Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a condition that is detrimental to the quality of life of men. Evidence suggests that it may have a neuropathic origin and therefore medications such as pregabalin might have a role in the controlling of symptoms. ⋯ There is evidence from one RCT that pregabalin does not improve CP/CPPS symptoms and causes adverse effects in a large percentage of men. However, research is required to assess further whether pregabalin has a role in patients with CP/CPPS for symptom control.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
ReviewIntravenous lidocaine for the treatment of background or procedural burn pain.
This is an update of the review on 'Lidocaine for pain relief in burn injured patients' first published in Issue 3, 2007. Pain is a major issue for patients suffering from many different types of wounds, in particular those with burn injuries. Prompt, aggressive use of opioid analgesics such as morphine has been suggested as critical to avert the cycle of pain and anxiety, but side effects are encountered. It is proposed that newer agents such as lidocaine could be effective in reducing pain and alleviating the escalating opioid dosage requirements in patients with burn injury. ⋯ As current clinical evidence is based on only one single RCT as well as case series and reports, intravenous lidocaine must be considered a pharmacological agent under investigation in burns care, the effectiveness of which is yet to be determined with further well-designed and conducted clinical trials.
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Inhalation of hypertonic saline improves sputum rheology, accelerates mucociliary clearance and improves clinical outcomes of people with cystic fibrosis. ⋯ This review did not identify any evidence comparing the timing of hypertonic saline inhalation in relation to airway clearance physiotherapy. Until such evidence becomes available, clinicians could advise patients to inhale hypertonic saline before airway clearance, because this is the only regimen evaluated in the studies that established the efficacy of the use of hypertonic saline. This review also did not identify any evidence comparing the timing of hypertonic saline inhalation in relation to time of day. Until such evidence becomes available, clinicians could advise patients to inhale hypertonic saline morning and evening; but if only one dose per day is tolerated, the time of day at which it is inhaled could be based on convenience or tolerability.Given the competing theoretical rationales about why hypertonic saline could be more effective if inhaled at certain times, a trial comparing these various timing regimens should be conducted.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
ReviewInterventions for reducing wrong-site surgery and invasive procedures.
Specific clinical interventions are needed to reduce wrong-site surgery, which is a rare but potentially disastrous clinical error. Risk factors contributing to wrong-site surgery are variable and complex. The introduction of organisational and professional clinical strategies may have a role in minimising wrong-site surgery. ⋯ The findings of this review identified one ITS study for a non-medical procedure conducted in a dental outpatient setting. The study suggested that the use of a specific educational intervention, in the above-mentioned context, which targets junior dental staff using a training session that included cases of wrong-site surgery, presentation of clinical guidelines and feedback by the instructor, was associated with a reduction in the incidence of wrong-site tooth extractions. Given the nature of the intervention in a very specific population, application of these results to a broader population undergoing other forms of surgery or invasive procedures should be undertaken cautiously.
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Long-term mechanical ventilation is the most common situation where tracheostomy is indicated for patients in intensive care units (ICU). 'Early' and 'late' tracheostomies are two categories of the timing of tracheostomy. The evidence on the advantages attributed to early over late tracheostomy is somewhat conflicting but includes shorter hospital stays and lower mortality rates. ⋯ Updated evidence is of low quality, and potential differences between early and late tracheostomy need to be better investigated by means of randomized controlled trials. At present there is no specific information about any subgroup or individual characteristics potentially associated with better outcomes with either early or late tracheostomy.