Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Football training can be a primary prevention strategy to reach people who otherwise would not be physically active. This systematic review summarizes the evidence on the health effects of controlled recreational football training as an intervention in children, adolescents, adults and the elderly. ⋯ A considerable number of intervention studies reporting on football-based intervention programs have been published, and there is a widespread assumption that such programs have positive health effects. However, this systematic review shows that the empirical evidence is insufficient to permit such a conclusion.
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Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and fusion proteins (FP) are increasingly being used in children and adolescents. In this review, we analyze the evidence for their safety and efficacy in the treatment of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases. ⋯ The retrieved trials have deficiencies that make it difficult to reliably evaluate the efficacy, safety, and utility of mAb/FP for children and adolescents with chronic inflammatory diseases. mAb/FP nonetheless represent a treatment option to be considered in case conventional immune-modulating drugs are ineffective. Researcher-initiated, high-quality trials and manufacturer-independent, systematic long-term evaluations of adverse effects (e.g., tumors) are sorely needed.
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Sleep-related disorders are a group of illnesses with marked effects on patients' quality of life and functional ability. Their diagnosis and treatment is a matter of common interest to multiple medical disciplines. ⋯ Sleep disorders in neurology and psychiatry are a heterogeneous group of disorders with diverse manifestations. Their proper diagnosis and treatment can help prevent secondary diseases and the worsening of concomitant conditions. Care structures for the treatment of sleep disorders should be further developed.
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Peripheral facial nerve palsy is the most com- mon functional disturbance of a cranial nerve. 60-75% of cases are idiopathic. ⋯ Because 25-40% of cases of facial nerve palsy are not idiopathic, differential diagnosis is very important; key diagnostic methods include a clinical neurological examin- ation, otoscopy, and a lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid examination. High-level evidence supports corticosteroid treatment for the idiopathic form of the disorder.
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The objectives of follow-up care for cancer patients include psycho- social assistance and the detection of health problems. The concept of follow-up care rests on the assumption that the early detection of cancer recurrences and disease- or treatment-related complications is beneficial to patients. In this article, we provide an overview of the scientific evidence supporting current recommen- dations for the follow-up care of patients with colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and lymphoma. ⋯ The evidence supporting the efficacy of currently recommended modalities of follow-up care for cancer patients is weak. Until more data from clinical studies become available, the current guidelines should be followed.