Background: Several studies have investigated the relationship between psoriasis and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Previous meta-analyses have shown psoriasis to be a risk factor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, the relationship has become uncertain with the emergence of many new studies.Objective: This study aimed to conduct an updated meta-analysis on cohort studies about the relationship between psoriasis and adverse cardiovascular outcomes.Methods: Electronic databases (accessed till January 2022) were searched systematically for cohort studies assessing the cardiovascular risk in psoriasis patients. This was a meta-analysis using a random-effect model; pooled analyses of several cardiovascular outcomes were also conducted.Results: A total of 31 [hazard ratio (HR), 23; rate ratio (RR), 8] studies involving 665,009 patients with psoriasis and 17,902,757 non-psoriatic control subjects were included for the meta analysis. The pooled analyses according to each cardiovascular outcome revealed that pooled RR of patients for developing myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular death, ischemic heart disease, thromboembolism and arrhythmia were 1.17 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–1.24), 1.19 (95% CI, 1.11–1.27), 1.46 (95% CI, 1.26–1.69), 1.17 (95% CI, 1.02–1.34), 1.36 (95% CI, 1.20–1.55) and 1.35 (95% CI, 1.30–1.40), respectively. Meanwhile, the pooled RR of patients with mild and severe psoriasis for developing adverse cardiovascular outcomes were 1.18 (95% CI, 1.13–1.24) and 1.41 (95% CI, 1.31–1.52), respectively.Conclusion: The pooled analyses revealed that psoriasis is associated with all adverse cardiovascular outcomes of interest, especially in severe patients. Psoriasis remains an independent risk factor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes, which needs more attention from clinicians.

Background: The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has become the standard of care for non-small cell lung cancer. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature to determine whether the occurrence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) following the use of ICIs predicts different clinical outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods: Relevant studies from the time of database creation to July 20, 2023, were systematically searched to explore the differences in clinical outcomes in patients with advanced NSCLC with or without irAEs. The outcome indicators included the occurrence of irAEs, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).Results: 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. Of these studies, 22 reported the effect on OS, and 19 reported the effect on PFS. The results showed that for patients with NSCLC, the occurrence of irAEs after receiving immunotherapy showed a statistically significant benefit over the absence of irAEs for OS (HR=0.55,95% CI=0.46–0.65) and PFS (HR=0.55 95% CI=0.48–0.64), but severe irAEs (grades 3–5) were associated with worse OS (HR=1.05, 95% CI=0.87–1.27). Compared with gastrointestinal, lung, and hepatitis, irAEs of the skin and endocrine system tend to predict better OS and PFS.Conclusion: The occurrence of irAEs, especially mild and early irAEs, indicates better OS and PFS in patients with NSCLC treated with ICIs, irrespective of patient characteristics, type of ICIs, and irAEs. However, Grade 3 or higher toxicities resulted in worse OS.Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023409444.

Robotic and video-assisted lobectomy/segmentectomy for non-small cell lung cancer have similar perioperative outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis Junjie Mao, Zilong Tang, Yuan Mi, Haidi Xu, Kuankuan Li, Yuxiang Liang, Na Wang, Lei Wang

N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification, the most prevalent RNA modification, is involved in all aspects of RNA metabolism, including RNA processing, nuclear export, stability, translation and degradation. Therefore, m⁶A modification can participate in various physiological functions, such as tissue development, heat shock response, DNA damage response, circadian clock control and even in carcinogenesis through regulating the expression or structure of the gene. The deposition, removal and recognition of m⁶A are carried out by methyltransferases, demethylases and m⁶A RNA binding proteins, respectively. Aberrant m⁶A modification and the dysregulation of m⁶A regulators play critical roles in the occurrence and development of various cancers. The pathogenesis of esophageal cancer (ESCA) remains unclear and the five-year survival rate of advanced ESCA patients is still dismal. Here, we systematically reviewed the recent studies of m⁶A modification and m⁶A regulators in ESCA and comprehensively analyzed the role and possible mechanism of m⁶A modification and m⁶A regulators in the occurrence, progression, remedy and prognosis of ESCA. Defining the effect of m⁶A modification and m⁶A regulators in ESCA might be helpful for determining the pathogenesis of ESCA and providing some ideas for an early diagnosis, individualized treatment and improved prognosis of ESCA patients.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have brought great disaster to mankind, and there is currently no globally recognized specific drug or treatment. Severe COVID-19 may trigger a cytokine storm, manifested by increased levels of cytokines including interleukin-17 (IL-17), so a new strategy to treat COVID-19 may be to use existing IL-17 inhibitors, which have demonstrated efficacy, safety and tolerability in the treatment of psoriasis. However, the use of IL-17 inhibitors in patients with psoriasis during the COVID-19 pandemic remains controversial due to reports that IL-17 inhibitors may increase the risk of respiratory tract infections.Objectives: The systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of IL-17 inhibitors on the risk of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality in patients with psoriasis.Methods: Databases (including Embase, PubMed, SCI-Web of Science, Scopus, CNKI, and the Cochrane Library) were searched up to August 23, 2022, for studies exploring differences in COVID-19 outcomes between psoriasis patients using IL-17 inhibitors and those using non-biologics. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias in a double-blind manner. The risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and heterogeneities were determined by the Q test and I² statistic. And the numbers needed to treat (NNTs) were calculated to assess the clinical value of IL-17 inhibitors in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and treating COVID-19.Results: Nine observational studies involving 7,106 participants were included. The pooled effect showed no significant differences in the rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection (P = 0.94; I² = 19.5%), COVID-19 hospitalization (P = 0.64; I² = 0.0%), and COVID-19 mortality (P = 0.32; I² = 0.0%) in psoriasis patients using IL-17 inhibitors compared with using non-biologics. Subgroup analyses grouped by age and COVID-19 cases, respectively, revealed consistent results as above. Meanwhile, the pooled NNTs showed no significant differences between the two groups in the clinical value of preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and treating COVID-19.Conclusion: The use of IL-17 inhibitors in patients with psoriasis does not increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection or worsen the course of COVID-19.Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42022335195.