Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
Review Meta AnalysisHigh initial concentration versus low initial concentration sevoflurane for inhalational induction of anaesthesia.
Sevoflurane induction for general anaesthesia has been reported to be safe, reliable and well accepted by patients. Sevoflurane induction uses either low or high initial concentrations. The low initial concentration technique involves initially administering a low concentration then gradually increasing the dose until the patient is anaesthetized. The high initial concentration technique involves administering high concentrations from the beginning, continuing until the patient is anaesthetized. ⋯ A high initial concentration sevoflurane technique probably offers more rapid induction of anaesthesia and a similar rate of complications except for apnoea, which may be more common with a high initial concentration. However, this conclusion is not definitive.
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Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the colon characterized by episodes of disease activity and symptom-free remission.There is paucity of evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of complementary or alternative medicines for the management of UC. Curcumin, an anti-inflammatory agent, has been used in many chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, esophagitis and post-surgical inflammation. The efficacy of this agent for maintenance of remission in patients with UC has not been systematically evaluated. ⋯ Curcumin may be a safe and effective therapy for maintenance of remission in quiescent UC when given as adjunctive therapy along with mesalamine or sulfasalazine. However, further research in the form of a large scale methodologically rigorous randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm any possible benefit of curcumin in quiescent UC.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
ReviewPsychological and pharmacological interventions for depression in patients with diabetes mellitus and depression.
Depression occurs frequently in patients with diabetes mellitus and is associated with a poor prognosis. ⋯ Psychological and pharmacological interventions have a moderate and clinically significant effect on depression outcomes in diabetes patients. Glycaemic control improved moderately in pharmacological trials, while the evidence is inconclusive for psychological interventions. Adherence to diabetic treatment regimens, diabetes complications, death from any cause, health economics and QoL have not been investigated sufficiently. Overall, the evidence is sparse and inconclusive due to several low-quality trials with substantial risk of bias and the heterogeneity of examined populations and interventions.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
Review Meta AnalysisExternal counterpulsation for acute ischaemic stroke.
External counterpulsation (ECP) may improve cerebral blood flow, and it has been proposed as a potential therapy for patients with ischaemic stroke. ⋯ The methodological quality of the included studies was poor, and reliable conclusions could not be drawn from the present data. High-quality and large-scale RCTs are needed.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
Review Meta AnalysisInterventions for recruiting smokers into cessation programmes.
Tobacco control is a top public health priority around the globe due to the high prevalence of cigarette smoking and its associated morbidity and mortality. Much effort has been focused on establishing the effectiveness of different smoking cessation strategies. This review, however, aims to address the initial challenge faced by smoking cessation programmes: recruitment of smokers. ⋯ The substantial heterogeneity across the included studies restricts our ability to draw firm conclusions about the effectiveness of different recruitment strategies in relation to recruitment of participants into smoking cessation programmes or levels of smoking cessation. The limited evidence, however, suggests that the following elements may improve the recruitment of smokers into cessation programmes: personal, tailored interventions; recruitment methods that are proactive in nature; and more intensive recruitment strategies (i.e., those strategies that require increased contact with potential participants).