Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2008
ReviewChest physiotherapy for reducing respiratory morbidity in infants requiring ventilatory support.
Chest physiotherapy (CPT) has been used in many neonatal nurseries around the world to improve airway clearance and treat lung collapse; however, the evidence to support its use has been conflicting. Despite the large number of studies there is very little evidence of sufficiently good quality on which to base current practice. ⋯ The results of this review do not provide sufficient evidence on which to base clinical practice. There is a need for larger randomised controlled trials to address these issues.
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Many palliative care patients have reduced oral intake during their illness. The management of this can include the provision of medically assisted hydration with the aim of prolonging the length of life of a patient, improving their quality of life, or both. ⋯ There are insufficient good quality studies to make any recommendations for practice with regard to the use of medically assisted hydration in palliative care patients.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2008
ReviewSurgical versus medical treatment with cyclooxygenase inhibitors for symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants.
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) with significant left to right shunt in preterm infants increases morbidity and mortality. Early closure of the ductus arteriosus may be achieved pharmacologically using cyclooxygenase inhibitors or by surgery. The efficacy of both treatment modalities is well established. However, the preferred initial treatment of a symptomatic PDA in a preterm infant, surgical ligation or treatment with indomethacin, has not been well established. ⋯ The data regarding net benefit/harm are insufficient to make a conclusion as to whether surgical ligation or medical treatment with indomethacin is preferred as initial treatment for symptomatic PDA in preterm infants. It should be noted that three recent observational studies indicated an increased risk for one or more of the following outcomes associated with PDA ligation; chronic lung disease, retinopathy of prematurity and neurosensory impairment . It is possible that the duration of the "waiting-time" and transport to another facility with surgical capacity to have the PDA ligated could adversely affect outcomes, as could the perioperative care.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2008
ReviewContinuous negative extrathoracic pressure or continuous positive airway pressure for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure in children.
Acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in children. Positive pressure ventilation is currently the standard care, however, it does have complications. Continuous negative extrathoracic pressure ventilation (CNEP) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ventilation delivered via non-invasive approaches (Ni-CPAP) have shown certain beneficial effects in animal and uncontrolled human studies. ⋯ There is a lack of well designed, controlled experiments of non-invasive modes of respiratory support in children with AHRF. Reduction of in-hospital mortality is an important outcome and even a small reduction would be beneficial. Studies assessing other outcomes such as avoidance of intubation and its associated complications, reduction in hospital stay and improvement in patient comfort are also valuable in gauging the overall impact of these strategies.
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Venous leg ulcers are a type of chronic wound affecting up to 1% of adults in developed countries at some point during their life. Many of these wounds are colonised by bacteria or show signs of clinical infection. The presence of infection may delay ulcer healing. There are two main strategies used to prevent and treat clinical infection in venous leg ulcers: systemic antibiotics and topical antibiotics or antiseptics. ⋯ At present, there is no existing evidence to support the routine use of systemic antibiotics to promote healing in venous leg ulcers. However, the lack of reliable evidence means that it is not possible to recommend the discontinuation of any of the agents reviewed. In terms of topical preparations, there is some evidence to support the use of cadexomer iodine. Further good quality research is required before definitive conclusions can be made about the effectiveness of systemic antibiotics and topical preparations such as povidone iodine, peroxide-based preparations, ethacridine lactate and mupirocin in healing venous leg ulceration. In light of the increasing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, current prescribing guidelines recommend that antibacterial preparations should only be used in cases of defined infection and not for bacterial colonisation.