Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2008
Review Meta AnalysisArthroscopic debridement for knee osteoarthritis.
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive disease that initially affects the articular cartilage. Observational studies have shown benefits for arthroscopic debridement (AD) on the osteoarthritic knee, but other recent studies have yielded conflicting results that suggest AD may not be effective. ⋯ There is 'gold' level evidence that AD has no benefit for undiscriminated OA (mechanical or inflammatory causes).
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Depression is a common and important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Depression is commonly treated with antidepressants and/or psychotherapy, but some people may prefer alternative approaches such as exercise. There are a number of theoretical reasons why exercise may improve depression. ⋯ Exercise seems to improve depressive symptoms in people with a diagnosis of depression, but when only methodologically robust trials are included, the effect sizes are only moderate and not statistically significant. Further, more methodologically robust trials should be performed to obtain more accurate estimates of effect sizes, and to determine risks and costs. Further systematic reviews could be performed to investigate the effect of exercise in people with dysthymia who do not fulfil diagnostic criteria for depression.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2008
Review Meta AnalysisFull-mouth disinfection for the treatment of adult chronic periodontitis.
In an attempt to enhance treatment outcomes, alternative protocols for anti-infective periodontal therapy have been introduced. ⋯ In patients with chronic periodontitis in moderately deep pockets slightly more favourable outcomes for pocket reduction and gain in probing attachment were found following FMD compared to control. However, these additional improvements were only modest and there was only a very limited number of studies available for comparison, thus limiting general conclusions about the clinical benefit of full-mouth disinfection.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2008
Review Meta AnalysisCulture-specific programs for children and adults from minority groups who have asthma.
People with asthma who come from minority groups have poorer asthma outcomes and more asthma related visits to Emergency Departments (ED). Various programmes are used to educate and empower people with asthma and these have previously been shown to improve certain asthma outcomes. Models of care for chronic diseases in minority groups usually include a focus of the cultural context of the individual and not just the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, questions about whether culturally specific asthma education programmes for people from minority groups are effective at improving asthma outcomes, are feasible and are cost-effective need to be answered. ⋯ Culture-specific programmes for adults and children from minority groups with asthma, have been found to be more effective than generic programmes in improving some (Quality of Life and asthma knowledge) but not all asthma outcomes. This evidence is limited by the small number of included studies and the lack of reported outcomes. Further trials are required to answer this question conclusively.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2008
Review Meta AnalysisAntibiotics to reduce post-tonsillectomy morbidity.
Tonsillectomy continues to be one of the most common surgical procedures performed in children and adults. Despite improvements in surgical and anaesthetic techniques, postoperative morbidity, mainly in the form of pain, remains a significant clinical problem. Postoperative bacterial infection of the tonsillar fossa has been proposed as an important factor causing pain and associated morbidity, and some studies have found a reduction in morbid outcomes following the administration of perioperative antibiotics. ⋯ The present review suggests that there is little or no evidence that antibiotics reduce the main morbid outcomes following tonsillectomy (i.e. pain, the need for analgesia or secondary haemorrhage rates). They do however appear to reduce fever. Some important methodological shortcomings exist in the included trials which are likely to have produced bias favouring antibiotics. We therefore advocate caution when prescribing antibiotics routinely to all patients undergoing tonsillectomy. Whether a subgroup of patients who might benefit from selective administration of antibiotics exists is unknown and needs to be explored in future trials.