Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Bell's palsy or idiopathic facial palsy is an acute facial paralysis due to inflammation of the facial nerve. A number of studies published in China have suggested acupuncture is beneficial for facial palsy. ⋯ The quality of the included trials was inadequate to allow any conclusion about the efficacy of acupuncture. More research with high quality trials is needed.
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Evidence suggests that a high proportion of perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women will experience some menopause symptoms, hot flushes being the most common. The effects caused by falling levels of estrogen may be alleviated by hormone replacement therapy (HRT) but there has been a marked global decline in the prescription and use of HRT due to concerns about the risks and benefits of HRT; consequently many women are now seeking alternatives. As large numbers of women are choosing not to take HRT, it is increasingly important to identify evidence based lifestyle modifications, which can have a positive effect on menopausal symptoms. ⋯ Only one very small trial involving symptomatic women has assessed the effectiveness of exercise in the management of vasomotor menopausal symptoms. Exercise was not as effective as HRT in this trial. We found no evidence from randomised controlled trials on whether exercise is an effective treatment relative to other interventions or no intervention in reducing hot flushes and or night sweats in symptomatic women. No conclusions regarding the effectiveness of exercise as a treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms could be made due to a lack of trials.
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Esophageal cancer is the seventh leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs are sometimes used as an adjunct to radiotherapy or chemotherapy for this type of cancer. ⋯ There was no evidence of effect of TCM in the treatment of esophageal cancer due to no any authentic RCT in this field yet. New trials should be large scaled, correctly randomised and results assessor blinded in the future.
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Influenza is an acute respiratory communicable disease which, during epidemics, can cause high morbidity and mortality. Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, often administered following a particular theory, may be a potential medicine of choice. ⋯ The present evidence is too weak to support or reject the use of Chinese medicinal herbs for preventing and treating influenza. More RCTs with good methodological quality, larger numbers of participants and clear reporting are needed in the future. We recommend that all the clinical trials registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Register and Chinese journals join in the Joint Statement of Establishing Chinese Clinical Trial Registration and Publishing System.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2007
Review Meta AnalysisEducational outreach visits: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes.
Educational outreach visits (EOVs) have been identified as an intervention that may improve the practice of healthcare professionals. This type of face-to-face visit has been referred to as university-based educational detailing, academic detailing, and educational visiting. ⋯ EOVs alone or when combined with other interventions have effects on prescribing that are relatively consistent and small, but potentially important. Their effects on other types of professional performance vary from small to modest improvements, and it is not possible from this review to explain that variation.