Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Surgery is increasingly performed on a day-case basis. Many patients are anxious pre-operatively and might benefit from pharmacological anxiolysis. Drugs are sometimes not used, however, for fear of delaying discharge from hospital. ⋯ We have found no evidence of a difference in time to discharge from hospital in patients who received anxiolytic premedication. However, in view of the age and variety of anaesthetic techniques used, inferences for current day-case practice should be made with caution.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewVenepuncture versus heel lance for blood sampling in term neonates.
Heel lance has been the conventional method of blood sampling in neonates for screening tests. Neonates undergoing this procedure experience pain. Despite various studies evaluating the role of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to date, there are no effective and practical methods to alleviate pain from heel lance. ⋯ Venepuncture, when performed by a trained phlebotomist, appears to be the method of choice for blood sampling in term neonates. For each two venepunctures instead of heel lance, the need for one additional skin puncture can be avoided. In view of the promising results derived from small studies with some methodological limitations, further well designed randomized controlled trials need to be conducted. The interventions should be compared in settings where several individuals perform the venepuncture and/or the heel lance.
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To determine therapeutically equivalent doses of inhaled versus oral steroids for adults with chronic asthma. ⋯ A daily dose of prednisolone 7.5-10 mg/day appears to be equivalent to moderate-high dose inhaled corticosteroids. Side-effects may be present on low doses, so if there is no alternative to oral steroids, the lowest effective dose should be prescribed.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewCorticosteroids for maintaining remission of Crohn's disease.
To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of conventional systemic corticosteroid therapy in maintaining clinical remission in Crohn's disease. ⋯ The use of conventional systemic corticosteroids in patients with clinically quiescent Crohn's disease does not appear to reduce the risk of relapse over a 24 month period of follow-up.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
Review Meta AnalysisPostoperative radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.
The role of postoperative radiotherapy in the treatment of patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer was not clear. A systematic review and quantitative meta-analysis was therfore undertaken to evaluate the available evidence from randomised trials. ⋯ PORT is detrimental to patients with early stage completely resected non-small cell lung cancer and should not be used in the routine treatment of such patients. The role of PORT in the treatment of N2 tumours is not clear and may justify further research.