Chrysanthi Mantsiou

Research policy and planning for a given country may benefit from reliable data on both its scientific workforce as well as the diaspora of scientists for countries with a substantial brain drain. Here we use a systematic approach using Scopus to generate a comprehensive country-level database of all scientists in Greece. Moreover, we expand that database to include also Greek diaspora scientists. The database that we have compiled includes 63,951 scientists who have published at least five papers indexed in Scopus. Of those, 35,116 have an affiliation in Greece. We validate the sensitivity and specificity of the database against different control sets of scientists. We also analyze the scientific disciplines of these scientists according to the Science Metrix classification (174 subfield disciplines) and provide detailed data on each of the 63,951 scientists using multiple citation indicators and a composite thereof. These analyses demonstrate differential concentrations in specific subfields for the local versus the diaspora cohorts, as well as an advantage of the diaspora cohort in terms of citation indicators, especially among top-impact researchers. The approach that we have taken can also be applied to map the scientific workforce of other countries and nations for evaluation, planning, and policy purposes.

Aim: To compare the effects of glucose‐lowering drugs on body weight and blood pressure in adults with type 2 diabetes. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and grey literature sources until 29 September 2020 for randomized controlled trials of at least 24 weeks' duration assessing the effects of glucose‐lowering drugs on body weight and blood pressure in adults with type 2 diabetes. We performed frequentist network meta‐analyses and calculated weighted mean differences and 95% confidence intervals combining trial arms of different approved doses of a given intervention into a single group. We evaluated the confidence in pooled estimates using the CINeMA (Confidence In Network Meta‐Analysis) framework. Results: In total, 424 trials (276 336 patients) assessing 21 antidiabetic medications from nine drug classes were included. Subcutaneous semaglutide was the most efficacious in reducing body weight followed by oral semaglutide, exenatide twice‐daily, liraglutide, and the sodium‐glucose co‐transporter‐2 (SGLT‐2) inhibitors empagliflozin, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin and ertugliflozin. The same agents also conferred the greatest reductions in systolic blood pressure. Metformin had a modest effect in reducing body weight and systolic blood pressure. Diastolic blood pressure was reduced with the SGLT‐2 inhibitors pioglitazone, exenatide twice‐daily and semaglutide. In subgroup analyses of trials with over 52 weeks' duration, semaglutide and SGLT‐2 inhibitors reduced both body weight and systolic blood pressure. Conclusions: Semaglutide and SGLT‐2 inhibitors conferred reductions both in body weight and blood pressure that were sustainable for over 1 year of treatment. These agents may be preferable treatment options for patients with type 2 diabetes who are overweight/obese and/or hypertensive.

Aim: To assess the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with a glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist (GLP‐1 RA) and a sodium‐glucose co‐transporter‐2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library and grey literature sources up to 2 December 2019 for randomized controlled trials in adults with type 2 diabetes assessing the combination of GLP‐1RA and SGLT2i, either as co‐initiation therapy or as add‐on to each other, against placebo or an active comparator. The primary outcome was change in HbA _1c . Secondary outcomes included change in body weight, blood pressure and estimated glomerular filtration rate, and incidence of severe hypoglycaemia, all‐cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke and hospitalization for heart failure. We pooled data using random effects meta‐analyses. Results: Seven trials (1913 patients) were eligible. Compared with GLP‐1RA, GLP‐1RA/SGLT2i combination therapy was associated with a greater reduction in HbA1c (weighted mean difference −0.61%, 95% CI −1.09% to −0.14%, four studies), body weight (−2.59 kg, −3.68 to −1.51 kg, three studies) and systolic blood pressure (−4.13 mmHg, −7.28 to −0.99 mmHg, four studies). Compared with SGLT2i, GLP‐1RA/SGLT2i combination therapy reduced HbA1c (−0.85%, −1.19% to −0.52%, six studies) and systolic blood pressure (−2.66 mmHg, −5.26 to −0.06 mmHg, six studies), but not body weight (−1.46 kg, −2.94 to 0.03 kg, five studies). After excluding data for one trial that had a considerably longer duration than the remaining studies, body weight was also reduced versus SGLT2i (−1.79 kg, −2.99 to −0.59 kg, five studies). Combination therapy did not increase the incidence of severe hypoglycaemia. Data for mortality and cardiovascular outcomes were scarce. Conclusions: GLP‐1RA/SGLT2i combination therapy seems to reduce HbA _1c , body weight and systolic blood pressure without increasing the risk of severe hypoglycaemia compared with either GLP‐1RA or SGLT2i. No conclusions can be made regarding long‐term effectiveness or the effect on cardiovascular outcomes.