Cochrane Db Syst Rev
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewAnti-leukotriene agents compared to inhaled corticosteroids in the management of recurrent and/or chronic asthma.
Inhaled corticosteroids are the cornerstone of anti-inflammatory asthma treatment. Anti-leukotrienes agents are currently being studied as alternative first line agents in the management of mild to moderate chronic asthma. ⋯ Anti-leukotriene agents had a similar rate of exacerbations compared to inhaled corticosteroids, but inhaled steroids produced better lung function and quality of life as well as reduced symptoms, night awakenings and need for rescue beta2-agonist. Reliable conclusions cannot yet be drawn regarding the efficacy of this treatment due to the paucity of trials published in full text.
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewPerioperative local anaesthesia for reducing pain following tonsillectomy.
Pain relief after tonsillectomy is an important part of post-operative management. Sometimes local anaesthetics are administed to the tonsillar region, but their effectiveness in relieving pain has not been formally assessed. ⋯ There is no evidence that the use of perioperative local anaesthetic in patients undergoing tonsillectomy improves post-operative pain control. The trials identified were of small size and several involved the perioperative co-administration of intravenous opiates which may have masked any beneficial effect of the local anaesthetic. Further randomised controlled trials are necessary.
-
When pregnant women near term lie in the supine position the uterus can compress the inferior vena cava, interfering with venous return to the heart. This can result in hypotension, reduced placental perfusion and decreased fetal oxygenation. ⋯ There is not enough evidence from these trials to evaluate use of lateral tilt during caesarean section.
-
Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
Review Meta AnalysisNebulised hypertonic saline for cystic fibrosis.
The lung disease in cystic fibrosis is characterised by impaired mucociliary clearance, recurrent bronchial infection and airway inflammation. Hypertonic saline has been shown to enhance mucociliary clearance in-vitro and this may act to lessen the destructive inflammatory process in the airways. ⋯ Nebulised hypertonic saline improves mucociliary clearance immediately after administration which may have a longer term beneficial effect in cystic fibrosis. The maximum time data were recorded for was only three weeks. Most of the patients had mild to moderate lung disease and the effect on severe lung disease remains unclear. Further studies of hypertonic saline should be carried out to determine the effect on pulmonary function tests, quality of life, frequency of exacerbations of respiratory disease and efficacy comparisons with nebulised deoxyribonuclease, with larger numbers and for longer duration. At this stage there is insufficient evidence to support the use of hypertonic saline in routine treatment for patients with cystic fibrosis.
-
The majority of patients with epilepsy have a good prognosis and their seizures are well controlled by a single antiepileptic drug, but up to 30% develop refractory epilepsy, especially those with partial seizures. In this review we summarise the current evidence regarding a new antiepileptic drug, gabapentin, when used as an add-on treatment for drug-resistant partial epilepsy. ⋯ Gabapentin has efficacy as an add-on treatment in patients with drug-resistant partial epilepsy. However, trials reviewed were of relatively short duration, and provide no evidence for the long term efficacy of gabapentin. Results cannot be extrapolated to monotherapy or patients with other epilepsy types.