Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2009
ReviewVasodilators and vasoactive substances for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) is sudden hearing loss where clinical assessment fails to reveal a cause. The most widely used therapeutic agents for ISSHL are antivirals, steroids, hyperbaric oxygen, vasodilators and rheological/vasoactive substances. There is currently conflicting evidence for vasodilator and vasoactive substances in the treatment of ISSHL. ⋯ The effectiveness of vasodilators in the treatment of ISSHL remains unproven. The included studies were of relatively poor quality and the number of patients included was small. Moreover, there were differences in the type, dosage and duration of vasodilator used in each study. Due to the degree of heterogeneity the results could not be combined to reach a conclusion.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2009
ReviewWITHDRAWN: Argon plasma coagulation therapy for acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
Endoscopic treatment is recommended for initial hemostasis in non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Many endoscopic hemostatic devices are used. Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC) is an alternative. ⋯ On the basis of the two randomised controlled trials identified in this review, there is no evidence to suggest that APC is superior to other endoscopic therapies. Further randomised controlled trials are needed.
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Although antihistamines are prescribed in large quantities for the common cold, there is little evidence as to whether these drugs are effective. ⋯ Antihistamines in monotherapy - in children as well as in adults - do not alleviate to a clinical extent nasal congestion, rhinorrhoea and sneezing, or subjective improvement of the common cold. First generation antihistamines also cause more side-effects than placebo, in particular they increase sedation in cold sufferers.Combinations of antihistamines with decongestives are not effective in small children. In older children and adults most trials show a beneficial effect on general recovery as well as on nasal symptoms. However, it is not clear whether these effects are clinically significant.
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Menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding) is a benign yet debilitating social and health condition. Treatments prescribed in order to reduce excessive menstrual blood loss include prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors, antifibrinolytics, the oral contraceptive pill and other hormones. The combined oral contraceptive pill (OCP) is claimed to have a variety of beneficial, inducing a regular shedding of a thinner endometrium and inhibiting ovulation thus having the effect of treating menorrhagia and providing contraception. ⋯ One small study found no significant difference between groups treated with OCP, mefenamic acid, low dose danazol or naproxen. Overall, the evidence from the one study is not sufficient to adequately assess the effectiveness of OCP.This review was unable to achieve its stated objectives because of the paucity of the data.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2009
Review Meta AnalysisSingle dose oral lornoxicam for acute postoperative pain in adults.
Lornoxicam is one of the oxicam class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), producing analgesic and antipyretic effects in part through the non-selective inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase-1 and -2. It is prescribed for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, acute lumbar-sciatica conditions and for postoperative pain management. Lornoxicam is available in 31 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Far East and South America, and is becoming more widely available. ⋯ Oral lornoxicam is effective at treating moderate to severe acute postoperative pain, based on limited data. Adverse events did not differ significantly from placebo.