Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2015
Review Comparative StudyComparison of a restrictive versus liberal red cell transfusion policy for patients with myelodysplasia, aplastic anaemia, and other congenital bone marrow failure disorders.
Bone marrow failure disorders include a heterogenous group of disorders, of which myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), forms the largest subgroup. MDS is predominantly a disease of the elderly, with many elderly people managed conservatively with regular allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusions to treat their anaemia. However, RBC transfusions are not without risk. Despite regular transfusions playing a central role in treating such patients, the optimal RBC transfusion strategy (restrictive versus liberal) is currently unclear. ⋯ This review indicates that there is currently a lack of evidence for the recommendation of a particular transfusion strategy for bone marrow failure patients undergoing supportive treatment only. The one RCT included in this review was only published as an abstract and contained only 13 participants. Further randomised trials with robust methodology are required to develop the optimal transfusion strategy for such patients, particularly as the incidence of the main group of bone marrow failure disorders, MDS, rises with an ageing population.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2015
ReviewWITHDRAWN: Psychosocial and pharmacological treatments for deliberate self harm.
This review has been withdrawn because the topic has been split into three separate reviews, one on psychosocial interventions for self‐harm in adults; another on interventions for self‐harm in children and adolescents; and a third on pharmacological interventions for self‐harm in adults. The editorial group responsible for this previously published document have withdrawn it from publication.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2015
Review Meta AnalysisOral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for neuropathic pain.
Although often considered to be lacking adequate evidence, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used in the management of neuropathic pain. Previous surveys found 18% to 47% of affected people reported using NSAIDs specifically for their neuropathic pain, although possibly not in the United Kingdom (UK). ⋯ There is no evidence to support or refute the use of oral NSAIDs to treat neuropathic pain conditions.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2015
Review Meta AnalysisPreoperative inspiratory muscle training for postoperative pulmonary complications in adults undergoing cardiac and major abdominal surgery.
Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) have an impact on the recovery of adults after surgery. It is therefore important to establish whether preoperative respiratory rehabilitation can decrease the risk of PPCs and to identify adults who might benefit from respiratory rehabilitation. ⋯ We found evidence that preoperative IMT was associated with a reduction of postoperative atelectasis, pneumonia, and duration of hospital stay in adults undergoing cardiac and major abdominal surgery. The potential for overestimation of treatment effect due to lack of adequate blinding, small-study effects, and publication bias needs to be considered when interpreting the present findings.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2015
Review Meta AnalysisNoninvasive positive pressure ventilation for acute respiratory failure following upper abdominal surgery.
Each year, more than four million abdominal surgeries are performed in the US and over 250,000 in England. Acute respiratory failure, a common complication that can affect 30% to 50% of people after upper abdominal surgery, can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Noninvasive ventilation has been associated with lower rates of tracheal intubation in adults with acute respiratory failure, thus reducing the incidence of complications and mortality. This review compared the effectiveness and safety of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) versus standard oxygen therapy in the treatment of acute respiratory failure after upper abdominal surgery. ⋯ The findings of this review indicate that CPAP or bilevel NPPV is an effective and safe intervention for the treatment of adults with acute respiratory failure after upper abdominal surgery. However, based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology, the quality of the evidence was low or very low. More good quality studies are needed to confirm these findings.