Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
Review Meta AnalysisEndoscopic or surgical intervention for painful obstructive chronic pancreatitis.
Endoscopy and surgery are the treatment modalities of choice in patients with obstructive chronic pancreatitis. Physicians face the decision between endoscopy and surgery for this group of patients, without clear consensus. ⋯ For patients with obstructive chronic pancreatitis and dilated pancreatic duct, this review showed that surgery is superior to endoscopy in terms of pain control. Morbidity and mortality seemed not to differ between the two intervention modalities, but the small trials identified do not provide sufficient power to detect the small differences expected in this outcome.Regarding the comparison of surgical intervention versus conservative treatment, this review has shown that surgical intervention in an early stage of chronic pancreatitis seems to be a promising approach in terms of pain control and pancreatic function. Confirmation of these results is needed in other trials due to the methodological limitations and limited number of patients of the present evidence.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
Review Meta AnalysisProphylactic drug management for febrile seizures in children.
Febrile seizures occurring in a child older than one month during an episode of fever affect 2% to 4% of children in Great Britain and the United States and recur in 30%. Rapid-acting antiepileptics and antipyretics given during subsequent fever episodes have been used to avoid the adverse effects of continuous antiepileptic drugs. ⋯ No clinically important benefits for children with febrile seizures were found for intermittent oral diazepam, phenytoin, phenobarbitone, intermittent rectal diazepam, valproate, pyridoxine, intermittent phenobarbitone or intermittent ibuprofen, nor for diclofenac versus placebo followed by ibuprofen, acetominophen or placebo. Adverse effects were reported in up to 30% of children. Apparent benefit for clobazam treatment in one recent trial needs to be replicated to be judged reliable. Given the benign nature of recurrent febrile seizures, and the high prevalence of adverse effects of these drugs, parents and families should be supported with adequate contact details of medical services and information on recurrence, first aid management and, most importantly, the benign nature of the phenomenon.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability. Progesterone is a potential neuroprotective drug to treat patients with TBI. ⋯ Current clinical evidence from three small RCTs indicates progesterone may improve the neurologic outcome of patients suffering TBI. This evidence is still insufficient and further multicentre randomised controlled trials are required.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
Review Meta AnalysisContinuation and maintenance treatments for depression in older people.
Depressive illness in older people causes significant suffering and health service utilisation. Relapse and recurrence rates are high. ⋯ The long-term benefits of continuing antidepressant medication in the prevention of recurrence of depression in older people are not clear and no firm treatment recommendations can be made on the basis of this review. Continuing antidepressant medication for 12 months appears to be helpful but this is based on only three small studies with relatively few participants using differing classes of antidepressants in clinically heterogeneous populations. Comparisons at other time points did not reach statistical significance. Data on psychological therapies and combined treatments are too limited to draw any conclusions.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
Review Meta AnalysisCerebrospinal fluid drainage for thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm surgery.
During aortic aneurysm surgery, cross-clamping can lead to inadequate blood supply to the spinal cord resulting in neurological deficit. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD) may increase the perfusion pressure to the spinal cord and hence reduce the risk of ischaemic spinal cord injury. ⋯ There are limited data supporting the role of CSFD in thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysm surgery for prevention of neurological injury. Further clinical and experimental studies are indicated.