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BMJ Clinical Evidence Apr 2011Chickenpox is extremely contagious. Over 90% of unvaccinated people become infected, but infection occurs at different ages in different parts of the world - over 80%... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Chickenpox is extremely contagious. Over 90% of unvaccinated people become infected, but infection occurs at different ages in different parts of the world - over 80% of people have been infected by the age of 10 years in the US, the UK, and Japan, and by the age of 20 to 30 years in India, South East Asia, and the West Indies.
METHODS AND OUTCOMES
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of interventions to prevent chickenpox in healthy adults and children? What are the effects of interventions to prevent chickenpox in children exposed prenatally? What are the effects of interventions to prevent chickenpox in immunocompromised adults and children? What are the effects of treatments for chickenpox in healthy adults and children? What are the effects of treatments for chickenpox in immunocompromised adults and children? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to June 2010 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
RESULTS
We found 11 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: aciclovir, famciclovir, live attenuated vaccine, valaciclovir, and varicella zoster immunoglobulin.
Topics: Chickenpox; Chickenpox Vaccine; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Incidence; India; Vaccines, Attenuated
PubMed: 21486500
DOI: No ID Found -
Obesity Facts 2018Current guidelines for prevention of obesity in childhood and adolescence are discussed.
OBJECTIVE
Current guidelines for prevention of obesity in childhood and adolescence are discussed.
METHODS
A literature search was performed in Medline via PubMed, and appropriate studies were analyzed.
RESULTS
Programs to prevent childhood obesity have so far remained mainly school-based and effects have been limited. Analyses by age group show that prevention programs have the best results in younger children (<12 years). Evidence-based recommendations for pre-school- and early school-aged children indicate the need for interventions that address parents and teachers alike. During adolescence, school-based interventions proved most effective when adolescents were addressed directly. To date, obesity prevention programs have mainly focused on behavior-oriented prevention. Recommendations for community- or environment-based prevention have been suggested by the German Alliance of Noncommunicable Diseases and include a minimum of 1 h of physical activity at school, promotion of healthy food choices by taxing unhealthy foods, mandatory standards for meals at kindergartens and schools as well as a ban on unhealthy food advertisement aimed at children.
CONCLUSION
Behavior-oriented prevention programs showed only limited long-term effects. Certain groups at risk for the development of obesity are not reached effectively by current programs. Although universally valid conclusions cannot be drawn given the heterogeneity of available studies, clearly combining behavior-based programs with community-based prevention to counteract an 'obesogenic environment' is crucial for sustainable success of future obesity prevention programs.
Topics: Adolescent; Behavior Therapy; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Internationality; Male; Pediatric Obesity; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Preventive Medicine; School Health Services
PubMed: 29969778
DOI: 10.1159/000486512 -
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease 2021The advent of mobile applications for health and medicine will revolutionize travel medicine. Despite their many benefits, such as access to real-time data, mobile apps... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The advent of mobile applications for health and medicine will revolutionize travel medicine. Despite their many benefits, such as access to real-time data, mobile apps for travel medicine are accompanied by many ethical issues, including questions about security and privacy.
METHODS
A systematic literature review as conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Database screening yielded 1795 results and seven papers satisfied the criteria for inclusion. Through a mix of inductive and deductive data extraction, this systematic review examined both the benefits and challenges, as well as ethical considerations, of mobile apps for travel medicine.
RESULTS
Ethical considerations were discussed with varying depth across the included articles, with privacy and data protection mentioned most frequently, highlighting concerns over sensitive information and a lack of guidelines in the digital sphere. Additionally, technical concerns about data quality and bias were predominant issues for researchers and developers alike. Some ethical issues were not discussed at all, including equity, and user involvement.
CONCLUSION
This paper highlights the scarcity of discussion around ethical issues. Both researchers and developers need to better integrate ethical reflection at each step of the development and use of health apps. More effective oversight mechanisms and clearer ethical guidance are needed to guide the stakeholders in this endeavour.
Topics: Humans; Mobile Applications; Privacy; Travel Medicine
PubMed: 34256131
DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102143 -
BMJ Clinical Evidence Sep 2011Dependence on opioids is a multifactorial condition involving genetic and psychosocial factors. There are three stages to treating opioid dependence. Stabilisation is... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Dependence on opioids is a multifactorial condition involving genetic and psychosocial factors. There are three stages to treating opioid dependence. Stabilisation is usually by opioid substitution treatments, and aims to ensure that the drug use becomes independent of mental state (such as craving and mood) and independent of circumstances (such as finance and physical location). The next stage is to withdraw (detox) from opioids. The final stage is relapse prevention. This treatment process contributes to recovery of the individual, which also includes improved overall health and wellbeing, as well as engagement in society.
METHODS AND OUTCOMES
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of drug treatments for stabilisation (maintenance) in people with opioid dependence? What are the effects of drug treatments for withdrawal in people with opioid dependence? What are the effects of drug treatments for relapse prevention in people with opioid dependence? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to March 2011 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
RESULTS
We found 26 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review, we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: buprenorphine; clonidine; lofexidine; methadone; naltrexone; and ultra-rapid withdrawal regimens.
Topics: Analgesics, Opioid; Buprenorphine; Evidence-Based Medicine; Heroin Dependence; Humans; Incidence; Methadone; Opiate Substitution Treatment; Opioid-Related Disorders; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 21929827
DOI: No ID Found -
BMJ Clinical Evidence Oct 2014Trigeminal neuralgia is a sudden, unilateral, brief, stabbing, recurrent pain in the distribution of one or more branches of the fifth cranial nerve. Pain occurs in... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Trigeminal neuralgia is a sudden, unilateral, brief, stabbing, recurrent pain in the distribution of one or more branches of the fifth cranial nerve. Pain occurs in paroxysms, which can last from a few seconds to several minutes. The frequency of the paroxysms ranges from a few to hundreds of attacks a day. Periods of remission can last for months to years, but tend to shorten over time. The condition can impair activities of daily living and lead to depression.
METHODS AND OUTCOMES
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical question: What are the effects of ongoing treatments in people with trigeminal neuralgia? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to September 2013 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
RESULTS
We found seven studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review, we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: baclofen; carbamazepine; gabapentin; lamotrigine; oxcarbazepine; microvascular decompression; and destructive neurosurgical techniques (radiofrequency thermocoagulation, glycerol rhizolysis, balloon compression, and stereotactic radiosurgery).
Topics: Anticonvulsants; Humans; Neurosurgery; Trigeminal Neuralgia
PubMed: 25299564
DOI: No ID Found -
Anaesthesia Jan 2021Regional anaesthesia in children has evolved rapidly in the last decade. Although it previously consisted of primarily neuraxial techniques, the practice now...
Regional anaesthesia in children has evolved rapidly in the last decade. Although it previously consisted of primarily neuraxial techniques, the practice now incorporates advanced peripheral nerve blocks, which were only recently described in adults. These novel blocks provide new avenues for providing opioid-sparing analgesia while minimising invasiveness, and perhaps risk, associated with older techniques. At the same time, established methods, such as infant spinal anaesthesia, under-utilised in the last 20 years, are experiencing a revival. The impetus has been the concern regarding the potential long-term neurocognitive effects of general anaesthesia in the young child. These techniques have expanded from single shot spinal anaesthesia to combined spinal/epidural techniques, which can now effectively provide surgical anaesthesia for procedures below the umbilicus for a prolonged period of time, thereby avoiding the need for general anaesthesia. Continuous 2-chloroprocaine infusions, previously only described for intra-operative regional anaesthesia, have gained popularity as a means of providing prolonged postoperative analgesia in epidural and continuous nerve block techniques. The rapid, liver-independent metabolism of 2-chloroprocaine makes it ideal for prolonged local anaesthetic infusions in neonates and small infants, obviating the increased risk of local anaesthetic systemic toxicity that occurs with amide local anaesthetics. Debate continues over certain practices in paediatric regional anaesthesia. While the rarity of complications makes comparative analyses difficult, data from large prospective registries indicate that providing regional anaesthesia to children while under general anaesthesia appears to be at least as safe as in the sedated or awake patient. In addition, the estimated frequency of serious adverse events demonstrates that regional blocks in children under general anaesthesia are no less safe than in awake adults. In infants, the techniques of direct thoracic epidural placement or caudal placement with cephalad threading each have distinct advantages and disadvantages. As the data cannot support the safety of one technique over the other, the site of epidural insertion remains largely a matter of anaesthetist discretion.
Topics: Adolescent; Anesthesia, Conduction; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Pediatrics
PubMed: 33426659
DOI: 10.1111/anae.15283 -
BMJ Clinical Evidence Aug 2008Cataract accounts for over 47% of blindness worldwide, causing blindness in about 17.3 million people in 1990. Surgery for cataract in people with glaucoma may affect... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Cataract accounts for over 47% of blindness worldwide, causing blindness in about 17.3 million people in 1990. Surgery for cataract in people with glaucoma may affect glaucoma control.
METHODS AND OUTCOMES
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of surgery for age-related cataract without other ocular comorbidity? What are the effects of treatment for age-related cataract in people with glaucoma? What are the effects of surgical treatments for age-related cataract in people with diabetic retinopathy? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to October 2007 (BMJ Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
RESULTS
We found 16 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: cataract surgery alone; cataract surgery with non-concomitant glaucoma surgery; concomitant cataract and glaucoma surgery; diabetic retinopathy treatment with cataract surgery; intracapsular extraction; manual (large or small) incision extracapsular extraction; and phaco extracapsular extraction.
Topics: Blindness; Cataract; Cataract Extraction; Evidence-Based Medicine; Glaucoma; Humans; Incidence; Lens, Crystalline
PubMed: 19445812
DOI: No ID Found -
BMJ Clinical Evidence Jul 2009Around 15% to 25% of people are likely to have athlete's foot at any one time. The infection can spread to other parts of the body and to other people. (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Around 15% to 25% of people are likely to have athlete's foot at any one time. The infection can spread to other parts of the body and to other people.
METHODS AND OUTCOMES
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical question: What are the effects of topical treatments for athlete's foot? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to July 2008 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
RESULTS
We found 14 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: improved foot hygiene, including socks and hosiery; topical allylamines (naftifine and terbinafine); topical azoles (bifonazole, clotrimazole, econazole nitrate, miconazole nitrate, sulconazole nitrate, and tioconazole); and topical ciclopirox olamine.
Topics: Administration, Oral; Administration, Topical; Clotrimazole; Drug Administration Schedule; Econazole; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Hygiene; Miconazole; Tinea Pedis
PubMed: 21696646
DOI: No ID Found -
BMJ Clinical Evidence Jul 2010Mammalian bites are usually caused by dogs, cats, or humans, and are more prevalent in children (especially boys) than in adults. Animal bites are usually caused by the... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Mammalian bites are usually caused by dogs, cats, or humans, and are more prevalent in children (especially boys) than in adults. Animal bites are usually caused by the person's pet and, in children, frequently involve the face. Human bites tend to occur in children as a result of playing or fighting, while in adults they are usually the result of physical or sexual abuse. Mixed aerobe and anaerobe infection is the most common type of infection, and can occur in up to half of human bites.
METHODS AND OUTCOMES
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of interventions to prevent complications of mammalian bites? What are the effects of treatments for infected mammalian bites? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to October 2009 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
RESULTS
We found five systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: antibiotic prophylaxis (human bites, non-human bites), antibiotics, debridement, decontamination, irrigation, primary wound closure, and tetanus vaccination (after mammalian bites).
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antibiotic Prophylaxis; Bites and Stings; Bites, Human; Debridement; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Incidence
PubMed: 21418668
DOI: No ID Found -
BMJ Clinical Evidence Aug 2010In the northern hemisphere about 12/1000 people a year (on average) contract pneumonia while living in the community, with most cases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
In the northern hemisphere about 12/1000 people a year (on average) contract pneumonia while living in the community, with most cases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Mortality ranges from about 5% to 35% depending on severity of disease, with a worse prognosis in older people, men, and people with chronic diseases.
METHODS AND OUTCOMES
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of interventions to prevent community-acquired pneumonia? What are the effects of treatments for community-acquired pneumonia in outpatient settings, in people admitted to hospital, and in people receiving intensive care? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to January 2010 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
RESULTS
We found 15 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: antibiotics (oral, intravenous), different combinations, and prompt administration of antibiotics in intensive-care settings, early mobilisation, influenza vaccine, and pneumococcal vaccine.
Topics: Administration, Oral; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Community-Acquired Infections; Evidence-Based Medicine; Hospitalization; Humans; Incidence; Pneumonia; Severity of Illness Index; Streptococcus pneumoniae
PubMed: 21418681
DOI: No ID Found