Latest Articles
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Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are recommended treatment for mild asthma. We aimed to update the evidence on the efficacy and safety of ICS-containing regimens, leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA), and tiotropium relative to as-needed (AN) short-acting β2-agonists (SABA) in children (aged 6-11 years) and adolescents/adults. ⋯ Regular ICS use may be the most effective treatment for preventing exacerbation and increasing FEV1 in children with mild asthma. In adolescents/adults, ICS-containing regimens outperformed AN-SABA for exacerbation prevention. With varying degrees of heterogeneity, severe exacerbation risk in adolescents/adults might be lower with regular ICS/LABA or AN-ICS/FABA than regular ICS, where AN-ICS/FABA may not be suitable for patients with low FEV1. Additionally, regular ICS use may enhance FEV1 and QoL more than AN-SABA and LTRA.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2025
Review Meta AnalysisLurasidone versus typical antipsychotics for schizophrenia.
Antipsychotic drugs are the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia. Even though several novel second-generation antipsychotics (i.e. lurasidone, iloperidone and cariprazine) have been approved in recent years, typical antipsychotics (e.g. chlorpromazine, haloperidol, and fluphenazine) remain a crucial therapeutic option for the condition around the world. Little is known about the relative risk-to-benefit ratio of the 'latest' second-generation antipsychotics compared to the typical agents of 'established stature'. ⋯ We are very uncertain about whether lurasidone offers benefits to the mental state, total serious adverse events, or severe adverse events when compared to typical antipsychotics for people with schizophrenia. The evidence included in this review is of very low certainty, derived from two small trials. Study limitations (risk of bias) and imprecise results impacted our confidence in the evidence. Furthermore, data on mortality (due to suicide or natural causes) or quality of life are unavailable. Further large-scale randomized studies are needed to provide clearer insights into the benefits and harms of lurasidone compared to typical antipsychotics for treating schizophrenia.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2025
Review Meta AnalysisIntravenous antibiotics for pulmonary exacerbations in people with cystic fibrosis.
Cystic fibrosis is a multisystem disease characterised by the production of thick secretions causing recurrent pulmonary infection, often with unusual bacteria. Intravenous (IV) antibiotics are commonly used in the treatment of acute deteriorations in symptoms (pulmonary exacerbations); however, recently the assumption that exacerbations are due to increases in bacterial burden has been questioned. This is an update of a previously published review. ⋯ The evidence of benefit from administering IV antibiotics for pulmonary exacerbations in cystic fibrosis is often poor, especially in terms of size of studies and risk of bias, particularly in older studies. We are not certain whether there is any difference between specific antibiotic combinations, and neither is there evidence of a difference between the IV route and the inhaled or oral routes. There is limited evidence that shorter antibiotic duration in adults who respond early to treatment is not different to a longer period of treatment. There remain several unanswered questions regarding optimal IV antibiotic treatment regimens.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg · Jan 2025
Meta AnalysisOptimal timing of stabilization and operative technique for extremity fractures in polytrauma patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
In polytrauma patients, injuries involving the extremities are frequently seen. Treatment concepts vary from early definitive care to temporary fixation and delayed definite stabilization. This analysis therefor aims to illuminate the impact of timing for operative stabilization of extremity fractures on outcome factors in adult polytrauma patients. ⋯ The results indicate that immediate surgical treatment by nailing is superior to delayed treatment or a staged surgical approach in stable polytrauma patients with long-bone fractures. As there is a lack of clear evidence regarding the optimal timing for definitive operative stabilization of extremity fractures in polytrauma patients, further high-quality studies are essential to enhance the certainty of evidence and provide more conclusive treatment algorithms.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2025
Review Meta AnalysisCalorie (energy) labelling for changing selection and consumption of food or alcohol.
Overconsumption of food and consumption of any amount of alcohol increases the risk of non-communicable diseases. Calorie (energy) labelling is advocated as a means to reduce energy intake from food and alcoholic drinks. However, there is continued uncertainty about these potential impacts, with a 2018 Cochrane review identifying only a small body of low-certainty evidence. This review updates and extends the 2018 Cochrane review to provide a timely reassessment of evidence for the effects of calorie labelling on people's selection and consumption of food or alcoholic drinks. ⋯ Current evidence suggests that calorie labelling of food (including non-alcoholic drinks) on menus, products, and packaging leads to small reductions in energy selected and purchased, with potentially meaningful impacts on population health when applied at scale. The evidence assessing the impact of calorie labelling of food on consumption suggests a similar effect to that observed for selection and purchasing, although there is less evidence and it is of lower certainty. There is insufficient evidence to estimate the effect of calorie labelling of alcoholic drinks, and more high-quality studies are needed. Further research is needed to assess potential moderators of the intervention effect observed for food, particularly socioeconomic status. Wider potential effects of implementation that are not assessed by this review also merit further examination, including systemic impacts of calorie labelling on industry actions, and potential individual harms and benefits.