Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewLimited (information only) patient education programs for adults with asthma.
A key component of many asthma management guidelines is the recommendation for patient education and regular medical review. A number of controlled trials have been conducted to measure the effectiveness of asthma education programmes. These programmes improve patient knowledge, but their impact on health outcomes is less well established. At its simplest level, education is limited to the transfer of information about asthma, its causes and its treatment. This review focused on the effects of limited asthma education. ⋯ Use of limited asthma education as it has been practiced does not appear to improve health outcomes in adults with asthma. However the use of information in the emergency department may be effective, but this needs to be confirmed.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewMaternal hydration for increasing amniotic fluid volume in oligohydramnios and normal amniotic fluid volume.
Oligohydramnios (reduced amniotic fluid) may be responsible for malpresentation problems, umbilical cord compression, concentration of meconium in the liquor, and difficult or failed external cephalic version. Simple maternal hydration has been suggested as a way of increasing amniotic fluid volume in order to reduce some of these problems. ⋯ Simple maternal hydration appears to increase amniotic fluid volume and may be beneficial in the management of oligohydramnios and prevention of oligohydramnios during labour or prior to external cephalic version. Controlled trials are needed to assess the clinical benefits and possible risks of maternal hydration for specific clinical purposes.
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To determine the effects of allopurinol in the treatment of chronic prostatitis ⋯ One small trial of allopurinol for treating chronic prostatitis showed improvements in patient-reported symptom improvement, investigator-graded prostate pain, and biochemical parameters. However, the data provided, the measures used, and the statistics presented do not make these findings convincing that changes in urine and prostatic secretion composition regarding purine and pyrimidine bases resulted in the relief of symptoms. Further studies of allopurinol treatment using standardized and validated outcomes measures and analyses are necessary to determine whether allopurinol is effective.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewHome-based social support for socially disadvantaged mothers.
Epidemiologic studies indicate that babies born to socio-economically disadvantaged mothers are at higher risk of injury, abuse and neglect, health problems in infancy, and are less likely to have regular well-child care. Home visitation programs have long been advocated as a strategy for improving the health of disadvantaged children. Over the past two decades, a number of randomised trials have examined the effect of home visitation programs on a range of maternal and child health outcomes. The studies in this review evaluate programs which offer additional home based support for socially disadvantaged mothers and their children. ⋯ Postnatal home-based support programs appear to have no risks and may have benefits for socially disadvantaged mothers and their children, possibly including reduced rates of child injury. Differential surveillance does not allow easy interpretation of the child abuse and neglect findings.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewAldose reductase inhibitors for the prevention and treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
To assess the efficacy of aldose reductase inhibitors in the prevention, reversal or delay in the progression of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. ⋯ Although aldose reductase inhibitor treatment has been demonstrated to diminsh the reduction in motor nerve conduction velocity, the clinical relevance of such a change in this outcome measure is uncertain. There was no effect in terms of this outcome measure in the smaller sensory fibres, degeneration of which is primarily responsible for the most common neuropathic syndrome associated with diabetes, that of severe pain and loss of sensation in the extremity leading in some cases to ulceration and eventual amputation.