Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2003
Review Meta AnalysisAntiplatelet and anticoagulation for patients with prosthetic heart valves.
Patients with prosthetic heart valves are at increased risk for valve thrombosis and arterial thromboembolism. Oral anticoagulation alone, or the addition of antiplatelet drugs, has been used to minimize this risk. An important issue is the effectiveness and safety of the latter strategy. ⋯ Adding antiplatelet therapy, either dipyridamole or low-dose aspirin, to oral anticoagulation decreases the risk of systemic embolism or death among patients with prosthetic heart valves. The risk of major bleeding is increased with antiplatelet therapy. These results apply to patients with mechanical prosthetic valves or those with biological valves and indicators of high risk such as atrial fibrillation or prior thromboembolic events. The effectiveness and safety of low dose aspirin (100 mg daily) appears to be similar to higher dose aspirin and dipyridamole.
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Vaginal atrophy is a frequent complaint of postmenopausal women; symptoms include vaginal dryness, itching, discomfort and painful intercourse. Systemic treatment for these symptoms in the form of oral hormone replacement therapy is not always necessary. An alternative choice is oestrogenic preparations administered vaginally (in the form of creams, pessaries, tablets and the estradiol releasing ring). ⋯ Creams, pessaries, tablets and the estradiol vaginal ring appeared to be equally effective for the symptoms of vaginal atrophy. One trial found significant side effects noted following cream (conjugated equine oestrogen) administration when compared to tablets causing uterine bleeding, breast pain and perineal pain. Another trial found significant endometrial overstimulation following cream (conjugated equine oestrogen) when compared to the ring. As a treatment choice women appeared to favour the estradiol releasing vaginal ring for ease of use, comfort of product and overall satisfaction.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2003
Review Meta AnalysisInhaled versus systemic corticosteroids for preventing chronic lung disease in ventilated very low birth weight preterm neonates.
Chronic lung disease (CLD) remains an important cause of mortality and morbidity in preterm infants despite the administration of antenatal corticosteroids, surfactant replacement therapy and other advances in neonatal intensive care. There is increasing evidence from cellular and biochemical research that inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of CLD. Thus, interventions aimed at reducing or modulating the inflammatory process may reduce the incidence or severity of CLD. Theoretically, the use of inhaled corticosteroids may allow for beneficial effects on the pulmonary system without concomitant high systemic concentrations and less risk of adverse effects. ⋯ This review found no evidence that early inhaled steroids confer important advantages over systemic steroids in the management of ventilator dependent preterm infants. Neither inhaled steroids, nor systemic steroids, can be recommended as a part of standard practice for ventilated preterm infants. Because they might have fewer adverse effects than systemic steroids, further randomized controlled trials of inhaled steroids are needed which address risk/benefit ratio of different delivery techniques, dosing schedules and long term effects, with particular attention to neurodevelopmental outcome.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2003
Review Meta AnalysisFluoride toothpastes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents.
Fluoride toothpastes have been widely used for over three decades and remain a benchmark intervention for the prevention of dental caries. ⋯ Supported by more than half a century of research, the benefits of fluoride toothpastes are firmly established. Taken together, the trials are of relatively high quality, and provide clear evidence that fluoride toothpastes are efficacious in preventing caries.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2003
Review Meta AnalysisInhaled nitric oxide for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure in children and adults.
Acute hypoxemic respiratory failure affects all age groups and may result from a number of systemic diseases. It continues to be associated with high mortality and morbidity. Initial studies examining the effect of inhaled nitric oxide in respiratory failure demonstrated transient improvement in oxygenation but did not examine mortality or other significant morbidity outcomes. ⋯ Nitric oxide did not demonstrate any statistically significant effect on mortality and transiently improved oxygenation in patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure. Lack of data prevented assessment of other clinically relevant end points. If further trials comparing inhaled nitric oxide with an inhaled placebo are to proceed, they should be stratified for primary disease, assess the impact of other combined treatment modalities for respiratory failure, and must specifically evaluate clinically relevant outcomes, before any benefit of inhaled nitric oxide for respiratory failure can be excluded.