Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Spinal immobilisation involves the use of a number of devices and strategies to stabilise the spinal column after injury and thus prevent spinal cord damage. The practice is widely recommended and widely used in trauma patients with suspected spinal cord injury in the pre-hospital setting. ⋯ We did not find any randomised controlled trials that met the inclusion criteria. The effect of spinal immobilisation on mortality, neurological injury, spinal stability and adverse effects in trauma patients remains uncertain. Because airway obstruction is a major cause of preventable death in trauma patients, and spinal immobilisation, particularly of the cervical spine, can contribute to airway compromise, the possibility that immobilisation may increase mortality and morbidity cannot be excluded. Large prospective studies are needed to validate the decision criteria for spinal immobilisation in trauma patients with high risk of spinal injury. Randomised controlled trials in trauma patients are required to establish the relative effectiveness of alternative strategies for spinal immobilisation.
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The complaint of a burning sensation in the mouth can be said to be a symptom of other disease or a syndrome in its own right of unknown aetiology. In patients where no underlying dental or medical causes are identified and no oral signs are found, the term burning mouth syndrome (BMS) should be used. The prominent feature is the symptom of burning pain which can be localised just to the tongue and/or lips but can be more widespread and involve the whole of the oral cavity. Reported prevalence rates in general populations vary from 0.7% to 15%. Many of these patients show evidence of anxiety, depression and personality disorders. ⋯ Given the chronic nature of BMS, the need to identify an effective mode of treatment for sufferers is vital. However, there is little research evidence that provides clear guidance for those treating patients with BMS. Further trials, of high methodological quality, need to be undertaken in order to establish effective forms of treatment for patients suffering from BMS.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2001
ReviewGold as an oral corticosteroid sparing agent in stable asthma.
Patients with chronic severe asthma are often dependent on the long term prescription of oral corticosteroids. The use of steroids is associated with serious side effects. Physicians treating such patients continue to search for alternative therapies that reduce the need for chronic dosing with oral steroids. Gold compounds are immunosuppressive agents and have benefits in the treatment of a number of inflammatory disorders. They have therefore been identified as an potentially useful agents in the treatment of chronic severe asthma both in terms of possible efficacy and as steroid sparing agents. ⋯ The changes seen in these trials are small and probably of limited clinical significance. Given the side effects of gold and necessity for monitoring the use of gold as a steroid sparing agent in asthma cannot be recommended.
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Intermittent claudication is pain, caused by chronic occlusive arterial disease, that develops in a limb during exercise and is relieved with rest. Buflomedil is a vasoactive agent claimed to have beneficial effects on the microcirculation. It is used chiefly to treat peripheral vascular disease and to a lesser extent for cerebrovascular arterial disease. However, its clinical efficacy for intermittent claudication has not yet been critically examined. ⋯ There is little evidence available to evaluate the efficacy of buflomedil for intermittent claudication. Most available trials are of poor quality and were excluded. The two trials included showed moderately positive results but these are undermined by publication bias since we know of another four unpublished, irretrievable, and inconclusive studies. There is a lack evidence for the efficacy of buflomedil in intermittent claudication.
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The profile of HIV infection is constantly changing. Although once viewed as an illness progressing to death, HIV infection now presents as a chronic infection characterized by unpredictable cycles of wellness and illness. Thus, the needs of this population have increasingly included management of impairments, disabilities and handicaps. Exercise is a key management strategy employed by rehabilitation professionals to address these issues. Exercise has been shown to improve strength, cardiovascular function, and psychological status in seronegative populations (see Eds., Bouchard, C., Shephard, R.J., & Stephens, T. (1993). Physical Activity, Fitness, and Health. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers.) But what are the effects of exercise for people living with HIV infection? If the risks and benefits of exercise for people living with HIV infection are better understood, appropriate exercise prescription may be practiced by health care providers. Improved exercise prescription may enhance the effectiveness of HIV management, thus improving overall outcomes for people living with HIV infection. ⋯ Aerobic exercise appears to be safe and may be beneficial for adults living with HIV/AIDS. These findings are limited by the small sample sizes and large drop-out rates of the included studies. Further research is required to determine the optimal parameters of aerobic exercise and stage of disease in which aerobic exercise may be most beneficial for adults living with HIV infection.