Cochrane Db Syst Rev
-
To estimate the short-term (up to one year) effects of cyclosporine for rheumatoid arthritis. ⋯ Cyclosporine has an important clinical benefit int the short-term (up to one year) treatment of patients with progressive rheumatoid arthritis.
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewCirculatory volume expansion for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage who develop spasm of the cerebral arteries may suffer from delayed cerebral ischaemia. This may be exacerbated by reduced circulatory volume. Intravenous fluid therapy to expand the circulating volume might reduce the risk of delayed cerebral ischaemia and so reduce the risk of neurological disability. ⋯ The effects of volume expansion therapy have not been studied properly in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. At present, there is no sound evidence for or against the use of volume expansion therapy in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage.
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewAntioxidant vitamin and mineral supplementation for preventing age-related macular degeneration.
Some observational studies have suggested that people who eat a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins (carotenoids, vitamins C and E) or minerals (selenium and zinc) may be less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration. ⋯ There is no evidence to date that people without age-related macular degeneration should take antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. The results of five large ongoing trials are awaited.
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewNear-infrared spectroscopy for fetal assessment during labour.
Over the past four decades, continuous electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) has been increasingly employed to detect fetal acidemia in labor, with a view toward prevention of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, permanent neurologic injury, and death. Although very sensitive, this technology has low specificity, and a high false positive rate. This false positive rate has resulted in operative intervention on behalf of many fetuses who were not in fact in danger of neurologic injury or death. Near-infrared spectroscopy has been developed to directly measure fetal cerebral oxygenation, with a view toward identification of those fetuses truly at risk. ⋯ There is currently insufficient evidence to assess the efficacy of fetal surveillance by near-infrared spectroscopy.
-
TB of the pleura is associated with inflammation and fibrosis. Steroids could reduce the effects of the inflammation, but the immunosuppression could make patients vunerable. ⋯ There is insufficient evidence to know whether steroids are effective in tuberculous pleural effusion.