Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2001
ReviewPermissive hypercapnia for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in mechanically ventilated newborn infants.
Experimental animal data and uncontrolled, observational studies in human infants have suggested that hyperventilation and hypocapnia may be associated with increased pulmonary and neurodevelopmental morbidity. Protective ventilatory strategies allowing higher levels of arterial CO2 (permissive hypercapnia) are now widely used in adult critical care. The aggressive pursuit of normocapnia in ventilated newborn infants may contribute to the already present burden of lung disease. However, the safe or ideal range for PCO2 in this vulnerable population has not been established. ⋯ This review does not demonstrate any significant overall benefit of a permissive hypercapnia/minimal ventilation strategy compared to a routine ventilation strategy. At present, therefore, these ventilation strategies cannot be recommended to reduce mortality, or pulmonary and neurodevelopmental morbidity. Ventilatory strategies which target high levels of PCO2 (> 55 mmHg) should only be undertaken in the context of well-designed controlled clinical trials. These trials should aim to establish the safe, or ideal, range for CO2 in ventilated newborns, and examine the role of protective ventilatory techniques in achieving this target.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2001
ReviewRescue high frequency oscillatory ventilation vs conventional ventilation for infants with severe pulmonary dysfunction born at or near term.
Pulmonary disease is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in term and near term infants. Conventional ventilation (CV) has been used for many years but may lead to lung injury, require the subsequent use of more invasive treatment such as extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), or result in death. There are some studies indicating that high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) may be more effective in these infants as compared to CV. ⋯ There are no data from randomized controlled trials supporting the routine use of rescue HFOV in term or near term infants with severe pulmonary dysfunction. The area is complicated by diverse pathology in such infants and by the occurrence of other interventions (surfactant, inhaled nitric oxide, inotropes). Randomized controlled trials are needed to establish the role of rescue HFOV in near term and term infants with pulmonary dysfunction before widespread use of this mode of ventilation in such infants.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2001
ReviewEversion versus conventional carotid endarterectomy for preventing stroke.
Carotid endarterectomy is conventionally undertaken by a longitudinal arteriotomy. Eversion carotid endarterectomy (CEA), which employs a transverse arteriotomy and reimplantation of the carotid artery, is reported to be associated with low perioperative stroke and restenosis rates but an increased risk of complications associated with a distal intimal flap. ⋯ Eversion CEA may be associated with low risk of arterial occlusion and restenosis. However, numbers are too small to definitively assess benefits or harms. Reduced restenosis rates did not appear to be associated with clinical benefit in terms of reduced stroke risk, either perioperatively or later. Until further evidence is available, the choice of the CEA technique should depend on the experience and familiarity of the individual surgeon.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2001
ReviewManagement of faecal incontinence and constipation in adults with central neurological diseases.
People with neurological disease have a much higher risk of both faecal incontinence and constipation than the general population. There is often a fine dividing line between the two conditions, with any management intended to ameliorate, one risking precipitating the other. Bowel problems are observed to be the cause of much anxiety and may reduce quality of life in these people. Current bowel management is largely empirical with a limited research base. ⋯ It is not possible to draw any recommendation for bowel care in people with neurological diseases from the trials included in this review. Bowel management for these people must remain empirical until well-designed controlled trials with adequate numbers and clinically relevant outcome measures become available.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2001
ReviewNatural surfactant extract versus synthetic surfactant for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.
Surfactant preparations are now widely used and have been credited with recent improvements in overall infant mortality (Horbar 1993b, Schwartz 1994). A wide variety of surfactant preparations have been developed and tested. These include synthetic surfactants and surfactants derived from animal sources. Although clinical trials have demonstrated that both synthetic surfactants and natural surfactant preparations are effective, comparison in animal models has suggested that there may be greater efficacy of natural surfactant products, perhaps due to the protein content of natural surfactant (Tooley 1987). ⋯ Both natural surfactant extracts and synthetic surfactant extracts are effective in the treatment and prevention of respiratory distress syndrome. Comparative trials demonstrate greater early improvement in the requirement for ventilator support, fewer pneumothoraces, and fewer deaths associated with natural surfactant extract treatment. Natural surfactant may be associated with an increase in intraventricular hemorrhage, though the more serious hemorrhages (Grade 3 and 4) are not increased. Despite these concerns, natural surfactant extracts would seem to be the more desirable choice when compared to currently available synthetic surfactants.