The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Managing nocturnal leg cramps--calf-stretching exercises and cessation of quinine treatment: a factorial randomised controlled trial.
Quinine is a common treatment for nocturnal leg cramps but has potential side effects. An uncontrolled study suggested that calf-stretching exercises could prevent nocturnal leg cramps (night cramps) but these findings have never been confirmed. ⋯ Calf-stretching exercises are not effective in reducing the frequency or severity of night cramps. Advising those on long-term repeat prescriptions to try stopping quinine temporarily will result in no major problems for patients, and allow a significant number to stop medication.
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Knee pain is nearly twice as prevalent as hip pain in elderly people, yet knee replacement is far less common than hip replacement. ⋯ Some variations in primary care management for hip versus knee pain were apparent. People with hip pain were mostly positive about replacement outcomes, whereas people with knee pain were more uncertain about replacement. Attitudes appeared to be influenced by knowing someone who had undergone such surgery.
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Corticosteroid injections for painful shoulder: a meta-analysis.
There are no systematic reviews of corticosteroids for shoulder pain that calculate the numbers needed to treat. ⋯ Subacromial injections of corticosteroids are effective for improvement for rotator cuff tendonitis up to a 9-month period. They are also probably more effective than NSAID medication. Higher doses may be better than lower doses for subacromial corticosteroid injection for rotator cuff tendonitis.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Adjuvant prednisone therapy in pharyngitis: a randomised controlled trial from general practice.
Acute pharyngitis is a frequent and well-documented complaint in general practice but the associated suffering has remained largely unaddressed in the literature. Evidence, however, from five randomised controlled trials suggests that corticosteroids may be useful in relieving pain and discomfort arising from the condition. ⋯ Short-acting oral steroid therapy is effective for shortening throat pain duration in acute pharyngitis.