Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Anxiety disorders are characterised by long term worry, tension, nervousness, fidgeting and symptoms of autonomic system hyperactivity. Meditation is an age-old self regulatory strategy which is gaining more interest in mental health and psychiatry. Meditation can reduce arousal state and may ameliorate anxiety symptoms in various anxiety conditions. ⋯ The small number of studies included in this review do not permit any conclusions to be drawn on the effectiveness of meditation therapy for anxiety disorders. Transcendental meditation is comparable with other kinds of relaxation therapies in reducing anxiety, and Kundalini Yoga did not show significant effectiveness in treating obsessive-compulsive disorders compared with Relaxation/Meditation. Drop out rates appear to be high, and adverse effects of meditation have not been reported. More trials are needed.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2006
ReviewLate erythropoietin for preventing red blood cell transfusion in preterm and/or low birth weight infants.
Hematocrit falls after birth in preterm infants due to physiological factors and blood letting. Low plasma levels of erythropoietin (EPO) in preterm infants provide a rationale for the use of EPO to prevent or treat anemia. ⋯ Late administration of EPO reduces the use of one or more red blood cell transfusions, the number of red blood cell transfusions per infant and the total volume of red blood cell transfused per infant. The clinical importance of the results for the latter two outcomes is marginal (< 1 transfusion per infant and 7 ml/kg of transfused red blood cells). Any donor exposure is likely not avoided as most studies included infants who had received red cell transfusions prior to trial entry. Late EPO does not significantly reduce or increase any of many important neonatal adverse outcomes including mortality and retinopathy of prematurity. Further research of the use of late EPO treatment to prevent donor exposure is not indicated. Research efforts should focus on limiting donor exposure during the first few days of life in sick neonates, when red blood cell requirements are most likely to be required and cannot be prevented by late EPO treatment.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2006
ReviewTelephone follow-up, initiated by a hospital-based health professional, for postdischarge problems in patients discharged from hospital to home.
It is known that many patients encounter a variety of problems in the first weeks after they have been discharged from hospital to home. In recent years many projects have addressed discharge planning, with the aim of reducing problems after discharge. Telephone follow-up (TFU) is seen as a good means of exchanging information, providing health education and advice, managing symptoms, recognising complications early, giving reassurance and providing quality aftercare service. Some research has shown that telephone follow-up is feasible, and that patients appreciate such calls. However, at present it is not clear whether TFU is also effective in reducing postdischarge problems. ⋯ The low methodological quality of the included studies means that results must be considered with caution. No adverse effects were reported. Nevertheless, although some studies find that the intervention had favourable effects for some outcomes, overall the studies show clinically-equivalent results between TFU and control groups. In summary, we cannot conclude that TFU is an effective intervention.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2006
ReviewWITHDRAWN: Injection therapy for subacute and chronic benign low-back pain.
Injection with anaesthetics and/or steroids is one of the treatment modalities used in patients with chronic low back pain which needs evaluation with respect to the effectiveness on short and long term pain relief. ⋯ Convincing evidence is lacking on the effects of injection therapies for low back pain. There is a need for more, well designed explanatory trials in this field.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2006
ReviewConservative management following closed reduction of traumatic anterior dislocation of the shoulder.
Acute anterior dislocation is the commonest type of shoulder dislocation and usually results from an injury. Subsequently, the shoulder is less stable and more susceptible to redislocation, especially in active young adults. ⋯ There is a lack of evidence from randomised controlled trials to inform the choices for conservative management following closed reduction of traumatic anterior dislocation of the shoulder. Sufficiently powered, good quality, well reported randomised controlled trials with long-term surveillance of conservative management are required. In particular, trials examining the type and duration of immobilisation would be useful.