Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2005
Review Meta AnalysisProgesterone or progestogen-releasing intrauterine systems for heavy menstrual bleeding.
Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is an important cause of ill health in women and it accounts for 12% of all gynaecology referrals in the UK. Heavy menstrual bleeding is clinically defined as greater than or equal to 80 ml of blood loss per menstrual cycle. However, women may complain of excessive bleeding when their blood loss is less than 80 ml. Hysterectomy is often used to treat women with this complaint but medical therapy may be a successful alternative. The intrauterine coil device was originally developed as a contraceptive but the addition of uterine relaxing hormones, progestogens, to these devices resulted in a large reduction in menstrual blood loss. Case studies of two types of progesterone or progestogen-releasing systems, Progestasert and Mirena, reported reductions of up to 90% and that dysmenorrhoea may be improved. Insertion, however, may be regarded as invasive by some women, which affects its acceptability as a treatment. Frequent intermenstrual bleeding and spotting is also likely during the first few months. ⋯ The levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG IUS) is more effective than cyclical norethisterone (for 21 days) as a treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding. Women with an LNG IUS are more satisfied and willing to continue with treatment but experience more side effects, such as intermenstrual bleeding and breast tenderness. The LNG IUS results in a smaller mean reduction in menstrual blood loss (as assessed by the PBAC chart) than endometrial ablation but there is no evidence of a difference in the rate of satisfaction with treatment. Women with an LNG IUS experience more progestogenic side effects compared to women having TCRE for treatment of their heavy menstrual bleeding but there is no evidence of a difference in their perceived quality of life. The LNG IUS treatment costs less than hysterectomy but there is no evidence of a difference in quality of life measures between these groups. There are no data available from randomised controlled trials comparing progesterone-releasing intrauterine systems to either placebo or other commonly used medical therapies for heavy menstrual bleeding.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2005
Review Meta AnalysisIntraarticular corticosteroid for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disorder. In the knee, injections of corticosteroids into the joint (intra-articular (IA)) may relieve inflammation, and reduce pain and disability. ⋯ The short-term benefit of IA corticosteroids in treatment of knee OA is well established, and few side effects have been reported. Longer term benefits have not been confirmed based on the RevMan analysis. The response to HA products appears more durable. In this review, some discrepancies were observed between the RevMan 4.1 analysis and the original publication. These are likely the result of using secondary rather than primary data and the statistical methods available in RevMan 4.1. Future trials should have standardised outcome measures and assessment times, run longer, investigate different patient subgroups, and clinical predictors of response (those associated with inflammation and structural damage).
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2005
Review Meta AnalysisNonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) versus opioids for acute renal colic.
Renal colic is a common cause of acute severe pain. Both opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are recommended for treatment, but the relative efficacy of these drugs is uncertain. ⋯ Both NSAIDs and opioids can provide effective analgesia in acute renal colic. Opioids are associated with a higher incidence of adverse events, particularly vomiting. Given the high rate of vomiting associated with the use of opioids, particularly pethidine, and the greater likelihood of requiring further analgesia, we recommend that if an opioid is to be used it should not be pethidine.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2005
Review Meta AnalysisSelective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for preventing migraine and tension-type headaches.
Headache is a common medical problem. In view of recent discoveries about the role of serotonin in pain mechanisms, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been evaluated for the prevention of migraine and tension-type headaches (TTH). ⋯ Over 2 months of treatment, SSRIs are no more efficacious than placebo in patients with migraine. In patients with chronic TTH, SSRIs are less efficacious than tricyclic antidepressants. In comparison with SSRIs, the burden of adverse events in patients receiving tricyclics was greater. These results are based on short-term trials and may not generalise to longer-term treatment.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2005
Review Meta AnalysisLay health workers in primary and community health care.
Lay health workers (LHWs) are widely used to provide care for a broad range of health issues. However, little is known about the effectiveness of LHW interventions. ⋯ LHWs show promising benefits in promoting immunisation uptake and improving outcomes for acute respiratory infections and malaria, when compared to usual care. For other health issues, evidence is insufficient to justify recommendations for policy and practice. There is also insufficient evidence to assess which LHW training or intervention strategies are likely to be most effective. Further research is needed in these areas.