Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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To assess the effects of advising pregnant women to increase their energy and protein intakes on those intakes, on gestational weight gain, and on the outcome of pregnancy. ⋯ Nutritional advice appears effective in increasing pregnant women's energy and protein intakes, but the implications for fetal, infant, or maternal health cannot be judged from the available trials. Given the rather modest health benefits demonstrated with actual protein/energy supplementation (see the Cochrane review of 'Balanced protein/energy supplementation in pregnancy'), however, the provision of such advice is unlikely to be of major importance.
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To estimate the short-term effects of D-penicillamine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ⋯ D-penicillamine appears to have a clinically and statistically significant benefit on the disease activity of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Its efficacy appears to be similar to that of other disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), but with a significantly higher toxicity. Its effects on long-term functional status and radiological progression are not clear from this review.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2000
ReviewNewer atypical antipsychotic medication versus clozapine for schizophrenia.
Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic drug, which is claimed to have superior efficacy and to cause fewer movement disorders. However, clozapine carries a significant risk of serious blood disorders. Newer atypical antipsychotics are safer alternatives that might share the benefits of clozapine. It is thus of interest to compare the effectiveness of newer atypical antipsychotics with the effectiveness of clozapine. ⋯ The equal effectiveness and tolerability of new atypical drugs in comparison with clozapine is not yet demonstrated. Lack of statistical power to determine the comparative efficacy and effectiveness of newer atypical drugs makes it difficult to judge whether newer drugs are more effective, less effective or equivalent. Trials of sufficient power, with longer duration, measuring clinically important outcomes, are needed to assess the true comparative clinical effectiveness, tolerability and cost effectiveness of newer drugs in relation to clozapine.
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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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To assess the effects of bisphosphonates for the prevention and treatment of corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis. ⋯ Bisphosphonates are effective at preventing and treating corticosteroid-induced bone loss at the lumbar spine and femoral neck. Efficacy regarding fracture prevention cannot be concluded from this analysis, although bone density changes are correlated with fracture risk.