Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2009
Review Meta AnalysisRapid viral diagnosis for acute febrile respiratory illness in children in the Emergency Department.
Pediatric acute respiratory infections (ARIs) represent a significant burden on pediatric emergency departments (ED) and families. Most of these illnesses are due to viruses. However, investigations (radiography, blood and urine testing) to rule out bacterial infections and antibiotics are often ordered because of diagnostic uncertainties. This results in prolonged ED visits and unnecessary antibiotic use. The risk of concurrent bacterial infection has been reported to be negligible in children over three months of age with a confirmed viral infection. Rapid viral testing in the ED may alleviate the need for precautionary testing and antibiotic use. ⋯ Current evidence is insufficient, although promising, to support routine rapid viral testing as a means to reduce antibiotic use in pediatric EDs. Results suggest that rapid viral testing may be beneficial but are not statistically significant due to lack of power. A large trial addressing these outcome measures is needed.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2009
Review Meta AnalysisParacervical local anaesthesia for cervical dilatation and uterine intervention.
Cervical dilatation and uterine intervention can be performed under sedation, local or general anaesthesia for obstetrics and gynaecological conditions. Many gynaecologists use paracervical local anaesthesia (PLA) but its effectiveness is unclear. ⋯ No technique provided reliable pain control in the 17 included studies. Some studies reported that women experienced severe pain (mean scores of 7 to 9 out of 10) during uterine intervention, irrespective of the analgesic technique used. We concluded that the available evidence fails to show whether paracervical block is inferior, equivalent or superior to alternative analgesic techniques, in terms of efficacy and safety, for women undergoing uterine interventions.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2009
Review Meta AnalysisMechanical bowel preparation for elective colorectal surgery.
The presence of bowel contents during surgery has been related to anastomotic leakage, but the belief that mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) is an efficient agent against leakage and infectious complications is based on observational data and expert opinions only. ⋯ There is no statistically significant evidence that patients benefit from MBP. The belief that MBP is necessary before elective colorectal surgery should be reconsidered. Further research on patients submitted for elective colorectal surgery in whom bowel continuity is restored, with stratification for colonic and rectal surgery, is still warranted.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2009
Review Meta AnalysisMethods of vascular occlusion for elective liver resections.
Vascular occlusion is used to reduce blood loss during liver resection surgery. Various methods of vascular occlusion have been suggested. ⋯ In elective liver resection, hepatic vascular occlusion cannot be recommended over portal triad clamping. Intermittent portal triad clamping seems to be better than continuous portal triad clamping at least in patients with chronic liver disease. There is no evidence to support selective inflow occlusion over portal triad clamping. The optimal method of intermittent portal triad clamping is not clear. There is no evidence for any difference between the ischaemic preconditioning followed by vascular occlusion and intermittent vascular occlusion for liver resection in patients with non-cirrhotic livers. Further randomised trials of low risk of bias are needed to determine the optimal technique of vascular occlusion.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2009
Review Meta AnalysisPressure modification for improving usage of continuous positive airway pressure machines in adults with obstructive sleep apnoea.
Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP) is considered to be the cornerstone of therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). However, compliance with this treatment is frequently poor, which may lead to ongoing symptoms of sleep disruption, daytime sleepiness and poor waking cognitive function. Mechanical interventions which involve changing the way that positive pressure is delivered, and the addition of humidification, might improve compliance. ⋯ Improvement in average machine use of auto-CPAP was superior in studies with a cross-over design; the point estimate in parallel group trials was similar, but did not reach statistical significance. It is uncertain how use of machines in study settings relates to 'real world' use. Where preference was measured participants preferred auto-CPAP to fixed pressure CPAP. Further studies are required to assess the evidence for Bi-PAP, C-Flex(TM) and humidification. The studies assembled were characterised by high machine usage in the control groups, and low withdrawal rates. Future studies need to consider the effects of treatment in participants with more mild disease, and those who struggle to accept therapy despite persistent symptoms.