Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2003
Review Meta AnalysisIntravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of Kawasaki disease in children.
Kawasaki disease is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children in developed countries. The coronary arteries supplying the heart can be damaged in Kawasaki disease. The principal advantage of timely diagnosis is the potential to prevent this complication with early treatment. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is widely used for this purpose. ⋯ Children fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for Kawasaki disease should be treated with IVIG (2 gm/kg single dose) within 10 days of onset of symptoms.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2003
ReviewSelf-management education for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
In asthma, self-management programmes have been proven to be effective. In COPD, their value is not clear. ⋯ The data available for this review are insufficient for forming recommendations. Further research on the effectiveness of self-management programmes should be focussed on behavioural change evaluated in well designed randomised controlled trials with standardised outcomes designed for use in COPD patients, and with long follow-up time so that definite conclusions can be made.
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Progesterone, a female sex hormone, is known to induce secretory changes in the lining of the uterus essential for successful implantation of a fertilized egg. It has been suggested that a causative factor in many cases of miscarriage may be inadequate secretion of progestogens. Therefore, progestational agents have been used, beginning in the first trimester of pregnancy, in an attempt to prevent spontaneous miscarriage. ⋯ There is no evidence to support the routine use of progestogen to prevent miscarriage in early to mid pregnancy. However, further trials in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage may be warranted, given the trend for improved live birth rates in these women and the finding of no statistically significant difference between treatment and control groups in rates of adverse effects suffered by either mother or baby in the available evidence.
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Eclampsia, the occurrence of a convulsion in association with pre-eclampsia, remains a rare but serious complication of pregnancy. A number of different anticonvulsants are used to control eclamptic fits and to prevent further fits. ⋯ Magnesium sulphate appears to be substantially more effective than diazepam for treatment of eclampsia.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2003
ReviewAlpha2 adrenergic agonists for the management of opioid withdrawal.
Withdrawal (detoxification) is necessary prior to drug-free treatment. It may also represent the end point of long-term treatment such as methadone maintenance. The availability of managed withdrawal is essential to an effective treatment system. ⋯ No significant difference in efficacy was detected for treatment regimes based on the alpha2 adrenergic agonists clonidine and lofexidine, and those based on reducing doses of methadone over a period of around 10 days, for the management of withdrawal from heroin or methadone. Participants stay in treatment longer with methadone regimes and experience less adverse effects. The lower incidence of hypotension makes lofexidine more suited to use in outpatient settings than clonidine. There are insufficient data available to support a conclusion on the efficacy of other alpha2 adrenergic agonists.