Cochrane Db Syst Rev
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2008
Review Meta AnalysisPit and fissure sealants for preventing dental decay in the permanent teeth of children and adolescents.
Although pit and fissure sealants are effective in preventing caries, their efficacy may be related to the caries prevalence in the population. ⋯ Sealing is a recommended procedure to prevent caries of the occlusal surfaces of permanent molars. The effectiveness of sealants is obvious at high caries risk but information on the benefits of sealing specific to different caries risks is lacking.
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2008
Review Meta AnalysisProcaine treatments for cognition and dementia.
Procaine is a controversial substance which has been used for "antiageing" effects including cognitive improvement for more than 50 years.Preparations which contain procaine as a component are claimed to prevent, reverse and interrupt dementia. Several products are widely promoted and can be purchased "over the counter" outside the US and via the Internet. Procaine preparations are said to be readily available in over 70 countries and to be used by more than 100 million people. ⋯ This review suggests that the evidence for detrimental effects of procaine and its preparations is stronger than the evidence for benefit in preventing and/or treating dementia or cognitive impairment.There is some evidence from older studies that procaine preparations might improve memory in persons without cognitive impairment. However, the clear evidence of side effects suggests that the risks might outweigh the benefits. In the light of this, the strong marketing claims for procaine preparations should be withdrawn until trials of adequate size, duration and quality have been conducted.
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2008
ReviewWITHDRAWN: Aromatherapy and massage for symptom relief in patients with cancer.
Aromatherapy massage is a commonly used complementary therapy, and is employed in cancer and palliative care largely to improve quality of life and reduce psychological distress. ⋯ Massage and aromatherapy massage confer short term benefits on psychological well being, with the effect on anxiety supported by limited evidence. Effects on physical symptoms may also occur. Evidence is mixed as to whether aromatherapy enhances the effects of massage. Replication, longer follow up, and larger trials are need to accrue the necessary evidence.
-
Peer support telephone calls have been used for a wide range of health-related concerns. However, little is known about their effects. ⋯ Whilst this review provides some evidence that peer support telephone calls can be effective for certain health-related concerns, few of the studies were of high quality and so results should be interpreted cautiously. There were many methodological limitations thus limiting the generalisability of findings. Overall, there is a need for further well designed randomised controlled studies to clarify the cost and clinical effectiveness of peer support telephone calls for improvement in health and health-related behaviour.
-
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common movement disorder for which patients may seek treatment with acupuncture. However, the benefits of acupuncture in the treatment of RLS are unclear and have not been evaluated in a systematic review until now. ⋯ There is insufficient evidence to determine whether acupuncture is an efficacious and safe treatment for RLS. Further well-designed, large-scale clinical trials are needed.