Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2005
ReviewChest radiograph in acute respiratory infections in children.
Chest radiography is widely used in children with acute lower respiratory infections, but the benefits are unknown. ⋯ There is no evidence that chest radiography improves outcome in ambulatory children with acute lower respiratory infection. The findings do not exclude a potential effect of radiography, but the potential benefit needs to be balanced against the hazards and expense of chest radiography. The findings apply to ambulatory children only.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2005
Review Meta AnalysisInhaled magnesium sulfate in the treatment of acute asthma.
Asthma exacerbations can be frequent and range in severity from relatively mild to status asthmaticus. The use of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) is one of numerous treatment options available during acute exacerbations. While the efficacy of intravenous MgSO4 has been demonstrated, little is known about inhaled MgSO4. ⋯ Nebulised inhaled magnesium sulfate in addition to beta2-agonist in the treatment of an acute asthma exacerbation, appears to have benefits with respect to improved pulmonary function and there is a trend towards benefit in hospital admission. Heterogeneity between trials included in this review precludes a more definitive conclusion.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2005
Review Meta AnalysisPrimary stenting versus primary balloon angioplasty for treating acute myocardial infarction.
Balloon angioplasty following myocardial infarction (MI) reduces death, non-fatal MI and stroke compared to thrombolytic reperfusion. However up to 50% of patients experience restenosis and 3% to 5% recurrent myocardial infarction. Therefore, primary stenting may offer additional benefits compared to balloon angioplasty in patients with acute myocardial infarction. ⋯ There is no evidence to suggest that primary stenting reduces mortality when compared to balloon angioplasty. Stenting seems to be associated with a reduced risk of reinfarction and target vessel revascularization, but potential confounding due to unbalanced post-interventional antithrombotic/anticoagulant therapies can not be ruled out on basis of this review.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2005
Review Meta AnalysisSurgical resection and whole brain radiation therapy versus whole brain radiation therapy alone for single brain metastases.
The treatment of brain metastasis is generally palliative, with whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT), since the majority have uncontrollable systemic cancer. In certain circumstances, such as single brain metastases, death may be more likely from brain involvement than systemic disease. In this group, surgical resection has been proposed to relieve symptoms and prolong survival. ⋯ Surgery and WBRT may improve FIS but not overall survival. There is a trend that it may reduce the proportion of deaths due to neurological cause. All these results were in a highly selected group of patients. Operating on metastases does not confer significantly more adverse effects.
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Neck disorders are common, disabling and costly. The effectiveness of electrotherapy as a physiotherapy option has remained unclear. ⋯ We can not make any definitive statements on electrotherapy for MND. The current evidence on Galvanic current (direct or pulsed), iontophoresis, TENS, EMS, PEMF and permanent magnets is either lacking, limited, or conflicting. Possible new trials on these interventions should have larger patient samples and include more precise standardization and description of all treatment characteristics.