated on 5^th December 2023 to include all studies published from inception till the last day of the search. The primary outcome was 24 hours total analgesic consumption in morphine equivalents. Secondary outcomes were pain scores and incidence of quadriceps weakness at 24 hours, and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Six RCTs were eligible. The meta-analysis found that 24-hours morphine consumption was found to be significantly lower in the FIB/FNB group as compared to the QLB group. Pain scores on the 10-point scale were not significantly different between the two groups at one to two hours, two to four hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours. Incidence of quadriceps weakness and PONV was also not significantly difference between the two groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Meta-analysis of a limited number of RCTs shows that QLB does not provide better postoperative analgesia as compared to FIB/FNB after hip surgery. Twenty four hours total opioid consumption was significantly higher with QLB but without any difference in pain scores. Incidence of quadriceps weakness and PONV does not differ between QLB and FIB/FNB.</p>","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"41 4","pages":"1193-1201"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12022575/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144042102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of abnormal sensory symptoms in children with and without autism spectrum disorder.","authors":"Imran Maqsood, Erum Afzal, Kausar Aftab, Mubashar Ahmad","doi":"10.12669/pjms.41.4.11486","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.4.11486","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To compare the abnormal sensory symptoms in children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD).</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This case-control study was conducted at the department of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Multan, Pakistan from January, 2024 to June, 2024. Inclusion criteria for cases were children of either, aged 5-12 years, diagnosed with ASD, and accompanying at least one of the parents. For controls, children visiting outpatient department of pediatrics were included. The study utilized standardized sensory assessment tools \"Sensory Profile\" to evaluate sensory processing abnormalities in both groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In a total of 128 children, 85 (66.4%) were male. The mean age was 8.2±2.4 years, ranging between 5-12 years. In terms of sensory profiles, children with ASD exhibited significantly higher rates of abnormal sensory symptoms across all domains compared to non-ASD children (p<0.001). In the auditory domain, hyperresponsiveness was prevalent in 43.8% of ASD children versus 7.8% in non-ASD children (p<0.001). For tactile, visual, and proprioceptive domains, similar patterns were observed where significantly higher proportions of children with ASD were affected (p<0.001). In the visual and proprioceptive domains, ASD children consistently demonstrated significantly elevated rates of hyperresponsiveness, hyporesponsiveness, and sensory-seeking behaviors compared to non-ASD children (p<0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The high prevalence of hyperresponsiveness, hyporesponsiveness, and sensory-seeking behaviors across sensory domains in ASD children raises the requirement for comprehensive sensory assessments and individualized interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"41 4","pages":"1181-1186"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12022591/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144024532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effectiveness of teach-back health education combined with high-quality nursing in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving anticoagulant treatment.","authors":"Chunhui Zhao, Zhao Zhao, Linghui Song","doi":"10.12669/pjms.41.4.11676","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.4.11676","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To explore the efficacy of combining teach-back health education and high-quality nursing in the anticoagulation treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Clinical data of 110 patients with AF admitted to the Zhangjiakou First Hospital between June 2021 to August 2023 who received anticoagulation therapy were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 53 patients received routine high-quality nursing care (control group), and 57 patients received teach-back health education combined with high-quality nursing (observation group). Exercise of Self-Care Agency (ESCA) scale scores, treatment adherence, mastery of health knowledge, and nursing satisfaction before and after intervention were assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After the intervention, the scores of self-care skills, self-responsibility, self-concept, and health knowledge in both groups significantly increased compared to pre-intervention and were significantly higher in the observation group compared to the control group (P<0.05). The post-intervention adherence rate of the observation group (96.49%) was higher than that of the control group (84.91%) (P<0.05). Similarly, the mastery of health knowledge and nursing satisfaction in the observation group were significantly higher compared to the control group (94.74% and 92.98% versus 81.13% and 79.25%, respectively; P<0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Implementing teach-back health education combined with high-quality nursing during anticoagulation treatment for patients with AF can deepen the patient's understanding of disease and health knowledge, improve self-care ability and treatment adherence, and increase satisfaction.</p>","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"41 4","pages":"1066-1071"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12022598/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144027521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Urdu translation and validation of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Female Sexual Matters Associated with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Module (ICIQ-FLUTS sex).","authors":"Anum Malik, Nuzhat Faruqui, Novera Chughtai, Urooj Kashif","doi":"10.12669/pjms.41.4.11425","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.4.11425","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Women all over the world suffer from urinary incontinence (UI). Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) frequently coexists with UI, which has a detrimental effect on female sexual function and frequently results in decreased desire, satisfaction, and emotional difficulties. While the ICIQ-FLUTS measures urine symptoms and the FSFI evaluates women's sexual function, there isn't an Urdu-validated test for UI-related sexual challenges. Our objective was to assess the validity, reliability, and internal consistency of the ICIQ-FLUTS sex for the Pakistani population, providing a clinically valuable tool for Pakistan.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a cross-sectional study conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from 1st June 2024 to 15th October 2024, 58 sexually active women with UI were recruited through convenience sampling. The study involved translating the ICIQ-FLUTS sex into Urdu and evaluating its psychometric properties. Data were collected using sociodemographic and clinical questionnaires, ICIQ-UI SF, and the adapted Urdu ICIQ-FLUTS sex. Test-retest reliability was measured over two weeks.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants' average age was 42.93 ± 8.645 years, with most being multiparous (81%) and having had spontaneous vaginal deliveries (67%). UI types included urgency (27.6%), stress (32.8%), and mixed (39.7%). The ICIQ-FLUTS sex demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.695), excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.998) and content validity index of 1 was calculated. Concurrent validity showed a weak correlation (0.253) between ICIQ-FLUTS sex and ICIQ-UI scores.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Urdu version of ICIQ-FLUTS sex showed excellent reliability and content validity, satisfactory internal consistency, and acceptable psychometric properties and can be applied as a clinical assessment tool and for purposes of research to evaluate sexual problems associated with UI in Pakistan.</p>","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"41 4","pages":"1170-1175"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12022552/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143986833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of age on the survival outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma patients after transarterial chemoembolization: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Xue Du, Xiaoting Zhang","doi":"10.12669/pjms.41.4.11718","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.4.11718","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background & objective: </strong>The efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in different populations of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is still unclear. This meta-analysis explores the impact of TACE on survival outcomes in elderly versus younger patients with HCC, considering regional variations and heterogeneity among studies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Nineteen studies involving 30,093 participants were systematically reviewed from January 1964 to January 2024. Data were pooled using random-effects models to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overall survival and survival rates, respectively. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on age cut-offs and geographical regions to assess the effect of these variables on treatment outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Pooled HR for overall survival did not show a significant difference between elderly and younger patients (HR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.98 to 1.02), with similar findings for survival rates (OR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.46 to 1.45). Substantial heterogeneity was observed (I² = 78.0% for HR and 94.3% for OR), with notable regional differences indicating lower survival odds in European studies compared to Asian ones. No significant effect (OR = 0.95) was detected in prospective studies, while retrospective studies indicated a significant reduction in survival rates in elderly patients (OR = 0.35).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>TACE appears to be equally effective in elderly and younger HCC patients. However, significant regional differences and study heterogeneity suggest the need for personalized treatment approaches. Further research is required to understand the underlying causes of these variations and to optimize TACE protocols.</p>","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"41 4","pages":"1234-1243"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12022578/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144035263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}