Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jun 2016
ReviewPharmacological interventions for clozapine-induced sinus tachycardia.
Clozapine is an efficacious treatment for treatment-resistant schizophrenia; however its use can be limited by side effect intolerability. Sinus tachycardia is a common adverse event associated with clozapine treatment. Various pharmacological treatments are used to control heart rate increase due to clozapine use and can include a decreased rate of clozapine titration, a switch to a different antipsychotic, or treatment with negative chronotropic drugs. ⋯ With no studies meeting the inclusion criteria, it is not possible to arrive at definitive conclusions. There are currently insufficient data to confidently inform clinical practice. We cannot, therefore, conclude whether specific interventions, such as beta-blockers, are less effective or more effective than standard courses of alternative treatments for tachycardia. This lack of evidence for the treatment of clozapine-induced tachycardia has implications for research and practice. Well-planned, conducted and reported randomised trials are indicated. One trial is currently underway. Current practice outside of well-designed randomised trials should be clearly justified.
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Antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) wane over time following hepatitis B immunisation; hence, it is unclear whether people vaccinated in three-dose or four-dose schedules of the hepatitis B vaccine are still immune when the hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) level in their body is undetectable, or lower than the level usually considered protective. This question may potentially be answered indirectly by measuring the anamnestic immune response to a booster dose of vaccine. The term 'booster' (or revaccination) refers to an additional dose of hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) given some time post-primary vaccination to induce immune memory and improve protection against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. ⋯ We were unable to include any randomised clinical trials on the topic; only randomised clinical trials will be able to provide an answer as to whether a booster dose vaccination is able to protect against hepatitis B infection.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jun 2016
Review Meta AnalysisIncreased versus stable doses of inhaled corticosteroids for exacerbations of chronic asthma in adults and children.
People with asthma may experience exacerbations or "attacks" during which their symptoms worsen and additional treatment is required. Written action plans may advocate doubling the dose of inhaled steroids in the early stages of an asthma exacerbation to reduce the severity of the attack and to prevent the need for oral steroids or hospital admission. ⋯ Current evidence does not support increasing the dose of ICS as part of a self initiated action plan to treat exacerbations in adults and children with mild to moderate asthma. Increased ICS dose is not associated with a statistically significant reduction in the odds of requiring rescue oral corticosteroids for the exacerbation, or of having adverse events, compared with a stable ICS dose. Wide confidence intervals for several outcomes mean we cannot rule out possible benefits of this approach.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jun 2016
Review Meta AnalysisTai Chi for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Tai Chi, a systematic callisthenic exercise first developed in ancient China, involves a series of slow and rhythmic circular motions. It emphasises use of 'mind' or concentration to control breathing and circular body motions to facilitate flow of internal energy (i.e. 'qi') within the body. Normal flow of 'qi' is believed to be essential to sustain body homeostasis, ultimately leading to longevity. The effect of Tai Chi on balance and muscle strength in the elderly population has been reported; however, the effect of Tai Chi on dyspnoea, exercise capacity, pulmonary function and psychosocial status among people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains unclear. ⋯ No adverse events were reported, implying that Tai Chi is safe to practise in people with COPD. Evidence of very low to moderate quality suggests better functional capacity and pulmonary function in post-programme data for Tai Chi versus usual care. When Tai Chi in addition to other interventions was compared with other interventions alone, Tai Chi did not show superiority and showed no additional effects on symptoms nor on physical and psychosocial function improvement in people with COPD. With the diverse style and number of forms being adopted in different studies, the most beneficial protocol of Tai Chi style and number of forms could not be commented upon. Hence, future studies are warranted to address these topics.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jun 2016
Review Meta AnalysisContinuous subcutaneous insulin infusion versus multiple daily injections of insulin for pregnant women with diabetes.
Diabetes results in a rise in blood glucose above normal physiological levels; if untreated this may cause damage to many systems including the cardiovascular and renal systems. Pregnancy increases resistance to insulin action; for those women who have pre-gestational diabetes, this results in an increasing insulin requirement. There are several methods of administering insulin. Conventionally, insulin has been administered subcutaneously, formally referred to as intensive conventional treatment, but now more usually referred to as multiple daily injections (MDI). An alternative method of insulin administration is the continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pump (CSII). ⋯ There is no evidence to support the use of one particular form of insulin administration over another for pregnant women with diabetes. There are only a small number of trials appropriate for meta-analysis, a small number of women included and questionable generalisability of the trial population.Pump technology has progressed since these trials were undertaken. Well-designed randomised trials are required to evaluate comparisons such as patch pumps against MDI and more conventional CSII against MDI. These trials should be adequately powered to assess the effect of interventions, and report the core set of outcomes used in Cochrane reviews of diabetes in pregnancy. Trials to assess the effects of pumps on birthweight and macrosomia rates are needed. It would be beneficial for future trials to undertake longer-term follow-up of participants and their infants, assess women's preferences, and conduct an economic evaluation.