Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
ReviewSingle crowns versus conventional fillings for the restoration of root filled teeth.
Endodontic treatment, involves removal of the dental pulp and its replacement by a root canal filling. Restoration of root filled teeth can be challenging due to structural differences between vital and non-vital root filled teeth. Direct restoration involves placement of a restorative material e.g. amalgam or composite directly into the tooth. Indirect restorations consist of cast metal or ceramic (porcelain) crowns. The choice of restoration depends on the amount of remaining tooth which may influence long term survival and cost. The comparative in service clinical performance of crowns or conventional fillings used to restore root filled teeth is unclear. ⋯ There is insufficient evidence to support or refute the effectiveness of conventional fillings over crowns for the restoration of root filled teeth. Until more evidence becomes available clinicians should continue to base decisions on how to restore root filled teeth on their own clinical experience, whilst taking into consideration the individual circumstances and preferences of their patients.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
ReviewPerioperative buffered versus non-buffered fluid administration for surgery in adults.
Perioperative fluid therapy influences clinical outcomes following major surgery. Fluid preparations may be based on a simple non-buffered salt solution, such as normal saline, or may be modified with bicarbonate or bicarbonate precursor buffers, such as maleate, gluconate, lactate or acetate, to better reflect the human physiological state. These latter fluids have theoretical advantages over normal saline in preventing hyperchloraemic acidosis. A number of clinical studies have now compared fluid preparations with and without a buffer to achieve a balanced electrolyte solution for perioperative fluid resuscitation. ⋯ The administration of buffered fluids to adult patients during surgery is equally safe and effective as the administration of non-buffered saline-based fluids. The use of buffered fluids is associated with less metabolic derangement, in particular hyperchloraemia and metabolic acidosis. Larger studies are needed to assess robust outcomes such as mortality.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
ReviewAntibiotic treatment for Burkholderia cepacia complex in people with cystic fibrosis experiencing a pulmonary exacerbation.
Chronic pulmonary infection is one of the hallmarks of lung disease in cystic fibrosis. Infections dominated by organisms of the Burkholderia cepacia complex, a group of at least 17 closely-related species of gram-negative bacteria, are particularly difficult to treat. These infections may be associated with a fulminant necrotising pneumonia, and are greatly feared by patients. Burkholderia cepacia bacteria are innately resistant to many common antibiotics and able to acquire resistance against many more. Since strict patient segregation was introduced to cystic fibrosis medical care, the incidence of the more virulent epidemic strains has fallen, and new infections are more likely to be with environmentally-acquired strains which seem to exhibit less virulence. Nonetheless, exacerbations of respiratory symptoms require effective therapy directed against the dominant bacterial species. Although evidence-based guidelines exist for the treatment of respiratory exacerbations involving Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the most common chronic infection in cystic fibrosis, these cannot be directly extended to Burkholderia cepacia complex infections. The aim of this review is to assess the available trial evidence for choice and application of treatments for Burkholderia cepacia complex infections. ⋯ Burkholderia cepacia complex infections present a significant challenge for cystic fibrosis clinicians and patients alike. The incidence is likely to increase as the cystic fibrosis population ages and the problem of how to manage and treat these infections becomes more important. There is a lack of trial evidence to guide decision making and no conclusions can be drawn from this review about the optimal antibiotic regimens for cystic fibrosis patients with chronic Burkholderia cepacia complex infections. Clinicians must continue to assess each patient individually, taking into account in vitro antibiotic susceptibility data, previous clinical responses and their own experience. There is a clear need for multi-centre randomised clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of different antibiotic regimens in cystic fibrosis patients infected with organisms of the Burkholderia cepacia complex.
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This is an update of the original review published in Issue 1, 2003. Ketamine is a commonly used anaesthetic agent, and in subanaesthetic doses is also given as an adjuvant to opioids for the treatment of cancer pain, particularly when opioids alone prove to be ineffective. Ketamine is known to have psychotomimetic (including hallucinogenic), urological and hepatic adverse effects. ⋯ Since the last version of this review three new studies were identified but excluded from the review. Current evidence is insufficient to assess the benefits and harms of ketamine as an adjuvant to opioids for the relief of cancer pain. More RCTs are needed.
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Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurologic disorders. Despite the plethora of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) currently available, 30% of patients continue having seizures. This group of patients requires a more aggressive treatment, since monotherapy, the first choice scheme, fails to control seizures. Nevertheless, polytherapy often results in a number of unwanted effects, including neurologic disturbances (somnolence, ataxia, dizziness), psychiatric and behavioral symptoms, and metabolic alteration (osteoporosis, inducement or inhibition of hepatic enzymes, etc.). The need for better tolerated AEDs is even more urgent in this group of patients. Reports have suggested an antiepileptic role of melatonin with a good safety profile. ⋯ Included studies were of poor methodologic quality, and did not systematically evaluate seizure frequency and adverse events, so that it was impossible to summarize data in a meta-analysis. It is not possible to draw any conclusion about the role of melatonin in reducing seizure frequency or improving quality of life in patients with epilepsy.