Cochrane Db Syst Rev
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2004
Review Meta AnalysisLow glycaemic index diets for coronary heart disease.
The glycaemic index (GI) is a physiological measure of the ability of a carbohydrate to affect blood glucose. Interest is growing in the low GI carbohydrate concept for the clinical management of people at risk of, or with established coronary heart disease. There is a need to review the current evidence from controlled trials in this area. ⋯ The evidence from randomised controlled trials showing that low glycaemic index diets reduces coronary heart disease and CHD risk factors is weak. Many of the trials identified were short-term, of poor quality and conducted on small sample sizes. There is a need for well designed, adequately powered, randomised controlled studies, of greater than 12 weeks duration to assess the effects of low glycaemic index diets for CHD.
-
Circumcision is a painful procedure that many newborn males undergo in the first few days after birth. Interventions are available to reduce pain at circumcision; however, many newborns are circumcised without pain management. ⋯ DPNB was the most frequently studied intervention and was the most effective for circumcision pain. Compared to placebo, EMLA was also effective, but was not as effective as DPNB. Both interventions appear to be safe for use in newborns. None of the studied interventions completely eliminated the pain response to circumcision.
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2004
Review Meta AnalysisThrombolysis (different doses, routes of administration and agents) for acute ischaemic stroke.
Thrombolytic therapy is effective for acute myocardial infarction, a disease with some similarities to acute ischaemic stroke. Meta-analyses suggest a net benefit in acute ischaemic stroke. ⋯ These scant data suggest that higher doses of thrombolytic agents may lead to higher rates of bleeding. However, the evidence is inadequate to conclude whether lower doses of thrombolytic agents are more effective than higher doses, or whether one agent is better than another, or which route of administration is the best, in acute ischaemic stroke.
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2004
Review Meta AnalysisProphylactic intravenous preloading for regional analgesia in labour.
Reduced uterine blood flow from maternal hypotension may contribute to fetal heart rate changes which are common following regional analgesia (epidural or spinal or combined spinal-epidural (CSE)) during labour. Intravenous fluid preloading may help to reduce maternal hypotension but using lower doses of local anaesthetic, and opioid only blocks, may reduce the need for preloading. ⋯ Preloading prior to traditional high-dose local anaesthetic blocks may have some beneficial fetal and maternal effects in healthy women. Low-dose epidural and CSE analgesia techniques may reduce the need for preloading. The studies reviewed were too small to show whether preloading is beneficial for women having regional analgesia during labour using the lower-dose local anaesthetics or opioids. Further investigation of low-dose epidural or CSE (including opioid only) blocks, and the risks and benefits of intravenous preloading for women with pregnancy complications, is required.
-
Since the introduction of the Swedish back school in 1969, back schools have frequently been used for treating patients with low-back pain (LBP). However, the content of back schools has changed and appears to vary widely today. ⋯ There is moderate evidence suggesting that back schools, in an occupational setting, reduce pain, and improve function and return-to-work status, in the short and intermediate-term, compared to exercises, manipulation, myofascial therapy, advice, placebo or waiting list controls, for patients with chronic and recurrent LBP. However, future trials should improve methodological quality and clinical relevance and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of back schools.