Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Based mainly on experimental data that indicates improvement to the cerebral microcirculation, Dan Shen, a herbal medicine, is widely used in the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke in China. ⋯ The methodological quality of all included studies was poor, and reliable conclusions could not be drawn from the present data. Further high-quality randomised controlled trials should be performed.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Apr 2007
Review Meta AnalysisChinese medicinal herbs to treat the side-effects of chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.
Short term side-effects of chemotherapy include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, mucositis and myelosuppression or neutropenia. These occur during the course of treatment and generally resolve within months of completion of chemotherapy. A variety of Chinese medicinal herbs have been used for managing these side effects. ⋯ This review provides limited evidence about the effectiveness and safety of Chinese medicinal herbs in alleviating chemotherapy induced short term side effects. Chinese medicinal herbs, when used together with chemotherapy, may offer some benefit to breast cancer patients in terms of bone marrow improvement and quality of life, but the evidence is too limited to make any confident conclusions. Well designed clinical trials are required before any conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness and safety of CHM in the management of breast cancer patients.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Apr 2007
Review Meta AnalysisConservative management for postprostatectomy urinary incontinence.
Urinary incontinence is common after both radical prostatectomy (RP) and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Conservative management includes pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) with or without biofeedback, electrical stimulation, compression devices (penile clamps), lifestyle changes, extra-corporeal magnetic innervation or a combination of methods. ⋯ The value of the various approaches to conservative management of postprostatectomy incontinence remains uncertain. Long-term incontinence may be managed by external penile clamp, but there are safety problems.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Apr 2007
Review Meta AnalysisVaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults.
Different types of influenza vaccines are currently produced world-wide. Healthy adults are at present targeted only in North America. Despite the publication of a large number of clinical trials, there is still substantial uncertainty about the clinical effectiveness of influenza vaccines and this has a negative impact on their acceptance and uptake. ⋯ Influenza vaccines are effective in reducing cases of influenza, especially when the content predicts accurately circulating types and circulation is high. However, they are less effective in reducing cases of influenza-like illness and have a modest impact on working days lost. There is insufficient evidence to assess their impact on complications. Whole-virion monovalent vaccines may perform best in a pandemic.
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It has been suggested that a time-lag bias exists whereby research studies with striking results are more likely to be stopped earlier than originally planned, published quicker, or both. If time-lag bias exists, new interventions might be mistakenly assumed to be effective. ⋯ Our review shows that trials with positive results are published sooner than other trials. This has important implications for the timing of the initiation and updating of a review, especially if there is an association between the inclusion of a trial in a review and its publication status. It is of particular concern when one considers reviews containing only a small number of studies.