Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2002
ReviewProphylactic intravenous preloading for regional analgesia in labour.
Fetal heart rate changes are common following regional analgesia (epidural or spinal) during labour. Reduced uterine blood flow from maternal hypotension (low blood pressure) may contribute to this. Intravenous fluid preloading (volume expansion) may help to reduce maternal hypotension. Newer protocols using weaker solutions of local anaesthetic, and opioid only blocks, may reduce the need for preloading. ⋯ There are methodological limitations in the trials studied. However, preloading prior to high-dose local anaesthetic blocks may have beneficial fetal and maternal effects in healthy women. Further investigation of the effects in women receiving low-dose local anaesthetic or opioid only blocks, and the risks and benefits of intravenous preloading for women with pregnancy complications, is required.
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The prevalence of obesity and overweight is increasing in both adult and child populations throughout the world. Obesity in children impacts on their health in both the short and longer term, and obesity prevention is an international public health priority. However, the efficacy of prevention strategies is poorly understood. ⋯ There is limited high quality data on the effectiveness of obesity prevention programs and no generalisable conclusions can be drawn. However, concentration on strategies that encourage reduction in sedentary behaviours and increase in physical activity may be fruitful. The need for well-designed studies that examine a range of interventions remains a priority, although a number of important studies are underway.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2002
ReviewEarly versus deferred androgen suppression in the treatment of advanced prostatic cancer.
Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in men. Treatment goals for men with advanced prostate cancer include prolonging survival, preventing or delaying symptoms due to disease progression, improving and maintaining quality of life, reducing treatment related morbidity. Androgen suppression therapy is considered a mainstay of treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer. However it is not clear whether early androgen suppression for men with locally advanced disease or asymptomatic metastases improves length and quality of life compared to androgen suppression deferred until signs and symptoms of clinical progression. ⋯ The evidence from randomized controlled trials is limited by the variability in study design, stage of cancer and subjects enrolled, interventions utilized, definitions and reporting of outcomes and the lack of PSA testing for diagnostic and monitoring purposes. However, the available information suggests that early androgen suppression for treatment of advanced prostate cancer reduces disease progression and complications due to progression. Early androgen suppression may provide a small but statistically significant improvement in overall survival at 10 years. There was no statistically significant difference in prostate cancer specific survival but a clinically important difference could not be excluded. These outcomes need to be evaluated with the evidence suggesting higher costs and more frequent treatment related adverse effects with early therapy. Additional studies are required to evaluate more definitively the efficacy and adverse effects of early versus delayed androgen suppression in men with prostate cancer. In particular trials should evaluate patients with advanced prostate cancer diagnosed by PSA testing and men with persistent or rising PSA levels following treatment options (e.g. radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy or observation) for clinically localized disease.
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Acute spinal cord injury is a devastating condition typically affecting young people with a preponderance being male. Steroid treatment in the early hours of the injury is aimed at reducing the extent of permanent paralysis during the rest of the patient's life. ⋯ High dose methylprednisolone steroid therapy is the only pharmacological therapy shown to have efficacy in a Phase Three randomized trial when it can be administered within eight hours of injury. A recent trial indicates additional benefit by extending the maintenance dose from 24 to 48 hours if start of treatment must be delayed to between three and eight hours after injury. There is an urgent need for more randomized trials of pharmacological therapy for acute spinal cord injury.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2002
Review Comparative StudyGamma and other cephalocondylic intramedullary nails versus extramedullary implants for extracapsular hip fractures.
Cephalocondylic intramedullary nails which are inserted proximally to distally (cephalocondylic) have been used for the surgical treatment of extracapsular hip fractures. ⋯ Given the lower complication rate of the SHS in comparison with intramedullary nails, it appears that for trochanteric fractures the SHS is superior. Further studies will be required to determine if different types of intramedullary nail produce the same results, or if intramedullary nails have advantages for selected fracture types, for example, reversed fracture lines and subtrochanteric fractures. From the evidence available, IMHS appears to have the same problems as the Gamma nail, but other theoretical advantages of the IHMS cannot be ruled out.