Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Balneotherapy (or spa therapy, mineral baths) for patients with arthritis is one of the oldest forms of therapy. One of the aims of balneotherapy is to soothe the pain and as a consequence to relieve patients' suffering and make them feel well. In this update we included one extra study. ⋯ We found silver level evidence (www.cochranemsk.org) concerning the beneficial effects of mineral baths compared to no treatment. Of all other balneological treatments no clear effects were found. However, the scientific evidence is weak because of the poor methodological quality and the absence of an adequate statistical analysis and data presentation. Therefore, the noted "positive findings" should be viewed with caution.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2007
Review Meta AnalysisGlutamine supplementation for young infants with severe gastrointestinal disease.
Endogenous glutamine biosynthesis may be insufficient to meet the needs of infants with severe gastrointestinal disease. Studies using animal models of gastrointestinal disease and controlled trials in adult patients have suggested that glutamine supplementation improves clinical outcomes. ⋯ The available data from randomised controlled trials are not sufficient to determine whether glutamine supplementation confers clinically significant benefits for infants with severe gastrointestinal disease. Further trials are needed.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2007
Review Meta AnalysisArtesunate versus quinine for treating severe malaria.
Severe malaria kills over a million people every year. We sought evidence of superiority of artesunate compared with the standard treatment quinine. ⋯ Intravenous artesunate is the drug of choice for adults with severe malaria, particularly if acquired in Asia. This review did not identify sufficient data to make firm conclusions about the treatment of children or the effectiveness of intramuscular artesunate. There is an urgent need to compare the effects of artesunate with quinine in African children with severe malaria. The applicability of these results to Asian children and the ethics of further research are points of debate.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2007
Review Meta AnalysisPostnatal thyroid hormones for respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants.
Preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome are at increased risk of adverse neonatal and developmental outcomes. In animal research, thyroid hormones stimulate surfactant production and reduce the incidence and severity of respiratory distress when given antenatally. ⋯ There is no evidence from controlled clinical trials that postnatal thyroid hormone treatment reduces the severity of respiratory distress syndrome, neonatal morbidity or mortality in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2007
Review Meta AnalysisIntra-uterine insemination for male subfertility.
Intra-uterine insemination (IUI) is one of the most frequently used fertility treatments for couples with male subfertility. Its use, especially when combined with ovarian hyperstimulation (OH) has been subject of discussion. Although the treatment itself is less invasive and expensive than others, its efficacy has not been proven. Furthermore, the adverse effects of OH such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS ) and multiple pregnancy are a concern. ⋯ There was insufficient evidence of effectiveness to recommend or advise against IUI with or without OH above TI, or vice versa. Large, high quality randomised controlled trials, comparing IUI with or without OH with pregnancy rate per couple as the main outcome of interest are lacking. There is a need for such trials since firm conclusions cannot be drawn yet.