Spine
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Direct decompressive surgery followed by radiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone for metastatic epidural spinal cord compression: a meta-analysis.
A systemic review and meta-analysis. ⋯ 1.
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Do manual therapies help low back pain? A comparative effectiveness meta-analysis.
Meta-analysis methodology was extended to derive comparative effectiveness information on spinal manipulation for low back pain. ⋯ Meta-analyses can extract comparative effectiveness information from existing literature. The relatively small portion of outcomes attributable to treatment explains why past research results fail to converge on stable estimates. The probability of treatment superiority matched a binomial random process. Treatments serve to motivate, reassure, and calibrate patient expectations--features that might reduce medicalization and augment self-care. Exercise with authoritative support is an effective strategy for acute and chronic low back pain.
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Meta-analysis of individual patient data. ⋯ The characteristic progressive sensory-motor CESE defects in lower extremities marked CES onset. Instead of waiting for the onset of sphincter function abnormalities, CES should be diagnosed when the CESE symptoms manifest.