Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewProphylactic natural surfactant extract for preventing morbidity and mortality in preterm infants.
This section is under preparation and will be included in the next issue. ⋯ Prophylactic intratracheal administration of natural surfactant extract to infants judged to be at risk of developing respiratory distress syndrome (intubated infants <30 weeks gestation) has been demonstrated to improve clinical outcome. Infants who receive prophylactic natural surfactant extract have a decreased risk of pneumothorax, a decreased risk of pulmonary interstitial emphysema, a decreased risk of mortality, and a decreased risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewProphylactic synthetic surfactant for preventing morbidity and mortality in preterm infants.
This section is under preparation and will be included in the next issue. ⋯ Prophylactic intratracheal administration of synthetic surfactant to infants judged to be at risk of developing respiratory distress syndrome has been demonstrated to improve clinical outcome. Infants who receive prophylactic synthetic surfactant have a decreased risk of pneumothorax, a decreased risk of pulmonary interstitial emphysema, and a decreased risk of neonatal mortality. Infants who receive prophylactic synthetic surfactant have an increased risk of developing patent ductus arteriosus and pulmonary hemorrhage.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewMassage for promoting growth and development of preterm and/or low birth-weight infants.
It has been argued that infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units are subject both to a highly stressful environment - continuous, high-intensity noise and bright light - and to a lack of the tactile stimulation that they would otherwise experience in the womb or in general mothering care. As massage seems to both decrease stress and provide tactile stimulation, it has been recommended as an intervention to promote growth and development of preterm and low-birth weight infants. ⋯ Evidence that massage for preterm infants is of benefit for developmental outcomes is weak and does not warrant wider use of preterm infant massage. Where massage is currently provided by nurses, consideration should be given as to whether this is a cost-effective use of time. Future research should assess the effects of massage interventions on clinical outcome measures, such as medical complications or length of stay, and on process-of-care outcomes, such as care-giver or parental satisfaction.
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Artemisinin derivatives may have advantages over quinoline drugs for treating severe malaria since they are fast acting and effective against quinine resistant malaria parasites. ⋯ The evidence suggests that artemisinin drugs are no worse than quinine in preventing death in severe or complicated malaria. No artemisinin derivative appears to be better than the others.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewGastro-oesophageal reflux treatment for asthma in adults and children.
Asthma and gastro-oesophageal reflux are both common medical conditions and often co-exist. Studies have shown conflicting results concerning the effects of lower oesophageal acidification as a trigger of asthma. Furthermore, asthma might precipitate gastro-oesophageal reflux. Thus a temporal association between the two does not establish that gastro-oesophageal reflux triggers asthma. Randomised trials of a number of treatments for gastro-oesophageal reflux in asthma have been conducted, with conflicting results. ⋯ In asthmatic subjects with gastro-oesophageal reflux, (but who were not recruited specifically on the basis of reflux-associated respiratory symptoms), there was no overall improvement in asthma following treatment for gastro-oesophageal reflux. Subgroups of patients may gain benefit, but it appears difficult to predict responders.