Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewKinesthetic stimulation for treating apnea in preterm infants.
This section is under preparation and will be included in the next issue. ⋯ There is insufficient evidence to recommend kinesthetic stimulation as treatment for clinically significant apnea of prematurity. Previous reviews have suggested that kinesthetic stimulation is not effective at preventing apnea of prematurity (Henderson-Smart and Osborn 1998) and is not as effective as theophylline at treating clinically significant apnea of prematurity (Osborn and Henderson-Smart 1998).
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Many women experience leg cramps in the second half of pregnancy. ⋯ Both calcium and sodium chloride appear to help reduce leg cramps in pregnancy. However the results of the sodium chloride trial may no longer be relevant because of dietary changes.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewInterventions aimed at decreasing the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection.
At the end of 1998 over 33 million people were infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and over one million children had been infected from their mothers. ⋯ Zidovudine, nevirapine and delivery by elective caesarean section appear to be very effective in decreasing the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection.
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For patients with a diagnosis of vascular dementia there is evidence that aspirin is widely prescribed - in one study, completed by geriatricians and psychiatrists in the UK, 80% of patients with cognitive impairment (with vascular risk factors) were prescribed aspirin. However, a number of queries remain unanswered: Is there convincing evidence that aspirin benefits patients with vascular dementia? Does aspirin affect cognition or improve prognosis? In addition, does the risk of cerebral or gastric haemorrhage outweigh any benefit? ⋯ There is no evidence that aspirin is effective in treating patients with a diagnosis of vascular dementia. Further research is needed to assess the effect of aspirin on cognition, and on other outcomes such as behaviour, and quality of life. At present there is no evidence relating to other queries about the use of aspirin for dementia (these are described in the Background section of this review). The most recent search for references to relevant research was carried out in February 2000, but no new evidence was found.
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Clinical practice guidelines aim to reduce inappropriate variations in practice and to promote the delivery of evidence-based health care. ⋯ There is some evidence that guideline-driven care is effective in changing the process and outcome of care provided by professions allied to medicine. However, caution is needed in generalising findings to other professions and settings.