Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2007
Review Meta AnalysisExercise for acutely hospitalised older medical patients.
A high incidence of functional decline (deterioration in physical or cognitive function) during hospitalisation of older adults is reported. The role of exercise in preventing these deconditioning effects is unclear. ⋯ There is 'silver' level evidence (www.cochranemsk.org) that multidisciplinary intervention that includes exercise may increase the proportion of patients discharged to home and reduce length and cost of hospital stay for acutely hospitalised older medical patients.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2007
Review Meta AnalysisInterventions for basal cell carcinoma of the skin.
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the commonest skin cancer. BCCs are slow-growing, locally invasive, epidermal skin tumours which mainly affect white skinned people. The first line treatment is usually surgical excision, but numerous alternatives are available. ⋯ Overall there has been very little good quality research on treatments for BCC. Most trials have only evaluated BCCs in low risk locations. Surgery and radiotherapy appear to be the most effective treatments with surgery showing the lowest failure rates. Although cosmetic outcomes appear good with PDT, long term follow up data are needed. Other treatments might have some use but few have been compared to surgery. An ongoing study comparing imiquimod to surgery should clarify whether imiquimod is a useful option.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2007
Review Meta AnalysisIleostomy or colostomy for temporary decompression of colorectal anastomosis.
The use of loop ileostomy or loop transverse colostomy represents an important issue in colorectal surgery. Despite a slight preference for a loop ileostomy as a temporary stoma, the best form for temporary decompression of colorectal anastomosis still remains controversial. ⋯ The best available evidence for decompression of colorectal anastomosis, either use of loop ileostomy or loop colostomy, could not be clarified from this review. So far, the results in terms of occurrence of postoperative stoma prolapse support the choice of loop ileostomy as a technique for fecal diversion for colorectal anastomosis, but large scale RCT's is needed to verify this.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2007
Review Meta AnalysisTreatment for superficial thrombophlebitis of the leg.
The optimal treatment of superficial thrombophlebitis (ST) of the legs remains poorly defined. While improving or relieving the local painful symptoms, treatment should aim at preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE), which might complicate the natural history of ST. ⋯ Low molecular weight heparin and NSAIDs appear as the current best therapeutic options for ST of the legs. While the available data are too limited to make clear recommendations, an intermediate dose of LMWH for at least a month might be advised. Further research is needed to assess the role of NSAIDs and LMWH, the optimal doses and duration of treatment, and whether a combination therapy may be more effective than single treatment. Adequately designed and conducted studies are required to clarify the role of topical and surgical treatments.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2007
Review Meta AnalysisInterventions for preventing oral candidiasis for patients with cancer receiving treatment.
Treatment of cancer is increasingly more effective but is associated with short and long term side effects. Oral side effects remain a major source of illness despite the use of a variety of agents to prevent and treat them. One of these side effects is oral candidiasis. ⋯ There is strong evidence, from randomised controlled trials, that drugs absorbed or partially absorbed from the GI tract prevent oral candidiasis in patients receiving treatment for cancer. There is also evidence that these drugs are significantly better at preventing oral candidiasis than drugs not absorbed from the GI.