Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Acupuncture has traditionally been used to treat asthma in China and is used increasingly for this purpose internationally. ⋯ There is not enough evidence to make recommendations about the value of acupuncture in asthma treatment. Further research needs to consider the complexities and different types of acupuncture.
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Herbal medicines are being used for treating viral diseases including viral myocarditis, and many controlled trials have been done to investigate their efficacy. ⋯ Some herbal medicines may have anti-arrhythmia effect in suspected viral myocarditis. However, interpretation of these findings should be careful due to the low methodological quality, small sample size, and limited number of trials on individual herbs. In the light of the findings, some herbal medicines deserve further examination in rigorous trials.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2004
ReviewGranulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) as an adjunct to antibiotics in the treatment of pneumonia in adults.
Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a naturally-occurring cytokine that has been shown to increase neutrophil function and number. Exogenous administration of recombinant G-CSF (filgrastim, pegfilgrastim or lenograstim) has found extensive use in the treatment of febrile neutropaenia, but its role in the treatment of infection in non-neutropaenic hosts is less well defined. ⋯ There is no current evidence supporting the routine use of G-CSF in the treatment of pneumonia. Studies in which G-CSF is administered prophylactically or earlier in therapy may be of interest.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2004
ReviewNutritional supplementation for hip fracture aftercare in the elderly.
Fractures of the hip are an important cause of later ill health and mortality in elderly people. People with hip fractures are often malnourished at the time of fracture, and have poor food intake in hospital. ⋯ The strongest evidence for the effectiveness of nutritional supplementation exists for oral protein and energy feeds, but the evidence is still very weak. Future trials are required which overcome the defects of the reviewed studies, particularly inadequate size, methodology and outcome assessment.
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Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic with, theoretically, a low propensity for movement disorder adverse effects. It is used for the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychoses. ⋯ Quetiapine is effective for the treatment of schizophrenia, but it is not much different from first-generation antipsychotics and risperidone with respect to treatment withdrawal and efficacy. In comparison to first-generation antipsychotics and risperidone, quetiapine has a lower risk of movement disorders but higher risks of dizziness, dry mouth and sleepiness. More clearly reported pragmatic randomised controlled trials should be carried out to determine its position in everyday clinical practice. Studies of medium and long-term effects, including cost-effectiveness, quality of life, social functioning and service utilisation, in comparison with the effects of typical and atypical antipsychotics should be priority areas.