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Sample records for psycinfo embase cochrane

  1. Locating qualitative studies in dementia on MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO: A comparison of search strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Morwenna; Bethel, Alison; Abbott, Rebecca

    2017-10-28

    Qualitative research in dementia improves understanding of the experience of people affected by dementia. Searching databases for qualitative studies is problematic. Qualitative-specific search strategies might help with locating studies. To examine the effectiveness (sensitivity and precision) of 5 qualitative strategies on locating qualitative research studies in dementia in 4 major databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL). Qualitative dementia studies were checked for inclusion on MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Five qualitative search strategies (subject headings, simple free-text terms, complex free-text terms, and 2 broad-based strategies) were tested for study retrieval. Specificity, precision and number needed to read were calculated. Two hundred fourteen qualitative studies in dementia were included. PsycINFO and CINAHL held the most qualitative studies out the 4 databases studied (N = 171 and 166, respectively) and both held unique records (N = 14 and 7, respectively). The controlled vocabulary strategy in CINAHL returned 96% (N = 192) of studies held; by contrast, controlled vocabulary in PsycINFO returned 7% (N = 13) of studies held. The broad-based strategies returned more studies (93-99%) than the other free-text strategies (22-82%). Precision ranged from 0.061 to 0.004 resulting in a number needed to read to obtain 1 relevant study ranging from 16 (simple free-text search in CINAHL) to 239 (broad-based search in EMBASE). Qualitative search strategies using 3 broad terms were more sensitive than long complex searches. The controlled vocabulary for qualitative research in CINAHL was particularly effective. Furthermore, results indicate that MEDLINE and EMBASE offer little benefit for locating qualitative dementia research if CINAHL and PSYCINFO are also searched. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation for chronic low back pain: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kamper, S.J.; Apeldoorn, A.T.; Chiarotto, A.

    2015-01-01

    Objective To assess the long term effects of multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation for patients with chronic low back pain. Design Systematic review and random effects meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Data sources Electronic searches of Cochrane Back Review Group Trials...... usual care (moderate quality evidence) and physical treatments (low quality evidence) in decreasing pain and disability in people with chronic low back pain. For work outcomes, multidisciplinary rehabilitation seems to be more effective than physical treatment but not more effective than usual care....... Register, CENTRAL, Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases up to February 2014, supplemented by hand searching of reference lists and forward citation tracking of included trials. Study selection criteria Trials published in full; participants with low back pain for more than three months...

  3. Universal alcohol misuse prevention programmes for children and adolescents: Cochrane systematic reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foxcroft, David R; Tsertsvadze, Alexander

    2012-05-01

    Alcohol misuse by young people causes significant health and social harm, including death and disability. Therefore, prevention of youth alcohol misuse is a policy aim in many countries. Our aim was to examine the effectiveness of (1) school-based, (2) family-based and (3) multi-component universal alcohol misuse prevention programmes in children and adolescents. Three Cochrane systematic reviews were performed: searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Project CORK and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials up to July 2010, including randomised trials evaluating universal alcohol misuse prevention programmes in school, family or multiple settings in youths aged 18 years or younger. Two independent reviewers identified eligible studies and any discrepancies were resolved via discussion. A total of 85 trials were included in the reviews of school (n = 53), family (n = 12) and multi-component (n = 20) programmes. Meta-analysis was not performed due to study heterogeneity. Most studies were conducted in North America. Risk of bias assessment revealed problems related to inappropriate unit of analysis, moderate to high attrition, selective outcome reporting and potential confounding. Certain generic psychosocial and life skills school-based programmes were effective in reducing alcohol use in youth. Most family-based programmes were effective. There was insufficient evidence to conclude that multiple interventions provided additional benefit over single interventions. In these Cochrane reviews, some school, family or multi-component prevention programmes were shown to be effective in reducing alcohol misuse in youths. However, these results warrant a cautious interpretation, since bias and/or contextual factors may have affected the trial results. Further research should replicate the most promising studies identified in these reviews and pay particular attention to content and context factors through rigorous evaluation.

  4. Self-management interventions for young people with chronic conditions: A systematic overview.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    R. Bal; Dr. A.L. van Staa; MSc M.I. Bal; Dr. J.N.T. Sattoe; Dr. P.D.D.M. Roelofs; Dr. H.S. Miedema

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To provide a systematic overview of self-management interventions (SMI) for young people with chronic conditions with respect to content, formats, theories, and evaluated outcomes. METHODS: Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, Web-of-Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane were searched. Reviews'

  5. Worldwide Utilization of Topical Remedies in Treatment of Psoriasis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svendsen, Mathias Tiedemann; Jeyabalan, Janithika; Andersen, Klaus Ejner

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To review published literature describing the global use of topical antipsoriatics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Search for English-language articles in Embase, Pubmed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library. RESULTS: Fifty-four selected publications were found, describing psoriasis patients' use of ...

  6. Pharmacotherapy for the treatment of aggressive behavior in general adult psychiatry: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goedhard, L.E.; Stolker, J.J.; Heerdink, E.R.; Nijman, H.L.I.; Olivier, B.; Egberts, A.C.G.

    2006-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the evidence for pharmacologic management of outwardly directed aggressive behavior in general adult psychiatry. DATA SOURCES: Literature searches in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane libraries from 1966 through March 2005 were used to identify relevant

  7. Self-management interventions for young people with chronic conditions: a systematic overview.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sattoe, J.N.T.; Bal, M.I.; Roelofs, P.D.D.M.; Bal, R.; Miedema, H.S.; Staa, A. van

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To provide a systematic overview of self-management interventions (SMI) for young people with chronic conditions with respect to content, formats, theories, and evaluated outcomes. Methods: Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, Web-of-Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane were searched. Reviews’ reference

  8. Virtual reality for stroke rehabilitation: an abridged version of a Cochrane review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laver, K; George, S; Thomas, S; Deutsch, J E; Crotty, M

    2015-08-01

    Virtual reality and interactive video gaming have emerged as new treatment approaches in stroke rehabilitation settings over the last ten years. The primary objective of this review was to determine the effectiveness of virtual reality on upper limb function and activity after stroke. The impact on secondary outcomes including gait, cognitive function and activities of daily living was also assessed. Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials comparing virtual reality with an alternative intervention or no intervention were eligible to be included in the review. The authors searched a number of electronic databases including: the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL, PsycINFO, clinical trial registers, reference lists, Dissertation Abstracts and contacted key researchers in the field. Search results were independently examined by two review authors to identify studies meeting the inclusion criteria. A total of 37 randomized or quasi randomized controlled trials with a total of 1019 participants were included in the review. Virtual reality was found to be significantly more effective than conventional therapy in improving upper limb function (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.28, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.08 to 0.49) based on 12 studies and significantly more effective than no therapy in improving upper limber function (SMD 0.44 [95% CI 0.15 to 0.73]) based on nine studies. The use of virtual reality also significantly improved activities of daily living function when compared to more conventional therapy approaches (SMD 0.43 [95% CI 0.18 to 0.69]) based on eight studies. While there are a large number of studies assessing the efficacy of virtual reality they tend to be small and many are at risk of bias. While there is evidence to support the use of virtual reality intervention as part of upper limb training programs, more research is required to determine whether it

  9. Interventions to improve return to work in depressed people

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; Faber, Babs; Verbeek, Jos H.; Neumeyer-Gromen, Angela; Hees, Hiske L.; Verhoeven, Arco C.; van der Feltz-Cornelis, Christina M.; Bültmann, Ute

    2014-01-01

    Work disability such as sickness absence is common in people with depression. To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing work disability in employees with depressive disorders. We searched CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO until January 2014.

  10. Suicide Inside A Systematic Review of Inpatient Suicides

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bowers, L.; Nijman, H.L.I.; Banda, T.

    2010-01-01

    The literature on inpatient suicides was systematically reviewed. English, German, and Dutch articles were identified by means of the electronic databases PsycInfo, Cochrane, Medline, EMBASE psychiatry, CINAHL, and British Nursing Index. In total, 98 articles covering almost 15,000 suicides were

  11. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors versus placebo in patients with major depressive disorder. A systematic review with meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Janus Christian; Katakam, Kiran Kumar; Schou, Anne

    2017-01-01

    depressive disorder. We searched for eligible randomised clinical trials in The Cochrane Library's CENTRAL, PubMed, EMBASE, PsycLIT, PsycINFO, Science Citation Index Expanded, clinical trial registers of Europe and USA, websites of pharmaceutical companies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA...

  12. Validity, Reliability And Responsiveness Of Patient-Reported Outcome Questionnaires When Assessing Hip And Groin Disability: A Systematic Review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thorborg, Kristian; Roos, Ewa; Bartels, Else Marie

    2010-01-01

    disability based on a systematic review of evidence of validity, reliability and responsiveness of these instruments. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, SportsDiscus and Web of Science were all searched up to January 2009. Two reviewers independently...

  13. Effective return-to-work interventions after acquired brain injury: A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Donker-Cools, Birgit H. P. M.; Daams, Joost G.; Wind, Haije; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.

    2016-01-01

    To gather knowledge about effective return-to-work (RTW) interventions for patients with acquired brain injury (ABI). A database search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library using keywords and Medical Subject Headings. Studies were included if they met inclusion

  14. Factors promoting staying at work in people with chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain : a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Vries, H.J.; Reneman, M.F.; Groothoff, J.W.; Geertzen, J.H.B.; Brouwer, S.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To identify determinants for staying at work (SAW) in workers with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP). Method: A systematic review of factors that promote SAW in workers with CMP. We searched the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library. We included studies

  15. Cochrane and its prospects in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Relying on Cochrane Croatia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmić-Kaknjo, Mersiha; Puljak, Livia; Markotić, Filipa; Fidahić, Mahir; Muhamedagić, Lejla; Zakarija-Grković, Irena

    2015-01-01

    In this article we describe Cochrane and its products: Cochrane systematic reviews (CSRs) and other Cochrane evidence. Cochrane is a unique, international, non-profit organisation that offers health care providers, health care consumers and other decision makers unbiased and highly reliable information on health, which is pivotal for conscientious and responsible decision making in overall healthcare. Cochrane offers the highest ranked evidence in Evidence Based Medicine (EBM)--systematic reviews. Currently, CSRs are freely available in BH, and therefore, they ought to be widely used, and understood. We will present the new Cochrane Strategy to 2020, which was the main topic of the 6th Croatian Cochrane Symposium (CroCoS), as well as explore prospects for spreading Cochrane activities to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH), through collaboration with Cochrane Croatia. BH has no officially organized Cochrane activity, as yet. We hope that this article will raise awareness about Cochrane in BH, help promote its activities, and deepen the existing collaboration with Cochrane Croatia. There are already some changes being introduced concerning Cochrane--at least, in one half, the Federation of BH (FBH). Two documents symbolising official recognition of policy changes towards Cochrane have recently been published in the Official Gazette of FBH. Since founding a BH Cochrane Branch would be costly and difficult to achieve in a complicated environment, such as the one we have, BH could use the good will, experience, knowledge, and translated educational, training and web materials of Cochrane Croatia, particularly given the language similarities, to promote evidence based medicine in BH. Copyright © 2015 by Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

  16. Effect of Preventive Interventions in Mentally Ill Parents on the Mental Health of the Offspring: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siegenthaler, Eliane; Munder, Thomas; Egger, Matthias

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Mental illness in parents affects the mental health of their children. A systematic review and a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of interventions to prevent mental disorders or psychological symptoms in the offspring were performed. Method: The Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases were searched for randomized controlled…

  17. The Clinical Aspects of Mirror Therapy in Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review of the Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rothgangel, Andreas Stefan; Braun, Susy M.; Beurskens, Anna J.; Seitz, Rudiger J.; Wade, Derick T.

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical aspects of mirror therapy (MT) interventions after stroke, phantom limb pain and complex regional pain syndrome. A systematic literature search of the Cochrane Database of controlled trials, PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, PEDro, RehabTrials and Rehadat, was made by two…

  18. Metformin for endometrial hyperplasia: a Cochrane protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clement, Naomi S; Oliver, Thomas R W; Shiwani, Hunain; Saner, Juliane R F; Mulvaney, Caroline A; Atiomo, William

    2016-08-16

    Endometrial hyperplasia is a precancerous lesion of the endometrium, commonly presenting with uterine bleeding. If managed expectantly, it frequently progresses to endometrial carcinoma, rates of which are increasing dramatically worldwide. However, the established treatment for endometrial hyperplasia (progestogens) involves multiple side effects and leaves the risk of recurrence. Metformin is the most commonly used oral hypoglycaemic agent in type 2 diabetes mellitus. It has also been linked to the reversal of endometrial hyperplasia and may therefore contribute to decreasing the prevalence of endometrial carcinoma without the fertility and side effect consequences of current therapies. However, the efficacy and safety of metformin being used for this therapeutic target is unclear and, therefore, this systematic review will aim to determine this. We will search the following trials and databases with no language restrictions: Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Specialised Register; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); MEDLINE; EMBASE; EBSCO Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature; PubMed; Google Scholar; ClinicalTrials.gov; the WHO International Trials Registry Platform portal; OpenGrey and the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS). We will include randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of use of metformin compared with a placebo or no treatment, conventional medical treatment (eg, progestogens) or any other active intervention. Two review authors will independently assess the trial eligibility, risk of bias and extract appropriate data points. Trial authors will be contacted for additional data. The primary review outcome is the regression of endometrial hyperplasia histology towards normal histology. Secondary outcomes include hysterectomy rate; abnormal uterine bleeding; quality of life scores and adverse reactions to treatments. Dissemination of the completed review will be through the Cochrane

  19. Russian translations for Cochrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yudina, E V; Ziganshina, L E

    2015-01-01

    Cochrane collaboration has made a huge contribution to the development of evidence-based medicine; Cochrane work is the international gold standard of independent, credible and reliable high-quality information in medicine. Over the past 20 years the Cochrane Collaboration helped transforming decision-making in health and reforming it significantly, saving lives and contributing to longevity [1]. Until recently, Cochrane evidence were available only in English, which represents a significant barrier to their wider use in non-English speaking countries. To provide access to evidence, obtained from Cochrane Reviews, for health professionals and general public (from non-English-speaking countries), bypassing language barriers, Cochrane collaboration in 2014 initiated an international project of translating Plain language summaries of Cochrane Reviews into other languages [2, 3]. Russian translations of Plain language summaries were started in May 2014 by the team from Kazan Federal University (Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology; 2014-2015 as an Affiliated Centre in Tatarstan of the Nordic Cochrane Centre, since August 2015 as Cochrane Russia, a Russian branch of Cochrane Nordic, Head - Liliya Eugenevna Ziganshina) on a voluntary basis. To assess the quality of Russian translations of Cochrane Plain Language Summaries (PLS) and their potential impact on the Russian speaking community through user feedback with the overarching aim of furthering the translations project. We conducted the continuous online survey via Google Docs. We invited respondents through the electronic Russian language discussion forum on Essential Medicines (E-lek), links to survey on the Russian Cochrane.org website, invitations to Cochrane contributors registered in Archie from potential Russian-speaking countries. We set up the survey in Russian and English. The respondents were asked to respond to the questionnaire regarding the relevance and potential impact of the Cochrane Russian

  20. The Cochrane collaboration

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scholten, R. J. P. M.; Clarke, M.; Hetherington, J.

    2005-01-01

    The Cochrane Collaboration is an international, not-for-profit organisation that aims to help people make well-informed decisions about health care by preparing, maintaining and promoting the accessibility of systematic reviews of the effects of health-care interventions. Cochrane systematic reviews

  1. THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS PsycINFO as an Historical Archive of Trends in Psychology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burman, Jeremy Trevelyan

    2018-02-05

    Those interested in tracking trends in the history of psychology cannot simply trust the numbers produced by inputting terms into search engines like PsycINFO and then constraining by date. This essay is therefore a critical engagement with that longstanding interest to show what it is possible to do, over what period, and why. It concludes that certain projects simply cannot be undertaken without further investment by the American Psychological Association. This is because forgotten changes in the assumptions informing the database make its index terms untrustworthy for use in trend-tracking before 1967. But they can indeed be used, with care, to track more recent trends. The result is then a Distant Reading of psychology, with Digital History presented as enabling a kind of Science Studies that psychologists will find appealing. The present state of the discipline can thus be caricatured as the contemporary scientific study of depressed rats and the drugs used to treat them (as well as of human brains, mice, and myriad other topics). To extend the investigation back further in time, however, the 1967 boundary is also investigated. The author then delves more deeply into the prehistory of the database's creation, and shows in a précis of a further project that the origins of PsycINFO can be traced to interests related to American national security during the Cold War. In short: PsycINFO cannot be treated as a simple bibliographic description of the discipline. It is embedded in its history, and reflects it. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Chinese Herbal Medicine and Depression: The Research Evidence

    OpenAIRE

    Lee Butler; Karen Pilkington

    2013-01-01

    Background. Alternative approaches for managing depression are often sought and herbal mixtures are widely used in China. The aim of this paper was to provide an overall picture of the current evidence by analysing published systematic reviews and presenting a supplementary systematic review of trials in Western databases. Methods. Searches were conducted using AMED, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, and trial registers. Results were screened and selected trials were evaluat...

  3. The first ever Cochrane event in Russia and Russian speaking countries - Cochrane Russia Launch - Evidence-based medicine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ziganshina, Liliya Eugenevna; Jørgensen, Karsten Juhl

    2017-01-01

    Kazan hosted Russia's second International Conference QiQUM 2015 on Cochrane evidence for health policy, which was entirely independent of the pharmaceutical or other health industry, bringing together 259 participants from 11 countries and 13 regions of the Russian Federation. The Conference......, Tajikistan and Russia introduced the concept of Cochrane systematic review and the Use of Cochrane evidence in WHO policy setting. Websites document conference materials and provide interface for future collaboration: http......://kpfu.ru/biology-medicine/struktura-instituta/kafedry/kfikf/konferenciya/mezhdunarodnaya-konferenciya-39dokazatelnaya.html and http://russia.cochrane.org/news/international-conference....

  4. Does antibiotic prophylaxis at implant placement decrease early implant failures? A Cochrane systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esposito, Marco; Grusovin, Maria Gabriella; Loli, Vasiliki; Coulthard, Paul; Worthington, Helen V

    2010-01-01

    Marco Esposito is the first author of two of the included studies; however, he was not involved in the quality assessment of these trials. This review is based on a Cochrane systematic review entitled 'Interventions for replacing missing teeth: antibiotics at dental implant placement to prevent complications' published in The Cochrane Library (see http://www.cochrane.org for more information). Cochrane systematic reviews are regularly updated to include new research, and in response to comments and criticisms from readers. If you wish to comment on this review, please send your comments to the Cochrane website or to Marco Esposito. The Cochrane Library should be consulted for the most recent version of the review. The results of a Cochrane Review can be interpreted differently, depending on people's perspectives and circumstances. Please consider the conclusions presented carefully. They are the opinions of the review authors, and are not necessarily shared by the Cochrane Collaboration. To assess the beneficial or harmful effects of systemic prophylactic antibiotics at dental implant placement versus no antibiotic/placebo administration and, if antibiotics are of benefit, to find which type, dosage and duration is the most effective. The Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched up to 2 June 2010 for randomised controlled clinical trials (RCTs) with a follow-up of at least 3 months comparing the administration of various prophylactic antibiotic regimens versus no antibiotics to patients undergoing dental implant placement. Outcome measures were prosthesis failures, implant failures, postoperative infections and adverse events (gastrointestinal, hypersensitivity, etc.). Screening of eligible studies, assessment of the methodological quality of the trials and data extraction were conducted in duplicate and independently by two review authors. Meta-analyses were

  5. Effects of cognitive therapy versus interpersonal psychotherapy in patients with major depressive disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Janus Christian; Hansen, J L; Simonsen, Sebastian

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder afflicts an estimated 17% of individuals during their lifetime at tremendous suffering and cost. Cognitive therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy are treatment options, but their effects have only been limitedly compared in systematic reviews. METHOD: Using...... Cochrane systematic review methodology we compared the benefits and harm of cognitive therapy versus interpersonal psychotherapy for major depressive disorder. Trials were identified by searching the Cochrane Library's CENTRAL, Medline via PubMed, EMBASE, Psychlit, PsycInfo, and Science Citation Index...... trials with low risk of bias and low risk of random errors are needed, although the effects of cognitive therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy do not seem to differ significantly regarding depressive symptoms. Future trials should report on adverse events....

  6. The Influence of Glycemic Index on Cognitive Functioning: A Systematic Review of the Evidence1

    OpenAIRE

    Philippou, Elena; Constantinou, Marios

    2014-01-01

    The impact of the rate of carbohydrate absorption, as measured by the carbohydrate’s glycemic index (GI) on cognitive performance, is not clear. The aim of this review was to systematically assess the relevant research studies. A systematic review of English-language articles using Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and PsycARTICLES (up to July 2012) using the search terms “glyc(a)emic index” or “glycaemic load” combined with “cognitive function” or “co...

  7. Statistical Multiplicity in Systematic Reviews of Anaesthesia Interventions: A Quantification and Comparison between Cochrane and Non-Cochrane Reviews

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Imberger, Georgina; Vejlby, Alexandra Hedvig Damgaard; Hansen, Sara Bohnstedt

    2011-01-01

    Systematic reviews with meta-analyses often contain many statistical tests. This multiplicity may increase the risk of type I error. Few attempts have been made to address the problem of statistical multiplicity in systematic reviews. Before the implications are properly considered, the size...... of systematic reviews and aimed to assess whether this quantity is different in Cochrane and non-Cochrane reviews....... of the issue deserves clarification. Because of the emphasis on bias evaluation and because of the editorial processes involved, Cochrane reviews may contain more multiplicity than their non-Cochrane counterparts. This study measured the quantity of statistical multiplicity present in a population...

  8. Optimal search filters for renal information in EMBASE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iansavichus, Arthur V; Haynes, R Brian; Shariff, Salimah Z; Weir, Matthew; Wilczynski, Nancy L; McKibbon, Ann; Rehman, Faisal; Garg, Amit X

    2010-07-01

    EMBASE is a popular database used to retrieve biomedical information. Our objective was to develop and test search filters to help clinicians and researchers efficiently retrieve articles with renal information in EMBASE. We used a diagnostic test assessment framework because filters operate similarly to screening tests. We divided a sample of 5,302 articles from 39 journals into development and validation sets of articles. Information retrieval properties were assessed by treating each search filter as a "diagnostic test" or screening procedure for the detection of relevant articles. We tested the performance of 1,936,799 search filters made of unique renal terms and their combinations. REFERENCE STANDARD & OUTCOME: The reference standard was manual review of each article. We calculated the sensitivity and specificity of each filter to identify articles with renal information. The best renal filters consisted of multiple search terms, such as "renal replacement therapy," "renal," "kidney disease," and "proteinuria," and the truncated terms "kidney," "dialy," "neph," "glomerul," and "hemodial." These filters achieved peak sensitivities of 98.7% (95% CI, 97.9-99.6) and specificities of 98.5% (95% CI, 98.0-99.0). The retrieval performance of these filters remained excellent in the validation set of independent articles. The retrieval performance of any search will vary depending on the quality of all search concepts used, not just renal terms. We empirically developed and validated high-performance renal search filters for EMBASE. These filters can be programmed into the search engine or used on their own to improve the efficiency of searching.

  9. Optimal search strategies for detecting cost and economic studies in EMBASE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haynes R Brian

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Economic evaluations in the medical literature compare competing diagnosis or treatment methods for their use of resources and their expected outcomes. The best evidence currently available from research regarding both cost and economic comparisons will continue to expand as this type of information becomes more important in today's clinical practice. Researchers and clinicians need quick, reliable ways to access this information. A key source of this type of information is large bibliographic databases such as EMBASE. The objective of this study was to develop search strategies that optimize the retrieval of health costs and economics studies from EMBASE. Methods We conducted an analytic survey, comparing hand searches of journals with retrievals from EMBASE for candidate search terms and combinations. 6 research assistants read all issues of 55 journals indexed by EMBASE for the publishing year 2000. We rated all articles using purpose and quality indicators and categorized them into clinically relevant original studies, review articles, general papers, or case reports. The original and review articles were then categorized for purpose (i.e., cost and economics and other clinical topics and depending on the purpose as 'pass' or 'fail' for methodologic rigor. Candidate search strategies were developed for economic and cost studies, then run in the 55 EMBASE journals, the retrievals being compared with the hand search data. The sensitivity, specificity, precision, and accuracy of the search strategies were calculated. Results Combinations of search terms for detecting both cost and economic studies attained levels of 100% sensitivity with specificity levels of 92.9% and 92.3% respectively. When maximizing for both sensitivity and specificity, the combination of terms for detecting cost studies (sensitivity increased 2.2% over the single term but at a slight decrease in specificity of 0.9%. The maximized combination of terms

  10. Effect of differentiating exercise guidance based on a patient's level of low back pain in primary care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jorgensen, Jens Erik; Afzali, Tamana; Riis, Allan

    2018-01-01

    in patients in primary care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic search will be performed on PubMed, EMBASE, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDRO), Cochrane and PROSPERO from their inception until September 2017. Published peer......-reviewed human experimental and observational studies with quantitative or qualitative designs will be included. Two independent reviewers will identify papers by reviewing titles and abstracts. Papers passing the initial selection will be appraised by two reviewers, based on their full texts. Furthermore...

  11. Stigmatization of obese children and adolescents, the importance of gender

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tang-Péronard, J L; Heitmann, B L

    2008-01-01

    To review the literature on stigmatization of overweight girls and boys, with a specific attention to gender differences, a search was performed in the medical as well as the psychological literature. The following databases, Medline, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane as well...... prevalent in overweight girls than overweight boys. There is a need to conduct further studies that are specifically designed to evaluate gender differences in stigmatization of overweight children and adolescents, and for studies focusing on preventing this stigmatization....

  12. Knowledge Translation: The Bridging Function of Cochrane Rehabilitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negrini, Stefano; Gimigliano, Francesca; Arienti, Chiara; Kiekens, Carlotte

    2017-12-12

    Cochrane Rehabilitation is aimed to ensure that all rehabilitation professionals can apply Evidence Based Clinical Practice and take decisions according to the best and most appropriate evidence in this specific field, combining the best available evidence as gathered by high-quality Cochrane systematic reviews, with their own clinical expertise and the values of patients. This mission can be pursued through knowledge translation. The aim of this article is to shortly present what knowledge translation is, how and why Cochrane (previously known as Cochrane Collaboration) is trying to reorganize itself in light of knowledge translation, and the relevance that this process has for Cochrane Rehabilitation and in the end for the whole world of rehabilitation. It is well known how it is difficult to effectively apply in everyday life what we would like to do and to apply the scientific knowledge in the clinical field: this is called the know-do gap. In the field of evidence-based medicine, where Cochrane belongs, it has been proven that high-quality evidence is not consistently applied in practice. A solution to these problems is the so-called knowledge translation. In this context, Cochrane Rehabilitation is organized to provide the best possible knowledge translation in both directions (bridging function), obviously toward the world of rehabilitation (spreading reviews), but also to the Cochrane community (production of reviews significant for rehabilitation). Cochrane is now strongly pushing to improve its knowledge translation activities, and this creates a strong base for Cochrane Rehabilitation work, focused not only on spreading the evidence but also on improving its production to make it more meaningful for the world of rehabilitation. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The impact of PICO as a search strategy tool on literature search quality

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eriksen, Mette Brandt; Frandsen, Tove Faber

    2018-01-01

    Objective: This review aimed to determine, if the use of the PICO model (Patient Intervention Comparison Outcome) as a search strategy tool affects the quality of the literature search. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library...... and three studies were included, data was extracted, risk of bias was assessed and a qualitative analysis was conducted. The included studies compared PICO to PIC or link to related articles in PubMed; PICOS and SPIDER. One study compared PICO to unguided searching. Due to differences in intervention...

  14. Co-production of healthcare services with immigrant patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Radl-Karimi, Christina Mathilde; Nicolaisen, Anne; Sodemann, Morten

    2018-01-01

    ’s methodology for scoping reviews. The data will stem from the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Ovid EMBASE, EBSCO CINAHL, EBSCO PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. We will also screen the websites of national authorities and research organisations for publications and review the literature...... a new perspective on how to collaboratively create the highest possible value for both the patient and the healthcare system. The concept acknowledges that all services are co-produced and directs attention to the relationship between patient and care provider. Co-production is still a new concept...

  15. Treatment of cannabis use disorders in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders - a systematic review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjorthøj, Carsten; Fohlmann, Allan; Nordentoft, Merete

    2009-01-01

    was to review literature on treatments of CUD in SSD-patients. METHODS: PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched. RESULTS: 41 articles were selected, 11 treating cannabis as a separate outcome. Contingency management was only effective while active....... Pharmacological interventions appeared effective, but lacked randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Psychosocial interventions, e.g. motivational interviewing and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), were ineffective in most studies with cannabis as a separate outcome, but effective in studies that grouped cannabis......, pharmacological, and contingency management....

  16. Feasibility of a knowledge translation CME program: Courriels Cochrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pluye, Pierre; Grad, Roland; Granikov, Vera; Theriault, Guyléne; Frémont, Pierre; Burnand, Bernard; Mercer, Jay; Marlow, Bernard; Arroll, Bruce; Luconi, Francesca; Légaré, France; Labrecque, Michel; Ladouceur, Roger; Bouthillier, France; Sridhar, Soumya Bindiganavile; Moscovici, Jonathan

    2012-01-01

    Systematic literature reviews provide best evidence, but are underused by clinicians. Thus, integrating Cochrane reviews into continuing medical education (CME) is challenging. We designed a pilot CME program where summaries of Cochrane reviews (Courriels Cochrane) were disseminated by e-mail. Program participants automatically received CME credit for each Courriel Cochrane they rated. The feasibility of this program is reported (delivery, participation, and participant evaluation). We recruited French-speaking physicians through the Canadian Medical Association. Program delivery and participation were documented. Participants rated the informational value of Courriels Cochrane using the Information Assessment Method (IAM), which documented their reflective learning (relevance, cognitive impact, use for a patient, expected health benefits). IAM responses were aggregated and analyzed. The program was delivered as planned. Thirty Courriels Cochrane were delivered to 985 physicians, and 127 (12.9%) completed at least one IAM questionnaire. Out of 1109 Courriels Cochrane ratings, 973 (87.7%) conta-ined 1 or more types of positive cognitive impact, while 835 (75.3%) were clinically relevant. Participants reported the use of information for a patient and expected health benefits in 595 (53.7%) and 569 (51.3%) ratings, respectively. Program delivery required partnering with 5 organizations. Participants valued Courriels Cochrane. IAM ratings documented their reflective learning. The aggregation of IAM ratings documented 3 levels of CME outcomes: participation, learning, and performance. This evaluation study demonstrates the feasibility of the Courriels Cochrane as an approach to further disseminate Cochrane systematic literature reviews to clinicians and document self-reported knowledge translation associated with Cochrane reviews. Copyright © 2012 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and

  17. The effect of exercise in clinically depressed adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krogh, Jesper; Nordentoft, Merete; Sterne, Jonathan A C

    2011-01-01

    these, the estimated beneficial effect of exercise was more modest (SMD, -0.19; 95% CI, -0.70 to 0.31) than the pooled result for all 13 studies, with no strong evidence of benefit. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a short-term effect of exercise on depression: on average, depression scores 0......OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of exercise in adults with clinical depression. DATA SOURCES: The databases CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO were searched (1806-2008) using medical subject headings (Me......SH) and text word terms depression, depressive disorder and exercise, aerobic, non-aerobic, physical activity, physical fitness, walk*, jog*, run*, bicycling, swim*, strength, and resistance. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized trials including adults with clinical depression according to any diagnostic system were...

  18. The effect of exercise in clinically depressed adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krogh, Jesper; Nordentoft, Merete; Sterne, Jonathan A C

    2011-01-01

    SH) and text word terms depression, depressive disorder and exercise, aerobic, non-aerobic, physical activity, physical fitness, walk*, jog*, run*, bicycling, swim*, strength, and resistance. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized trials including adults with clinical depression according to any diagnostic system were......OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of exercise in adults with clinical depression. DATA SOURCES: The databases CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO were searched (1806-2008) using medical subject headings (Me...... with depression (P = .002). No other characteristics were related to between-study heterogeneity. Pooled analysis of 5 trials with long-term follow-up (ie, that examined outcomes beyond the end of the intervention) suggested no long-term benefit (SMD, -0.01; 95% CI, -0.28 to 0.26), with no strong evidence...

  19. Feasibility of a Knowledge Translation CME Program: "Courriels Cochrane"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pluye, Pierre; Grad, Roland; Granikov, Vera; Theriault, Guylene; Fremont, Pierre; Burnand, Bernard; Mercer, Jay; Marlow, Bernard; Arroll, Bruce; Luconi, Francesca; Legare, France; Labrecque, Michel; Ladouceur, Roger; Bouthillier, France; Sridhar, Soumya Bindiganavile; Moscovici, Jonathan

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: Systematic literature reviews provide best evidence, but are underused by clinicians. Thus, integrating Cochrane reviews into continuing medical education (CME) is challenging. We designed a pilot CME program where summaries of Cochrane reviews ("Courriels Cochrane") were disseminated by e-mail. Program participants…

  20. Embase er et centralt værktøj til medicinsk litteratursøgning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eriksen, Mette Brandt; Buck Christensen, Janne; Frandsen, Tove Faber

    2016-01-01

    PubMed is often first choice for searching health sciences literature. However, even though Embase tends to be overlooked it is an important supplement to PubMed. The present paper provides an overview of the literature dealing with the significance of using Embase for systematic reviews...

  1. Who cares? The lost legacy of Archie Cochrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Askheim, Clemet; Sandset, Tony; Engebretsen, Eivind

    2017-03-01

    Over the last 20 years, the evidence-based medicine (EBM) movement has sought to develop standardised approaches to patient treatment by drawing on research results from randomised controlled trials (RCTs). The Cochrane Collaboration and its eponym, Archie Cochrane, have become symbols of this development, and Cochrane's book Effectiveness and Efficiency from 1972 is often referred to as the first sketch of what was to become EBM. In this article, we claim that this construction of EBM's historical roots is based on a selective reading of Cochrane's text. Through a close reading of this text, we show that the principal aim of modern EBM, namely to warrant clinical decisions based on evidence drawn from RCTs, is not part of Cochrane's original project. He had more modest ambitions for what RCTs can accomplish, and, more importantly, he was more concerned with care and equality than are his followers in the EBM movement. We try to reconstruct some of Cochrane's lost legacy and to articulate some of the important silences in Effectiveness and Efficiency From these clues it might be possible, we argue, to remodel EBM in a broader, more pluralistic, more democratic and less authoritarian manner. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  2. Do Cochrane reviews provide a good model for social science?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Konnerup, Merete; Kongsted, Hans Christian

    2012-01-01

    Formalised research synthesis to underpin evidence-based policy and practice has become increasingly important in areas of public policy. In this paper we discuss whether the Cochrane standard for systematic reviews of healthcare interventions is appropriate for social research. We examine...... the formal criteria of the Cochrane Collaboration for including particular study designs and search the Cochrane Library to provide quantitative evidence on the de facto standard of actual Cochrane reviews. By identifying the sample of Cochrane reviews that consider observational designs, we are able...... to conclude that the majority of reviews appears limited to considering randomised controlled trials only. Because recent studies have delineated conditions for observational studies in social research to produce valid evidence, we argue that an inclusive approach is essential for truly evidence-based policy...

  3. Reporting of Positive Results in Randomized Controlled Trials of Mindfulness-Based Mental Health Interventions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie Coronado-Montoya

    Full Text Available A large proportion of mindfulness-based therapy trials report statistically significant results, even in the context of very low statistical power. The objective of the present study was to characterize the reporting of "positive" results in randomized controlled trials of mindfulness-based therapy. We also assessed mindfulness-based therapy trial registrations for indications of possible reporting bias and reviewed recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses to determine whether reporting biases were identified.CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, ISI, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and SCOPUS databases were searched for randomized controlled trials of mindfulness-based therapy. The number of positive trials was described and compared to the number that might be expected if mindfulness-based therapy were similarly effective compared to individual therapy for depression. Trial registries were searched for mindfulness-based therapy registrations. CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, ISI, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and SCOPUS were also searched for mindfulness-based therapy systematic reviews and meta-analyses.108 (87% of 124 published trials reported ≥1 positive outcome in the abstract, and 109 (88% concluded that mindfulness-based therapy was effective, 1.6 times greater than the expected number of positive trials based on effect size d = 0.55 (expected number positive trials = 65.7. Of 21 trial registrations, 13 (62% remained unpublished 30 months post-trial completion. No trial registrations adequately specified a single primary outcome measure with time of assessment. None of 36 systematic reviews and meta-analyses concluded that effect estimates were overestimated due to reporting biases.The proportion of mindfulness-based therapy trials with statistically significant results may overstate what would occur in practice.

  4. Assessing and presenting summaries of evidence in Cochrane Reviews

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Langendam, Miranda W.; Akl, Elie A.; Dahm, Philipp; Glasziou, Paul; Guyatt, Gordon; Schünemann, Holger J.

    2013-01-01

    Cochrane Reviews are intended to help providers, practitioners and patients make informed decisions about health care. The goal of the Cochrane Applicability and Recommendation Methods Group (ARMG) is to develop approaches, strategies and guidance that facilitate the uptake of information from

  5. The Cochrane Library : more systematic reviews on nutrition needed

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Summerbell, CD; Chinnock, P; O'Malley, C; van Binsbergen, JJ

    The knowledge and relevance of nutrition as well as the demand for well-funded advices increase. The Cochrane Collaboration plays a leading role within the evidence-based medicine and practice. We advocate therefore more specialized nutritional interest within the Cochrane Collaboration. In case

  6. Dialogues with Marilyn Cochran-Smith

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiorentini, Dario; Crecci, Vanessa Moreira

    2015-01-01

    For more than 30 years, Dr. Marilyn Cochran-Smith has developed and directed research and contributed to publications about education and "practitioner research," especially about teachers' research and learning in inquiry communities. Her primary topics are inquiry communities, teacher research, teacher education for social…

  7. The impact of Cochrane Reviews: a mixed-methods evaluation of outputs from Cochrane Review Groups supported by the National Institute for Health Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bunn, Frances; Trivedi, Daksha; Alderson, Phil; Hamilton, Laura; Martin, Alice; Pinkney, Emma; Iliffe, Steve

    2015-04-01

    The last few decades have seen a growing emphasis on evidence-informed decision-making in health care. Systematic reviews, such as those produced by Cochrane, have been a key component of this movement. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Systematic Review Programme currently supports 20 Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) in the UK and it is important that this funding represents value for money. The overall aim was to identify the impacts and likely impacts on health care, patient outcomes and value for money of Cochrane Reviews published by 20 NIHR-funded CRGs during the years 2007-11. We sent questionnaires to CRGs and review authors, undertook interviews with guideline developers (GDs) and used bibliometrics and documentary review to get an overview of CRG impact and to evaluate the impact of a sample of 60 Cochrane Reviews. The evaluation was guided by a framework with four categories (knowledge production, research targeting, informing policy development and impact on practice/services). A total of 3187 new and updated reviews were published on the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews between 2007 and 2011, 1502 (47%) of which were produced by the 20 CRGs funded by the NIHR. We found 40 examples where reviews appeared to have influenced primary research and reviews had contributed to the creation of new knowledge and stimulated debate. Twenty-seven of the 60 reviews had 100 or more citations in Google Scholar™ (Google, CA, USA). Overall, 483 systematic reviews had been cited in 247 sets of guidance. This included 62 sets of international guidance, 175 sets of national guidance (87 from the UK) and 10 examples of local guidance. Evidence from the interviews suggested that Cochrane Reviews often play an instrumental role in informing guidance, although reviews being a poor fit with guideline scope or methods, reviews being out of date and a lack of communication between CRGs and GDs were barriers to their use. Cochrane Reviews appeared to have led

  8. The Cochrane Collaboration: Institutional Analysis of a Knowledge Commons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heywood, Peter; Stephani, Anne Marie; Garner, Paul

    2018-01-01

    Cochrane is an international network that produces and updates new knowledge through systematic reviews for the health sector. Knowledge is a shared resource, and can be viewed as a commons. As Cochrane has been in existence for 25 years, we used Elinor Ostrom's theory of the commons and Institutional Analysis and Development Framework to appraise…

  9. Exercise-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation for Coronary Heart Disease: Cochrane Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Lindsey; Oldridge, Neil; Thompson, David R; Zwisler, Ann-Dorthe; Rees, Karen; Martin, Nicole; Taylor, Rod S

    2016-01-05

    Although recommended in guidelines for the management of coronary heart disease (CHD), concerns have been raised about the applicability of evidence from existing meta-analyses of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR). The goal of this study is to update the Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise-based CR for CHD. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Science Citation Index Expanded were searched to July 2014. Retrieved papers, systematic reviews, and trial registries were hand-searched. We included randomized controlled trials with at least 6 months of follow-up, comparing CR to no-exercise controls following myocardial infarction or revascularization, or with a diagnosis of angina pectoris or CHD defined by angiography. Two authors screened titles for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. Studies were pooled using random effects meta-analysis, and stratified analyses were undertaken to examine potential treatment effect modifiers. A total of 63 studies with 14,486 participants with median follow-up of 12 months were included. Overall, CR led to a reduction in cardiovascular mortality (relative risk: 0.74; 95% confidence interval: 0.64 to 0.86) and the risk of hospital admissions (relative risk: 0.82; 95% confidence interval: 0.70 to 0.96). There was no significant effect on total mortality, myocardial infarction, or revascularization. The majority of studies (14 of 20) showed higher levels of health-related quality of life in 1 or more domains following exercise-based CR compared with control subjects. This study confirms that exercise-based CR reduces cardiovascular mortality and provides important data showing reductions in hospital admissions and improvements in quality of life. These benefits appear to be consistent across patients and intervention types and were independent of study quality, setting, and publication date. Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology

  10. Evaluation of the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias in randomized clinical trials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, L; Paludan-Müller, A. S.; Laursen, David

    2016-01-01

    the tool is applied to both Cochrane and non-Cochrane systematic reviews. Methods: A review of published comments (searches in PubMed, The Cochrane Methodology Register and Google Scholar) and an observational study (100 Cochrane and 100 non-Cochrane reviews from 2014). Results: Our review included 68...

  11. The development of search filters for adverse effects of surgical interventions in medline and Embase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golder, Su; Wright, Kath; Loke, Yoon Kong

    2018-03-31

    Search filter development for adverse effects has tended to focus on retrieving studies of drug interventions. However, a different approach is required for surgical interventions. To develop and validate search filters for medline and Embase for the adverse effects of surgical interventions. Systematic reviews of surgical interventions where the primary focus was to evaluate adverse effect(s) were sought. The included studies within these reviews were divided randomly into a development set, evaluation set and validation set. Using word frequency analysis we constructed a sensitivity maximising search strategy and this was tested in the evaluation and validation set. Three hundred and fifty eight papers were included from 19 surgical intervention reviews. Three hundred and fifty two papers were available on medline and 348 were available on Embase. Generic adverse effects search strategies in medline and Embase could achieve approximately 90% relative recall. Recall could be further improved with the addition of specific adverse effects terms to the search strategies. We have derived and validated a novel search filter that has reasonable performance for identifying adverse effects of surgical interventions in medline and Embase. However, we appreciate the limitations of our methods, and recommend further research on larger sample sizes and prospective systematic reviews. © 2018 The Authors Health Information and Libraries Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Health Libraries Group.

  12. Dialysis search filters for PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Embase databases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iansavichus, Arthur V; Haynes, R Brian; Lee, Christopher W C; Wilczynski, Nancy L; McKibbon, Ann; Shariff, Salimah Z; Blake, Peter G; Lindsay, Robert M; Garg, Amit X

    2012-10-01

    Physicians frequently search bibliographic databases, such as MEDLINE via PubMed, for best evidence for patient care. The objective of this study was to develop and test search filters to help physicians efficiently retrieve literature related to dialysis (hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) from all other articles indexed in PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Embase. A diagnostic test assessment framework was used to develop and test robust dialysis filters. The reference standard was a manual review of the full texts of 22,992 articles from 39 journals to determine whether each article contained dialysis information. Next, 1,623,728 unique search filters were developed, and their ability to retrieve relevant articles was evaluated. The high-performance dialysis filters consisted of up to 65 search terms in combination. These terms included the words "dialy" (truncated), "uremic," "catheters," and "renal transplant wait list." These filters reached peak sensitivities of 98.6% and specificities of 98.5%. The filters' performance remained robust in an independent validation subset of articles. These empirically derived and validated high-performance search filters should enable physicians to effectively retrieve dialysis information from PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Embase.

  13. The first ever Cochrane event in Russia and Russian speaking countries - Cochrane Russia Launch - Evidence-based medicine: Achievements and barriers (QiQUM 2015) International Conference, Kazan, December 7-8, 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziganshina, Liliya Eugenevna; Jørgensen, Karsten Juhl

    2016-01-01

    Kazan hosted Russia's second International Conference QiQUM 2015 on Cochrane evidence for health policy, which was entirely independent of the pharmaceutical or other health industry, bringing together 259 participants from 11 countries and 13 regions of the Russian Federation. The Conference was greeted and endorsed by world leaders in Evidence-based medicine, health and pharmaceutical information, policy and regulation, and the World Health Organization. Participants discussed the professional and social problems arising from biased health information, unethical pharmaceutical promotion, misleading reporting of clinical trials with consequent flaws in health care delivery and the role of Cochrane evidence for informed decisions and better health. The first in history Cochrane workshop, facilitated jointly by experts from Cochrane and the WHO, with 40 participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Russia introduced the concept of Cochrane systematic review and the Use of Cochrane evidence in WHO policy setting. Websites document conference materials and provide interface for future collaboration: http://kpfu.ru/biology-medicine/struktura-instituta/kafedry/kfikf/konferenciya/mezhdunarodnaya-konferenciya-39dokazatelnaya.html and http://russia.cochrane.org/news/international-conference.

  14. eHealth Technologies as an Intervention to Improve Adherence to Topical Antipsoriatics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svendsen, Mathias Tiedemann; Andersen, Flemming; Andersen, Klaus Ejner

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Topical antipsoriatics are recommended first-line treatment of psoriasis, but rates of adherence are low. Patient support by use of electronic health (eHealth) services is suggested to improve medical adherence. OBJECTIVE: To review randomised controlled trials (RCTs) testing eHealth...... interventions designed to improve adherence to topical antipsoriatics and to review applications for smartphones (apps) incorporating the word psoriasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Literature review: Medline, Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched using search terms for eHealth, psoriasis....... CONCLUSION: There is a critical need for high-quality RCTs testing if the ubiquitous eHealth technologies, e.g. some of the numerous apps, can improve psoriasis patients' rates of adherence to topical antipsoriatics....

  15. Treatment effects between monotherapy of donepezil versus combination with memantine for Alzheimer disease: A meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ruey; Chan, Pi-Tuan; Chu, Hsin; Lin, Yu-Cih; Chang, Pi-Chen; Chen, Chien-Yu; Chou, Kuei-Ru

    2017-01-01

    This is the first meta-analysis to compare the treatment effects and safety of administering donepezil alone versus a combination of memantine and donepezil to treat patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer Disease, particularly regarding cognitive functions, behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD), and global functions. PubMed, Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane databases were used to search for English and non-English articles for inclusion in the meta-analysis to evaluate the effect size and incidence of adverse drug reactions of different treatments. Compared with patients who received donepezil alone, those who received donepezil in combination with memantine exhibited limited improvements in cognitive functions (g = 0.378, p Alzheimer Disease.

  16. Cochrane Rehabilitation Methodology Committee: an international survey of priorities for future work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levack, William M; Meyer, Thorsten; Negrini, Stefano; Malmivaara, Antti

    2017-10-01

    Cochrane Rehabilitation aims to improve the application of evidence-based practice in rehabilitation. It also aims to support Cochrane in the production of reliable, clinically meaningful syntheses of evidence related to the practice of rehabilitation, while accommodating the many methodological challenges facing the field. To this end, Cochrane Rehabilitation established a Methodology Committee to examine, explore and find solutions for the methodological challenges related to evidence synthesis and knowledge translation in rehabilitation. We conducted an international online survey via Cochrane Rehabilitation networks to canvass opinions regarding the future work priorities for this committee and to seek information on people's current capabilities to assist with this work. The survey findings indicated strongest interest in work on how reviewers have interpreted and applied Cochrane methods in reviews on rehabilitation topics in the past, and on gathering a collection of existing publications on review methods for undertaking systematic reviews relevant to rehabilitation. Many people are already interested in contributing to the work of the Methodology Committee and there is a large amount of expertise for this work in the extended Cochrane Rehabilitation network already.

  17. Soft tissue management for dental implants: what are the most effective techniques? A Cochrane systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esposito, Marco; Maghaireh, Hassan; Grusovin, Maria Gabriella; Ziounas, Ioannis; Worthington, Helen V

    2012-01-01

    This review is based on a Cochrane systematic review entitled 'Interventions for replacing missing teeth: management of soft tissues for dental implants' published in The Cochrane Library (see http:// www.cochrane.org/ for information). Cochrane systematic reviews are regularly updated to include new research, and in response to comments and criticisms from readers. If you wish to comment on this review, please send your comments to the Cochrane website or to Marco Esposito. The Cochrane Library should be consulted for the most recent version of the review. The results of a Cochrane review can be interpreted differently, depending on people's perspectives and circumstances. Please consider the conclusions presented carefully. They are the opinions of the review authors, and are not necessarily shared by the Cochrane Collaboration. To evaluate whether flapless procedures are beneficial for patients and which is the ideal flap design, whether soft tissue correction/augmentation techniques are beneficial for patients and which are the best techniques, whether techniques to increase the peri-implant keratinised mucosa are beneficial for patients and which are the best techniques, and which are the best suturing techniques/ materials. The Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched up to the 9th of June 2011 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of rootform osseointegrated dental implants, with a follow-up of at least 6 months after function, comparing various techniques to handle soft tissues in relation to dental implants. Primary outcome measures were prosthetic failures, implant failures and biological complications. Screening of eligible studies, assessment of the methodological quality of the trials and data extraction were conducted at least in duplicate and independently by two or more review authors. The statistical unit was the patient and not the prosthesis, the procedure or the implant. RESULTS were expressed

  18. Thiamine for prevention and treatment of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome in people who abuse alcohol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Day, Ed; Bentham, Peter W; Callaghan, Rhiannon; Kuruvilla, Tarun; George, Sanju

    2013-07-01

    Autopsy studies suggest that Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is not a rare disorder, particularly in individuals who abuse alcohol. Thiamine has been established as the treatment of choice for over 50 years, but uncertainty remains about appropriate dosage and duration. Current practice guidelines are based on case reports and clinical experience. This is an update of a review first published in 2004 and last updated in 2008. • To assess the efficacy of thiamine in preventing and treating the manifestations of WKS due to excess alcohol consumption. • To determine the optimum form, dose and duration of thiamine treatment for this indication. ALOIS, the Specialized Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group (CDCIG), The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and LILACS were searched on 6 September 2012 using the term thiamine OR aneurine. ALOIS contains records from all major health care databases (The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS) as well as from many trial databases and grey literature sources. Any randomised trials comparing thiamine with alternative interventions or comparing different thiamine regimens (varying in formulation, dose or duration of administration). All abstracts were independently inspected by two reviewers (ED and PWB), and relevant articles were retrieved and assessed for methodological quality using criteria provided in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Two studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria, but only one contained sufficient data for quantitative analysis. Ambrose (2001) randomly assigned participants (n = 107) to one of five doses of intramuscular thiamine and measured outcomes after 2 days of treatment. We compared the lowest dose (5 mg/day) with each of the other four doses. A significant difference favoured 200 mg/day compared with the 5-mg/day dose in determining the number of trials needed to meet inclusion criteria

  19. Lumbar Supports for Prevention and Treatment of Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review Within the Framework of the Cochrane Back Review Group

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jellema, Petra; van Tulder, Maurits W; van Poppel, Mireille N M

    2001-01-01

    Study Design : A systematic review of randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials. Summary of Background Data : Lumbar supports are used in the treatment of low back pain, but also to prevent the onset (primary prevention) or recurrences of a low back pain episode (secondary prevention......). Objectives: To assess the effects of lumbar sup-ports for prevention and treatment of nonspecific low back pain. Methods: The Medline, Cinahl, and Current Contents databases; the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register up to September 1999; and the Embase database up to September 1998 were all searched...... are not effective for primary prevention. No evidence was found on the effectiveness of lumbar supports for secondary prevention. The systematic review of therapeutic trials showed that there is limited evidence that lumbar supports are more effective than no treatment, whereas it is still unclear whether lumbar...

  20. Evidence-based healthcare and the Cochrane Collaboration: an unfinished journey as yet!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Sascha

    2013-11-01

    Although evidence-based medicine and the Cochrane Collaboration have become key players in modern medicine, it is important to note that evidencebased medicine and the Cochrane Collaboration are confronted with a number of substantial challenges that need to be addressed. The aim of this work is to highlight some of these problems. This comment is based on a semi-structured literature review and my personal experience in the field of evidence-based medicine. In this comment, 3 important areas of controversy and conflict ("Improving the quality of Cochrane Review"; "Increasing the relevance to middle- and low-income countries"; and "Keeping reviews up to date") will be highlighted, and possible solutions will be presented. With the Cochrane Collaboration now having been at the forefront of promoting and implementing core principles of evidence-based medicine, further organizational, political and administrative efforts will have to be put in place to further improve the impact of evidence-based medicine in the field of health care. This process can best be realized through networking and cooperation of the medical community worldwide, irrespective of geographic origin. When successfully tackling the above mentioned issues and obstacles, the already amazing success story of evidence-based medicine and the Cochrane Collaboration will grow even more substantial. © 2013 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  1. Interventions to reduce cognitive impairments following critical illness

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nedergaard, H K; Jensen, H I; Toft, P

    2017-01-01

    and sleep quality improvement. Data were synthesized to provide an overview of interventions, quality, follow-up assessments and neuropsychological outcomes. CONCLUSION: None of the interventions had significant positive effects on cognitive impairments following critical illness. Quality was negatively......BACKGROUND: Critical illness is associated with cognitive impairments. Effective treatment or prevention has not been established. The aim of this review was to create a systematic summary of the current evidence concerning clinical interventions during intensive care admission to reduce cognitive...... impairments after discharge. METHODS: Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central, PsycInfo and Cinahl were searched. Inclusion criteria were studies assessing the effect of interventions during intensive care admission on cognitive function in adult patients. Studies were excluded if they were reviews or reported...

  2. Evaluating the effects of mindfulness-based interventions for informal palliative caregivers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jaffray, Linda; Bridgman, Heather; Stephens, Miranda

    2016-01-01

    guidelines and a Narrative synthesis. Data sources: The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and EMBASE databases, searched from inception to February 2014 and references of included studies. Results: A total of 13 articles, reporting 10 studies (n = 432 participants) were included. All studies were......Background: There is a need to identify proactive, evidence-based interventions to support informal palliative caregivers. Mindfulness-based interventions, evidenced in the literature as providing physical and mental health benefits for diverse populations, may have application in the setting...... of palliative caregiving. Aim: To describe, evaluate and synthesise the peer-reviewed literature on the effects of mindfulness-based interventions for informal palliative caregivers. Design: A Systematic Literature Review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta Analyses...

  3. Comparison of sedation strategies for critically ill patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hutton, Brian; Burry, Lisa D.; Kanji, Salmaan

    2016-01-01

    Background: Sedatives and analgesics are administered to provide sedation and manage agitation and pain in most critically ill mechanically ventilated patients. Various sedation administration strategies including protocolized sedation and daily sedation interruption are used to mitigate drug...... their efficacy and safety for mechanically ventilated patients. Methods: We will search the following from 1980 to March 2016: Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. We will also search the Cochrane Library, gray literature, and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. We...... of interest include duration of mechanical ventilation, time to first extubation, ICU and hospital length of stay, re-intubation, tracheostomy, mortality, total sedative and opioid exposure, health-related quality of life, and adverse events. To inform our NMA, we will first conduct conventional pair...

  4. End-of-life expectations and experiences among nursing home patients and their relatives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fosse, Anette; Schaufel, Margrethe Aase; Ruths, Sabine

    2014-01-01

    . CONCLUSION: Nursing home patients and their relatives wanted doctors more involved in end-of-life care. They expected doctors to acknowledge their preferences and provide guidance and symptom relief. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: High-quality end-of-life care in nursing homes relies on organization, funding......OBJECTIVE: Synthesize research about patients' and relatives' expectations and experiences on how doctors can improve end-of-life care in nursing homes. METHODS: We systematically searched qualitative studies in English in seven databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Ageline, Cochrane...... decision-makers reported uncertainty and distress when guidance from health personnel was lacking. They worried about staff shortage and emphasized doctor availability. Relatives and health personnel seldom recognized patients' ability to consent, and patients' preferences were not always recognized...

  5. Adjunctive huperzine A for cognitive deficits in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Wei; Xiang, Ying-Qiang; Li, Xian-Bin; Ungvari, Gabor S; Chiu, Helen F K; Sun, Feng; D'Arcy, Carl; Meng, Xiangfei; Xiang, Yu-Tao

    2016-07-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of huperzine A (HupA), an isolate of Huperzine serrata, in the treatment of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Cochrane Library, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, WanFang, Chinese Biomedical, and China Journal Net databases were searched from inception to 15 July 2015 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in English or Chinese of HupA augmentation of antipsychotic drug therapy versus placebo or ongoing antipsychotic treatment. Twelve RCTs (n = 1117) lasting 11.7 ± 6.0 weeks met inclusion criteria. All had been conducted in China. HupA outperformed comparators on the following outcome measures: the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised including memory quotient (weighted mean difference (WMD: 10.59; 95% confidence interval (CI): 5.65, 15.53; p HupA is an effective choice for improving cognitive function for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. More well-designed RCTs are needed to further confirm HupA's efficacy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Discussion around the Steinberg-Cochran-Guinan model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ansart, J.P.; Naulin, G.

    1991-01-01

    The Steinberg-Cochran-Guinan model (material dynamic comportment model) is presented. Theoretical and experimental results (especially on beryllium) give a modification of the S.C.G. model, taking into account influence of high deformation speed on elastic limit and on the strain hardening function. (A.B.). 8 refs., 2 tabs

  7. Economics methods in Cochrane systematic reviews of health promotion and public health related interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shemilt, Ian; Mugford, Miranda; Drummond, Michael; Eisenstein, Eric; Mallender, Jacqueline; McDaid, David; Vale, Luke; Walker, Damian

    2006-11-15

    Provision of evidence on costs alongside evidence on the effects of interventions can enhance the relevance of systematic reviews to decision-making. However, patterns of use of economics methods alongside systematic review remain unclear. Reviews of evidence on the effects of interventions are published by both the Cochrane and Campbell Collaborations. Although it is not a requirement that Cochrane or Campbell Reviews should consider economic aspects of interventions, many do. This study aims to explore and describe approaches to incorporating economics methods in a selection of Cochrane systematic reviews in the area of health promotion and public health, to help inform development of methodological guidance on economics for reviewers. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was searched using a search strategy for potential economic evaluation studies. We included current Cochrane reviews and review protocols retrieved using the search that are also identified as relevant to health promotion or public health topics. A reviewer extracted data which describe the economics components of included reviews. Extracted data were summarised in tables and analysed qualitatively. Twenty-one completed Cochrane reviews and seven review protocols met inclusion criteria. None incorporate formal economic evaluation methods. Ten completed reviews explicitly aim to incorporate economics studies and data. There is a lack of transparent reporting of methods underpinning the incorporation of economics studies and data. Some reviews are likely to exclude useful economics studies and data due to a failure to incorporate search strategies tailored to the retrieval of such data or use of key specialist databases, and application of inclusion criteria designed for effectiveness studies. There is a need for consistency and transparency in the reporting and conduct of the economics components of Cochrane reviews, as well as regular dialogue between Cochrane reviewers and economists to

  8. Economics methods in Cochrane systematic reviews of health promotion and public health related interventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McDaid David

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Provision of evidence on costs alongside evidence on the effects of interventions can enhance the relevance of systematic reviews to decision-making. However, patterns of use of economics methods alongside systematic review remain unclear. Reviews of evidence on the effects of interventions are published by both the Cochrane and Campbell Collaborations. Although it is not a requirement that Cochrane or Campbell Reviews should consider economic aspects of interventions, many do. This study aims to explore and describe approaches to incorporating economics methods in a selection of Cochrane systematic reviews in the area of health promotion and public health, to help inform development of methodological guidance on economics for reviewers. Methods The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was searched using a search strategy for potential economic evaluation studies. We included current Cochrane reviews and review protocols retrieved using the search that are also identified as relevant to health promotion or public health topics. A reviewer extracted data which describe the economics components of included reviews. Extracted data were summarised in tables and analysed qualitatively. Results Twenty-one completed Cochrane reviews and seven review protocols met inclusion criteria. None incorporate formal economic evaluation methods. Ten completed reviews explicitly aim to incorporate economics studies and data. There is a lack of transparent reporting of methods underpinning the incorporation of economics studies and data. Some reviews are likely to exclude useful economics studies and data due to a failure to incorporate search strategies tailored to the retrieval of such data or use of key specialist databases, and application of inclusion criteria designed for effectiveness studies. Conclusion There is a need for consistency and transparency in the reporting and conduct of the economics components of Cochrane reviews, as

  9. Evidence from the Cochrane Collaboration for Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wieland, Susan; Kimbrough, Elizabeth; Cheng, Ker; Berman, Brian M.

    2009-01-01

    Abstract Background The Cochrane Collaboration, an international not-for-profit organization that prepares and maintains systematic reviews of randomized trials of health care therapies, has produced reviews summarizing much of the evidence on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Our objective was to review the evidence base according to Cochrane systematic reviews. Methods In order to detect reviews focusing on TCM, we searched the titles and abstracts of all reviews in Issue 4, 2008 of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. For each review, we extracted data on the number of trials included and the total number of participants. We provided an indication of the strength of the review findings by assessing the reviewers' abstract conclusions statement. We supplemented our assessment of the abstract conclusions statements with a listing of the comparisons and outcomes showing statistically significant meta-analyses results. Results We identified 70 Cochrane systematic reviews of TCM, primarily acupuncture (n = 26) and Chinese herbal medicine (n = 42), and 1 each of moxibustion and t'ai chi. Nineteen (19) of 26 acupuncture reviews and 22/42 herbal medicine reviews concluded that there was not enough good quality trial evidence to make any conclusion about the efficacy of the evaluated treatment, while the remaining 7 acupuncture and 20 herbal medicine reviews and each of the moxibustion and t'ai chi reviews indicated a suggestion of benefit, which was qualified by a caveat about the poor quality and quantity of studies. Most reviews included many distinct interventions, controls, outcomes, and populations, and a large number of different comparisons were made, each with a distinct forest plot. Conclusions Most Cochrane systematic reviews of TCM are inconclusive, due specifically to the poor methodology and heterogeneity of the studies reviewed. Some systematic reviews provide preliminary evidence of Chinese medicine's benefits to certain patient populations

  10. Intervention quality is not routinely assessed in Cochrane systematic reviews of radiation therapy interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdul Rahim, Mohamad R; James, Melissa L; Hickey, Brigid E

    2017-10-01

    The aim of this study was to maximise the benefits from clinical trials involving technological interventions such as radiation therapy. High compliance to the quality assurance protocols is crucial. We assessed whether the quality of radiation therapy intervention was evaluated in Cochrane systematic reviews. We searched 416 published Cochrane systematic reviews and identified 67 Cochrane systematic reviews that investigated radiation therapy or radiotherapy as an intervention. For each systematic review, either quality assurance or quality control for the intervention was identified by a description of such processes in the published systematic reviews. Of the 67 Cochrane systematic reviews studied, only two mentioned quality assurance or quality control. Our findings revealed that 65 of 67 (97%) Cochrane systematic reviews of radiation therapy interventions failed to consider the quality of the intervention. We suggest that advice about the evaluation of intervention quality be added to author support materials. © 2017 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

  11. Antenatal interventions to reduce preterm birth: an overview of Cochrane Systematic Reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piso, Brigitte; Zechmeister-Koss, Ingrid; Winkler, Roman

    2014-04-23

    Several factors are associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (PTB); therefore, various interventions might have the potential to influence it. Due to the large number of interventions that address PTB, the objective of this overview is to summarise evidence from Cochrane reviews regarding the effects and safety of these different interventions. We conducted a systematic literature search in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Included reviews should be based on randomised controlled trials comparing antenatal non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions that directly or indirectly address PTB with placebo/no treatment or routine care in pregnant women at less than 37 completed weeks of gestation without signs of threatened preterm labour. We considered PTB at less than 37 completed weeks of gestation as the primary outcome. We included 56 Cochrane systematic reviews. Three interventions increased PTB risk significantly. Twelve interventions led to a statistically significant lower incidence of PTBs. However, this reduction was mostly observed in defined at-risk subgroups of pregnant women. The remaining antenatal interventions failed to prove a significant effect on PTB PTBs). As an unintended result of this review, we identified 28 additional Cochrane reviews which intended to report on PTB < 37 weeks, but were not able to find any RCTs reporting appropriate data. The possible effects of a diverse range of interventions on PTB have been evaluated in Cochrane systematic reviews. Few interventions have been demonstrated to be effective and a small number have been found to be harmful. For around half of the interventions evaluated, the Cochrane review concluded that there was insufficient evidence to provide sound recommendations for clinical practice. No RCT evidence is available for a number of potentially relevant interventions.

  12. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors versus placebo in patients with major depressive disorder. A systematic review with meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Janus Christian; Katakam, Kiran Kumar; Schou, Anne

    2017-01-01

    -term effects. Conclusions: SSRIs might have statistically significant effects on depressive symptoms, but all trials were at high risk of bias and the clinical significance seems questionable. SSRIs significantly increase the risk of both serious and non-serious adverse events. The potential small beneficial......Background: The evidence on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for major depressive disorder is unclear. Methods: Our objective was to conduct a systematic review assessing the effects of SSRIs versus placebo, 'active' placebo, or no intervention in adult participants with major...... depressive disorder. We searched for eligible randomised clinical trials in The Cochrane Library's CENTRAL, PubMed, EMBASE, PsycLIT, PsycINFO, Science Citation Index Expanded, clinical trial registers of Europe and USA, websites of pharmaceutical companies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA...

  13. Fatigue in adults with traumatic brain injury

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mollayeva, Tatyana; Kendzerska, Tetyana; Mollayeva, Shirin

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Despite strong indications that fatigue is the most common and debilitating symptom after traumatic brain injury, little is known about its frequency, natural history, or relation to other factors. The current protocol outlines a strategy for a systematic review that will identify......, assess, and critically appraise studies that assessed predictors for fatigue and the consequences of fatigue on at least two separate time points following traumatic brain injury. METHODS/DESIGN: MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, and PsycINFO will be systematically...... searched for relevant peer-reviewed studies. Reference lists of eligible papers will also be searched. All English language studies with a longitudinal design that focus on fatigue in adults with primary-impact traumatic brain injury will be included. Studies on fatigue following brain injury due...

  14. Intervention Efficacy in Trials Targeting Cannabis Use Disorders in Patients with Comorbid Psychosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjorthoj, Carsten Rygaard; Baker, Amanda; Fohlmann, Allan

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: Cannabis use disorders are highly prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and other psychoses, and are probably associated with a range of poor outcomes. Several trials have been conducted on this population, the results of which have been summarized in several systematic reviews...... but never in meta-analyses specifically regarding cannabis use. Methods: PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched using predefined search terms. We included randomized trials of all types of interventions targeting cannabis use disorders in patients...... with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. We extracted information on intervention types, efficacy, trial characteristics, and risk of bias. Results: There was no evidence of an effect on frequency of cannabis use, but intervention effects of motivational intervention with or without cognitive behavior therapy were...

  15. Patient education has a positive effect in patients with a stoma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Danielsen, Anne Kjaergaard; Burcharth, Jakob; Rosenberg, Jacob

    2013-01-01

    group (7396,90 USD) as well as higher effectiveness scores in the intervention (166,89) compared with the control group (110.98). a significant rise in stoma-related knowledge (p=0.0000), and an increase in psychosocial adjustment (p= 0.000). CONCLUSION: Structured patient education aimed at patients......AIM: A systematic review was performed to assess whether education of patients having stoma formation improves quality of life and whether it is cost effective. METHOD: A literature search was performed to identify studies on the structured education of ostomates and outcome using the following...... databases: MEDLINE, Cinahl, Embase, Cochrane and PsycInfo. Inclusion criteria were: clinical studies reporting effects of educational interventions in relation to patients with a stoma. Commentaries or studies not testing an intervention were excluded. RESULTS: Seven articles met the inclusion criteria...

  16. Comparison of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to prevent delirium in critically ill patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Burry, L. D.; Hutton, Brian; Guenette, M.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Delirium is characterized by acute changes in mental status including inattention, disorganized thinking, and altered level of consciousness, and is highly prevalent in critically ill adults. Delirium has adverse consequences for both patients and the healthcare system; however...... systematic review will synthesize all existing data using network meta-analysis, a powerful statistical approach that enables synthesis of both direct and indirect evidence.  Methods: We will search Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science from 1980 to March 2016. We will search...... the PROSPERO registry for protocols and the Cochrane Library for published systematic reviews. We will examine reference lists of pertinent reviews and search grey literature and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for unpublished studies and ongoing trials. We will include randomized and quasi...

  17. Are the Cochrane group registers comprehensive? A case study of Japanese psychiatry trials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McGuire Hugh

    2002-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Language bias is a form of publication bias and constitutes a serious threat to meta-analyses. The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register is one attempt to remedy this and now contains more than 300,000 citations. However we are still unsure if it provides comprehensive coverage, particularly for non-English trials. Methods We have recently established a comprehensive register of Japanese trials of psychotropic drugs through extensive personal contacts, electronic searches and handsearches. We examined two Cochrane psychiatry group registers against this Japanese database. Results The Japanese register contained 56 reports of randomized controlled trials (RCTs of antidepressants for depression but the Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis group register contained 18, with an overlap of only nine. The Japanese register contained 61 reports of RCTs of neuroleptics for schizophrenia and the Cochrane Schizophrenia group register contained 36, with an overlap of only six. Taking account of some duplicate publications, only a quarter to a third of all relevant Japanese RCTs were retrievable from the Cochrane group registers. Conclusions Similar, or worse, yields may be expected with RCTs conducted in other East Asian countries, and in other fields of medicine. What evidence there is suggests that this situation may lead to a systematic over estimate of treatment effect.

  18. Reporting of conflicts of interest from drug trials in Cochrane reviews: cross sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roseman, Michelle; Turner, Erick H; Lexchin, Joel; Coyne, James C; Bero, Lisa A; Thombs, Brett D

    2012-08-16

    To investigate the degree to which Cochrane reviews of drug interventions published in 2010 reported conflicts of interest from included trials and, among reviews that reported this information, where it was located in the review documents. Cross sectional study. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Systematic reviews of drug interventions published in 2010 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, with review content classified as up to date in 2008 or later and with results from one or more randomised controlled trials. Of 151 included Cochrane reviews, 46 (30%, 95% confidence interval 24% to 38%) reported information on the funding sources of included trials, including 30 (20%, 14% to 27%) that reported information on trial funding for all included trials and 16 (11%, 7% to 17%) that reported for some, but not all, trials. Only 16 of the 151 Cochrane reviews (11%, 7% to 17%) provided any information on trial author-industry financial ties or trial author-industry employment. Information on trial funding and trial author-industry ties was reported in one to seven locations within each review, with no consistent reporting location observed. Most Cochrane reviews of drug trials published in 2010 did not provide information on trial funding sources or trial author-industry financial ties or employment. When this information was reported, location of reporting was inconsistent across reviews.

  19. Production and citation of cochrane systematic reviews: a bibliometrics analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Jiantong; Li, Youping; Clarke, Mike; Du, Liang; Wang, Li; Zhong, Dake

    2014-05-06

    To evaluate the production and utilization of Cochrane systematic reviews(CSRs) and to analyze its influential factors, so as to improve the capacity of translating CSRs into practice. All CSRs and protocols were retrieved from the Cochrane Library ISSUE 2, 2011 and citation data were retrieved from SCI database. Citation analysis was used to analyze the situation of CSRs production and utilization. CSR publication had grown from an annual average of 32 to 718 documents. Only one developing country was among the ten countries with the largest amount of publications. High income countries accounted for 83% of CSR publications and 90.8% of cited counts. 34.7% of CSRs had a cited count of 0, while only 0.9% had been cited more than 50 times. Highly cited CSRs were published in England, Australia, Canada, USA and other high income countries. The countries with a Cochrane center or a Cochrane methodology group had a greater capability of CSRs production and citing than others. The CSRs addressing the topics of diseases were more than those targeted at public health issues. There was a big gap in citations of different interventions even for the same topic. The capability of CSR production and translation grew rapidly, but varied among countries and institutions, which was affected by several factors such as the capability of research, the resourcesand the applicability of the evidence. It is important to improve evidence translation through educating, training and prioritizing the problems based on real demands of end user. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  20. Acupuncture for neurological disorders in the Cochrane reviews:Characteristics of included reviews and studies

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Deren Wang; Weimin Yang; Ming Liu

    2011-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To summarize Cochrane reviews of acupuncture for neurological disorders, and characteristics of included reviews and studies.DATA SOURCES: A computer-based online search of the Cochrane Library (Issue 7 of 12, July 2010) was performed with the key word "acupuncture" and systematic evaluations for acupuncture for neurological disorders were screened.STUDY SELECTION: Systematic reviews on acupuncture in the treatment of neurological disorders were included, and the characteristics of these reviews were analyzed based on methods recommended by the Cochrane collaboration.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Basic characteristics, methodological quality, main reasons for excluding trials, results and conclusions of Cochrane reviews were assessed.RESULTS: A total of 18 Cochrane systematic reviews were included, including 13 completed reviews and five research protocols. The 13 completed reviews involved 111 randomized controlled trials, including 43 trials (38.7%) conducted in China, 47 trials (42.3%) using sham-acupuncture or placebo as control, 15 trials (13.5%) with relatively high quality, 91 trials (81.9%) reporting data on follow-up. Primary outcomes used in the Cochrane reviews were reported by 65 trials (58.6%), and adverse events were reported in 11 trials (9.9%). Two hundred and eighty three trials were excluded. Two reviews on headache suggested that acupuncture is a valuable non-drug treatment for patients with chronic or recurrent headache, and has better curative effects on migraine compared with preventative drug treatment. CONCLUSION: Of the Cochrane reviews on acupuncture in the treatment of neurological disorders, two reviews evaluating the efficacy of acupuncture in treating headaches drew positive conculsions, while other reviews did not obtain positive conclusions due to a small sample size or low methodological quality. The methodological quality of acupuncture trials needs further improvement.

  1. Usefulness of Cochrane Skin Group reviews for clinical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davila-Seijo, P; Batalla, A; Garcia-Doval, I

    2013-10-01

    Systematic reviews are one of the most important sources of information for evidence-based medicine. However, there is a general impression that these reviews rarely report results that provide sufficient evidence to change clinical practice. The aim of this study was to determine the percentage of Cochrane Skin Group reviews reporting results with the potential to guide clinical decision-making. We performed a bibliometric analysis of all the systematic reviews published by the Cochrane Skin Group up to 16 August, 2012. We retrieved 55 reviews, which were analyzed and graded independently by 2 investigators into 3 categories: 0 (insufficient evidence to support or reject the use of an intervention), 1 (insufficient evidence to support or reject the use of an intervention but sufficient evidence to support recommendations or suggestions), and 2 (sufficient evidence to support or reject the use of an intervention). Our analysis showed that 25.5% (14/55) of the studies did not provide sufficient evidence to support or reject the use of the interventions studied, 45.5% (25/25) provided sufficient but not strong evidence to support recommendations or suggestions, and 29.1% (16/55) provided strong evidence to support or reject the use of 1 or more of the interventions studied. Most of the systematic reviews published by the Cochrane Skin Group provide useful information to improve clinical practice. Clinicians should read these reviews and reconsider their current practice. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEDV. All rights reserved.

  2. Should Cochrane reviews be performed during the development of new concepts?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Humaidan, P; Kol, S; Engmann, L

    2012-01-01

    of explicit, reproducible criteria in the selection of studies for review. Thus, Cochrane reviews, undoubtedly provide many useful clinical guidelines. In this opinion paper, however, it is questioned at what level of clinical development of a new strategy a Cochrane review should be conducted in order...... development. We question the current policy of meta-analysis and recommend that in the future, the meta-analysts should await the results of a sufficient number of well-performed studies with an established new regime before an analysis is performed in order to avoid too early and possibly biased conclusions....

  3. Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs for Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Cochrane Review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kroon, Féline P. B.; van der Burg, Lennart R. A.; Ramiro, Sofia; Landewé, Robert B. M.; Buchbinder, Rachelle; Falzon, Louise; van der Heijde, Désirée

    2016-01-01

    To determine the benefits and harms of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Systematic review using Cochrane Collaboration methodology. randomized controlled trials (RCT) and quasi-RCT (to June 2014), investigating NSAID versus any control for axSpA, and

  4. Nurses' Role in Cardiovascular Risk Assessment and Management in People with Inflammatory Arthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Primdahl, Jette; Ferreira, Ricardo J O; Garcia-Diaz, Silvia

    2016-01-01

    , in order to suggest topics for practice development and research in this area regarding persons with IA. METHODS: We searched Embase, Cinahl, Cochrane, PsycInfo and PubMed databases and included European articles from the past ten years if they described how nurses assess and/or manage CVR. In addition...... to the systematic review, we provided case studies from five different countries to illustrate national guidelines and nurses' role regarding CVR assessment and management in patients with IA. RESULTS: Thirty-three articles were included. We found that trained nurses were undertaking CVR assessment and management......INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular risk (CVR) assessment and management in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) is recommended but European nurses' involvement in this role has not been well studied. AIM: The aim of the present study was to explore European nurses' role in assessing and managing CVR...

  5. Assessing bias in osteoarthritis trials included in Cochrane reviews

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Julie Bolvig; Juhl, Carsten Bogh; Boutron, Isabelle

    2014-01-01

    the first appearing forest plot for overall pain in the Cochrane review. Treatment effect sizes will be expressed as standardised mean differences (SMDs), where the difference in mean values available from the forest plots is divided by the pooled SD. To empirically assess the risk of bias in treatment...

  6. The Cochrane Collaboration withdraws a review on methylphenidate for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boesen, Kim; Saiz, Luis Carlos; Erviti, Juan

    2017-01-01

    A Cochrane systematic review on immediate-release methylphenidate for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was withdrawn from the Cochrane Library on 26 May 2016 after substantial criticism of its methods and flawed conclusions. Retraction of scientific papers on this basis...

  7. High-performance information search filters for CKD content in PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and EMBASE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iansavichus, Arthur V; Hildebrand, Ainslie M; Haynes, R Brian; Wilczynski, Nancy L; Levin, Adeera; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R; Tu, Karen; Nesrallah, Gihad E; Nash, Danielle M; Garg, Amit X

    2015-01-01

    Finding relevant articles in large bibliographic databases such as PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and EMBASE to inform care and future research is challenging. Articles relevant to chronic kidney disease (CKD) are particularly difficult to find because they are often published under different terminology and are found across a wide range of journal types. We used computer automation within a diagnostic test assessment framework to develop and validate information search filters to identify CKD articles in large bibliographic databases. 22,992 full-text articles in PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, or EMBASE. 1,374,148 unique search filters. We established the reference standard of article relevance to CKD by manual review of all full-text articles using prespecified criteria to determine whether each article contained CKD content or not. We then assessed filter performance by calculating sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for the retrieval of CKD articles. Filters with high sensitivity and specificity for the identification of CKD articles in the development phase (two-thirds of the sample) were then retested in the validation phase (remaining one-third of the sample). We developed and validated high-performance CKD search filters for each bibliographic database. Filters optimized for sensitivity reached at least 99% sensitivity, and filters optimized for specificity reached at least 97% specificity. The filters were complex; for example, one PubMed filter included more than 89 terms used in combination, including "chronic kidney disease," "renal insufficiency," and "renal fibrosis." In proof-of-concept searches, physicians found more articles relevant to the topic of CKD with the use of these filters. As knowledge of the pathogenesis of CKD grows and definitions change, these filters will need to be updated to incorporate new terminology used to index relevant articles. PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and EMBASE can be filtered reliably for articles relevant to CKD. These

  8. Power and sample size evaluation for the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel mean score (Wilcoxon rank sum) test and the Cochran-Armitage test for trend.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lachin, John M

    2011-11-10

    The power of a chi-square test, and thus the required sample size, are a function of the noncentrality parameter that can be obtained as the limiting expectation of the test statistic under an alternative hypothesis specification. Herein, we apply this principle to derive simple expressions for two tests that are commonly applied to discrete ordinal data. The Wilcoxon rank sum test for the equality of distributions in two groups is algebraically equivalent to the Mann-Whitney test. The Kruskal-Wallis test applies to multiple groups. These tests are equivalent to a Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel mean score test using rank scores for a set of C-discrete categories. Although various authors have assessed the power function of the Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests, herein it is shown that the power of these tests with discrete observations, that is, with tied ranks, is readily provided by the power function of the corresponding Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel mean scores test for two and R > 2 groups. These expressions yield results virtually identical to those derived previously for rank scores and also apply to other score functions. The Cochran-Armitage test for trend assesses whether there is an monotonically increasing or decreasing trend in the proportions with a positive outcome or response over the C-ordered categories of an ordinal independent variable, for example, dose. Herein, it is shown that the power of the test is a function of the slope of the response probabilities over the ordinal scores assigned to the groups that yields simple expressions for the power of the test. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Cochrane review: virtual reality for stroke rehabilitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laver, K; George, S; Thomas, S; Deutsch, J E; Crotty, M

    2012-09-01

    Virtual reality and interactive video gaming are innovative therapy approaches in the field of stroke rehabilitation. The primary objective of this review was to determine the effectiveness of virtual reality on motor function after stroke. The impact on secondary outcomes including activities of daily living was also assessed. Randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials that compared virtual reality with an alternative or no intervention were included in the review. The authors searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, electronic databases, trial registers, reference lists, Dissertation Abstracts, conference proceedings and contacted key researchers and virtual reality manufacturers. Search results were independently examined by two review authors to identify studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Nineteen studies with a total of 565 participants were included in the review. Variation in intervention approaches and outcome data collected limited the extent to which studies could be compared. Virtual reality was found to be significantly more effective than conventional therapy in improving upper limb function (standardised mean difference, SMD) 0.53, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.25 to 0.81)) based on seven studies, and activities of daily living (ADL) function (SMD 0.81, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.22) based on three studies. No statistically significant effects were found for grip strength (based on two studies) or gait speed (based on three studies). Virtual reality appears to be a promising approach however, further studies are required to confirm these findings.

  10. Performance analysis of EM-based blind detection for ON-OFF keying modulation over atmospheric optical channels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dabiri, Mohammad Taghi; Sadough, Seyed Mohammad Sajad

    2018-04-01

    In the free-space optical (FSO) links, atmospheric turbulence lead to scintillation in the received signal. Due to its ease of implementation, intensity modulation with direct detection (IM/DD) based on ON-OFF keying (OOK) is a popular signaling scheme in these systems. Over turbulence channel, to detect OOK symbols in a blind way, i.e., without sending pilot symbols, an expectation-maximization (EM)-based detection method was recently proposed in the literature related to free-space optical (FSO) communication. However, the performance of EM-based detection methods severely depends on the length of the observation interval (Ls). To choose the optimum values of Ls at target bit error rates (BER)s of FSO communications which are commonly lower than 10-9, Monte-Carlo simulations would be very cumbersome and require a very long processing time. To facilitate performance evaluation, in this letter we derive the analytic expressions for BER and outage probability. Numerical results validate the accuracy of our derived analytic expressions. Our results may serve to evaluate the optimum value for Ls without resorting to time-consuming Monte-Carlo simulations.

  11. Using Qualitative Research to Overcome the Shortcomings of Systematic Reviews When Designing of a Self-Management Intervention for Advanced Cancer Pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kate Flemming

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To identify the key components for a self-management intervention for advanced cancer pain using evidence drawn from systematic reviews of complex interventions and syntheses of qualitative research. Methods: Evidence from up-to-date systematic reviews was prioritized. Searches were initially undertaken to identify the systematic reviews of effectiveness in Cinahl, Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Database of systematic reviews from 2009 to June 2014, using validated search terms. Subsequent searches to identify the qualitative systematic reviews were undertaken in Cinahl, Medline, Embase, and PsycInfo from 2009 to January 2015. The results of the two sets of reviews were integrated using methods based on constant comparative techniques. Results: Four systematic reviews examining interventions for the self-management of advanced cancer pain were identified. Although each review recommended some attributes of a pain management intervention, it was not possible to determine the essential key components. Subsequent searches for qualitative evidence syntheses identified three reviews. These were integrated with the effectiveness reviews. The integration identified key components for a self-management intervention including individualized approaches to care, the importance of addressing patients’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward pain management, and the significance of team approaches and inter-disciplinary working in the management of pain. Conclusion: Implementing the findings from systematic reviews of complex interventions is often hindered by a lack of understanding of important contextual components of care, often provided by qualitative research. Using both types of data to provide answers for practice demonstrates the benefits of incorporating qualitative research in reviews of complex interventions by ensuring the strengths of qualitative and quantitative research are combined and that their respective

  12. Updated method guidelines for cochrane musculoskeletal group systematic reviews and metaanalyses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ghogomu, Elizabeth A T; Maxwell, Lara J; Buchbinder, Rachelle

    2014-01-01

    The Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group (CMSG), one of 53 groups of the not-for-profit, international Cochrane Collaboration, prepares, maintains, and disseminates systematic reviews of treatments for musculoskeletal diseases. It is important that authors conducting CMSG reviews and the readers of our...... reviews be aware of and use updated, state-of-the-art systematic review methodology. One hundred sixty reviews have been published. Previous method guidelines for systematic reviews of interventions in the musculoskeletal field published in 2006 have been substantially updated to incorporate...... using network metaanalysis. Method guidelines specific to musculoskeletal disorders are provided by CMSG editors for various aspects of undertaking a systematic review. These method guidelines will help improve the quality of reporting and ensure high standards of conduct as well as consistency across...

  13. Agreement between Cochrane Neonatal reviews and clinical practice guidelines for newborns in Denmark a cross sectional study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brok, Jesper; Greisen, Gorm; Madsen, Lars P

    2007-01-01

    for disagreement were numerous; usage of evidence with higher bias risks than randomised trials in guidelines development was the most frequent one. Cochrane reviews were rarely (10%) used during guideline development. Nine guideline topics (5%) revealed diversity among the departments' recommendations....... CONCLUSIONS: There is good agreement between Cochrane reviews and neonatal guidelines in Denmark. The disagreements are few. Cochrane reviews were rarely used for guideline development. Guideline heterogeneity among neonatal departments seems moderate....

  14. Associations between suicidal behavior and childhood abuse and neglect: A meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jianbo; Fang, Yumin; Gong, Jingbo; Cui, Xilong; Meng, Tiantian; Xiao, Bo; He, Yuqiong; Shen, Yanmei; Luo, Xuerong

    2017-10-01

    Relationships of some types of childhood maltreatment and suicidal behavior remain controversial and inconclusive. Medline, Embase, PsycINFO and Cochrane library were searched for eligible studies, and the results were synthesized in meta-analyses. childhood maltreatment was associated positively with suicidal behavior in the total population and maltreatment subgroups. Emotional abuse had the strongest effect (OR =2.33, SMD =0.660, Psuicidal behavior in men and women (women: OR =4.84, Psuicidal behavior in the general population (OR =3.78, Psuicide attempt (OR =1.11, SMD =0.48, Psuicidal ideation. Some subgroup samples were not sufficiently large. Childhood maltreatment increases the risk of suicidal behavior. Emotional abuse had the strongest effect among the five types of maltreatment. The risk of suicidal behavior is higher in the general population, women, and individuals with chronic schizophrenia who have histories of childhood maltreatment. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Is there a difference between child self-ratings and parent proxy-ratings of the quality of life of children with a diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? A systematic review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galloway, Helen; Newman, Emily

    2017-03-01

    There are contemporary indicators that parent proxy-ratings and child self-ratings of a child's quality of life (QoL) are not interchangeable. This review examines dual informant studies to assess parent-child agreement on the QoL of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. A systematic search of four major databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases) was completed, and related peer-reviewed journals were hand-searched. Studies which reported quantitative QoL ratings for matched parent and child dyads were screened in accordance with relevant inclusion and exclusion criteria. Key findings were extracted from thirteen relevant studies, which were rated for conformity to the recommendations of an adapted version of the STROBE statement guidelines for observational studies. In the majority of studies reviewed, children rated their QoL more highly than their parents. There was some evidence for greater agreement on the physical health domain than psychosocial domains.

  16. Practice implications and recommendations for managing codeine misuse and dependence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bergin Michael

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Codeine, a weak opiate, requires increased pharmacovigilance relating to availability, heterogeneous nature of misuse, dependence and associated harm. A scoping review of literature on codeine was conducted using Arksey & O’Malley’s framework (1. Databases searched included PubMed, EBSCO Host, Science Direct, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane library and Medline from 1994 to 2014. Follow-up search strategies involved hand searching and searching of pharmaceutical, health, medical and drug related websites. Initial zscreening identified 3,105 articles with 475 meeting the inclusion criteria. Eight broad categories organised the literature, data charting and qualitative synthesis. This paper presents implications for practice and makes recommendations to address these issues. Themes identified relate to raising public and practitioner awareness, risk management, dispensing practices and monitoring and surveillance of codeine. Evidence to inform law enforcement, drug surveillance, public health initiatives, harm reduction approaches, pharmacy, clinical and treatment practices is warranted.

  17. Visualization of evidence-based medicine domain knowledge: production and citation of Cochrane systematic reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Jiantong; Li, Youping; Clarke, Mike; Du, Liang; Wang, Li; Zhong, Dake

    2013-02-01

    To evaluate the production and utilization of Cochrane systematic reviews (CSRs) and to analyze its influential factors, so as to improve the capacity of translating CSRs into practice. All CSRs and protocols were retrieved from the Cochrane Library (Issue 2, 2011) and citation data were retrieved from SCI database. Citation analysis was used to analyze the situation of CSRs production and utilization. CSR publication had grown from an annual average of 32 to 718 documents. Only one developing country was among the ten countries with the largest amount of publications. High-income countries accounted for 83% of CSR publications and 90.8% of cited counts. A total 34.7% of CSRs had a cited count of 0, whereas only 0.9% had been cited more than 50 times. Highly cited CSRs were published in England, Australia, Canada, USA and other high-income countries. The countries with a Cochrane center or a Cochrane methodology group had a greater capability of CSRs production and citing than others. The CSRs addressing the topics of diseases were more than those targeted at public health issues. There was a big gap in citations of different interventions even on the same topic. The capability of CSR production and utilization grew rapidly, but varied among countries and institutions, which was affected by several factors such as the capability of research, resources and the applicability of evidence. It is important to improve evidence translation through educating, training and prioritizing the problems based on real demands of end users. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

  18. Agreement between reported use of interventions for liver diseases and research evidence in Cochrane systematic reviews

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kürstein, Pia; Gluud, Lise L; Willemann, Marlene

    2005-01-01

    This study evaluates the agreement between reported use of interventions for patients with liver diseases and research evidence in Cochrane systematic reviews.......This study evaluates the agreement between reported use of interventions for patients with liver diseases and research evidence in Cochrane systematic reviews....

  19. Protocol for a systematic review of psychological interventions for cancer-related fatigue in post-treatment cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corbett, Teresa; Devane, Declan; Walsh, Jane C; Groarke, AnnMarie; McGuire, Brian E

    2015-12-04

    Fatigue is a common symptom in cancer patients that can persist beyond the curative treatment phase. Some evidence has been reported for interventions for fatigue during active treatment. However, to date, there is no systematic review on psychological interventions for fatigue after the completion of curative treatment for cancer. This is a protocol for a systematic review that aims to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions for cancer-related fatigue in post-treatment cancer survivors. This systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database. We will search the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; The Cochrane Library), PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and relevant sources of grey literature. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) which have evaluated psychological interventions in adult cancer patients after the completion of treatment, with fatigue as an outcome measure, will be included. Two review authors will independently extract data from the selected studies and assess the methodological quality using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. Most existing evidence on cancer-related fatigue is from those in active cancer treatment. This systematic review and meta-analysis will build upon previous evaluations of psychological interventions in people during and after cancer treatment. With the growing need for stage-specific research in cancer, this review seeks to highlight a gap in current practice and to strengthen the evidence base of randomised controlled trials in the area. PROSPERO CRD42014015219.

  20. Parenting Training for Intellectually Disabled Parents: A Cochrane Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coren, Esther; Thomae, Manuela; Hutchfield, Jemeela

    2011-01-01

    Objectives: This article presents a Cochrane/Campbell systematic review of the evidence on the effect of parent training to support the parenting of parents with intellectual disabilities. Method: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing parent training interventions for parents with intellectual disability with usual care or with a control…

  1. Agreement between Cochrane Neonatal Group reviews and clinical guidelines for newborns at a Copenhagen University Hospital - a cross-sectional study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brok, Jesper; Greisen, Gorm; Jacobsen, Robert Thorkild

    2007-01-01

    To assess the agreement between Cochrane Neonatal Group reviews and clinical guidelines of a University Neonatology Department, to evaluate the reasons for potential disagreements and to ascertain whether Cochrane reviews were considered for the guidelines development.......To assess the agreement between Cochrane Neonatal Group reviews and clinical guidelines of a University Neonatology Department, to evaluate the reasons for potential disagreements and to ascertain whether Cochrane reviews were considered for the guidelines development....

  2. A Review of Cochrane Systematic Reviews of Interventions Relevant to Orthoptic Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowe, Fiona J; Elliott, Sue; Gordon, Iris; Shah, Anupa

    2017-09-01

    To present an overview of the range of systematic reviews on intervention trials pertinent to orthoptic practice, produced by the Cochrane Eyes and Vision group (CEV). We searched the 2016 Cochrane Library database (31.03.2016) to identify completed reviews and protocols of direct relevance to orthoptic practice. These reviews are currently completed and published, available on www.thecochranelibrary.com (free to UK health employees) or via the CEV website (http://eyes.cochrane.org/) . We found 27 completed CEV reviews across the topics of strabismus, amblyopia, refractive errors, and low vision. Seven completed CEV protocols addressed topics of strabismus, amblyopia, refractive errors, low vision, and screening. We found 3 completed Cochrane Stroke reviews addressing visual field loss, eye movement impairment, and age-related vision loss. The systematic review process presents an important opportunity for any clinician to contribute to the establishment of reliable, evidence-based orthoptic practice. Each review has an abstract and plain language summary that many non-clinicians find useful, followed by a full copy of the review (background, objectives, methods, results, discussion) with a conclusion section that is divided into implications for practice and implications for research. The current reviews provide patients/parents/carers with information about various different conditions and treatment options, but also provide clinicians with a summary of the available evidence on interventions, to use as a guide for both clinical practice and future research planning. The reviews identified in this overview highlight the evidence available for effective interventions for strabismus, amblyopia, refractive errors, and low vision or stroke rehabilitation as well as the gaps in the evidence base. Thus, a demand exists for future robust, randomized, controlled trials of such interventions of importance in orthoptic practice.

  3. Cluster Randomised Trials in Cochrane Reviews: Evaluation of Methodological and Reporting Practice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marty Richardson

    Full Text Available Systematic reviews can include cluster-randomised controlled trials (C-RCTs, which require different analysis compared with standard individual-randomised controlled trials. However, it is not known whether review authors follow the methodological and reporting guidance when including these trials. The aim of this study was to assess the methodological and reporting practice of Cochrane reviews that included C-RCTs against criteria developed from existing guidance.Criteria were developed, based on methodological literature and personal experience supervising review production and quality. Criteria were grouped into four themes: identifying, reporting, assessing risk of bias, and analysing C-RCTs. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was searched (2nd December 2013, and the 50 most recent reviews that included C-RCTs were retrieved. Each review was then assessed using the criteria.The 50 reviews we identified were published by 26 Cochrane Review Groups between June 2013 and November 2013. For identifying C-RCTs, only 56% identified that C-RCTs were eligible for inclusion in the review in the eligibility criteria. For reporting C-RCTs, only eight (24% of the 33 reviews reported the method of cluster adjustment for their included C-RCTs. For assessing risk of bias, only one review assessed all five C-RCT-specific risk-of-bias criteria. For analysing C-RCTs, of the 27 reviews that presented unadjusted data, only nine (33% provided a warning that confidence intervals may be artificially narrow. Of the 34 reviews that reported data from unadjusted C-RCTs, only 13 (38% excluded the unadjusted results from the meta-analyses.The methodological and reporting practices in Cochrane reviews incorporating C-RCTs could be greatly improved, particularly with regard to analyses. Criteria developed as part of the current study could be used by review authors or editors to identify errors and improve the quality of published systematic reviews incorporating

  4. Clinical recommendations of Cochrane reviews in pediatric gastroenterology: systematic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goda, Yvonne; Sauer, Harald; Schöndorf, Dominik; Hennes, Pia; Gortner, Ludwig; Gräber, Stefan; Meyer, Sascha

    2015-01-01

    Systematic and up-to-date Cochrane reviews in pediatrics in general and in pediatric gastroenterology in particular are important tools in disseminating the best available evidence to the medical community, thus providing the physician at the bedside with invaluable information and recommendations with regard to specific clinical questions. A systematic literature review was conducted, including all Cochrane reviews published by the Cochrane Review Group in the field of pediatric gastroenterology between 1993 and 2012, with regard to the percentage of reviews that concluded that a certain intervention provided a benefit, percentage of reviews that concluded that a certain intervention should not be performed, and percentage of studies that concluded that the current level of evidence was inconclusive. In total, 86 reviews in the field of pediatric gastroenterology were included. The majority of reviews assessed pharmacological interventions (46/86); other important fields included prevention (15/86) and nutrition (9/86). A total of 33/86 reviews issued definite recommendations (positive, 19/86; negative, 14/86). The remaining 53/86 reviews were either inconclusive (24/86) or only of limited conclusiveness (29/86). The percentage of inconclusive reviews increased from 9% (1998-2002) to 19% (2003-2007; P < 0.05) to finally 24% (2008-2012) (P < 0.05). The three most common reasons for the need for further research were heterogeneity of studies (26/86), small number of patients (18/86), and insufficient data (16/86). Further high-quality research is necessary to increase the proportion of reviews with clear recommendations. Funding and research agencies are key to selecting the most appropriate research programs. © 2014 Japan Pediatric Society.

  5. Producing Cochrane systematic reviews-a qualitative study of current approaches and opportunities for innovation and improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Tari; Green, Sally; Tovey, David; McDonald, Steve; Soares-Weiser, Karla; Pestridge, Charlotte; Elliott, Julian

    2017-08-01

    Producing high-quality, relevant systematic reviews and keeping them up to date is challenging. Cochrane is a leading provider of systematic reviews in health. For Cochrane to continue to contribute to improvements in heath, Cochrane Reviews must be rigorous, reliable and up to date. We aimed to explore existing models of Cochrane Review production and emerging opportunities to improve the efficiency and sustainability of these processes. To inform discussions about how to best achieve this, we conducted 26 interviews and an online survey with 106 respondents. Respondents highlighted the importance and challenge of creating reliable, timely systematic reviews. They described the challenges and opportunities presented by current production models, and they shared what they are doing to improve review production. They particularly highlighted significant challenges with increasing complexity of review methods; difficulty keeping authors on board and on track; and the length of time required to complete the process. Strong themes emerged about the roles of authors and Review Groups, the central actors in the review production process. The results suggest that improvements to Cochrane's systematic review production models could come from improving clarity of roles and expectations, ensuring continuity and consistency of input, enabling active management of the review process, centralising some review production steps; breaking reviews into smaller "chunks", and improving approaches to building capacity of and sharing information between authors and Review Groups. Respondents noted the important role new technologies have to play in enabling these improvements. The findings of this study will inform the development of new Cochrane Review production models and may provide valuable data for other systematic review producers as they consider how best to produce rigorous, reliable, up-to-date reviews.

  6. What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about probiotics as preventive interventions?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braga, Vinícius Lopes; Rocha, Luana Pompeu Dos Santos; Bernardo, Daniel Damasceno; Cruz, Carolina de Oliveira; Riera, Rachel

    2017-01-01

    Probiotics have been used for a range of clinical situations and their use is strongly encouraged by the media worldwide. This study identified and summarized all Cochrane systematic reviews about the preventive effects of probiotics in clinical practice. Review of systematic reviews, conducted in the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp). We included all Cochrane reviews on any probiotics when they were used as preventive interventions and compared with no intervention, placebo or any other pharmacological or non-pharmacological intervention. 17 Cochrane systematic reviews fulfilled our inclusion criteria and were summarized in this report. None of the reviews included in the present study provided high-quality evidence for any outcome. The benefits from use of probiotics included decreased incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea; decreased incidence of upper respiratory tract infections and duration of episodes; decreased need for antibiotics and absences from school due to colds; and decreased incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Probiotics seem to decrease the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus, birthweight, risk of vaginal infection and incidence of eczema. Despite the marketing and the benefits associated with probiotics, there is little scientific evidence supporting the use of probiotics. None of the reviews provided any high-quality evidence for prevention of illnesses through use of probiotics. More trials are needed to gain better knowledge of probiotics and to confirm when their use is beneficial and cost-effective.

  7. Outcomes of physical therapy, speech pathology, and occupational therapy for people with motor neuron disease: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, Meg E; Perry, Alison; Bilney, Belinda; Curran, Andrea; Dodd, Karen; Wittwer, Joanne E; Dalton, Gregory W

    2006-09-01

    This article describes a systematic review and critical evaluation of the international literature on the effects of physical therapy, speech pathology, and occupational therapy for people with motor neuron disease (PwMND). The results were interpreted using the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. This enabled us to summarize therapy outcomes at the level of body structure and function, activity limitations, participation restrictions, and quality of life. Databases searched included MEDLINE, PUBMED, CINAHL, PSYCInfo, Data base of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE), The Physiotherapy Evidence data base (PEDro), Evidence Based Medicine Reviews (EMBASE), the Cochrane database of systematic reviews, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. Evidence was graded according to the Harbour and Miller classification. Most of the evidence was found to be at the level of "clinical opinion" rather than of controlled clinical trials. Several nonrandomized small group and "observational studies" provided low-level evidence to support physical therapy for improving muscle strength and pulmonary function. There was also some evidence to support the effectiveness of speech pathology interventions for dysarthria. The search identified a small number of studies on occupational therapy for PwMND, which were small, noncontrolled pre-post-designs or clinical reports.

  8. Psychological interventions for the treatment of depression, anxiety, alcohol misuse or anger in armed forces veterans and their families: systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Shea, Luke; Watkins, Ed; Farrand, Paul

    2017-06-15

    Evidence highlights a high prevalence of common mental health disorders in armed forces veterans and their families, with depression, anxiety, alcohol misuse and anger being more common than PTSD. This paper presents a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify existing randomised controlled trial (RCT) research testing the effectiveness of psychological interventions for these difficulties in armed forces veterans and their family members. Electronic databases (CENTRAL, PsycInfo, MEDLINE, CINAHL, The Cochrane Register of Clinical Trials, EMBASE and ASSIA) will be searched to identify suitable studies for inclusion in the review supplemented by forward and backward reference checking, grey literature searches and contact with subject authors. Research including armed forces veterans and their family members will be included in the review with research including serving personnel or individuals under the age of 18 being excluded. Few RCTs examining the treatment of depression, anxiety, alcohol misuse or anger exist in armed forces veterans to date. The primary outcome will be symptomatic change following intervention for these difficulties. The secondary outcomes will include methodological aspects of interest such as discharge type and recruitment setting if data permits. In the event that the number of studies identified is too low to undertake a meta-analysis, a narrative review will be conducted. Quality assessment will be undertaken using the Cochrane Collaboration Tool and Cochran's Q statistic calculated to test for heterogeneity as suggested by the Cochrane handbook. The review will examine the findings of existing intervention research for depression, anxiety, alcohol misuse or anger in armed forces veterans and their families, along with any effect sizes that may exist. PROSPERO CRD42016036676.

  9. Limitations in conduct and reporting of cochrane reviews rarely inhibit the determination of the validity of evidence for clinical decision-making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alper, Brian S; Fedorowicz, Zbys; van Zuuren, Esther J

    2015-08-01

    To determine how often clinical conclusions derived from Cochrane Reviews have uncertain validity due to review conduct and reporting deficiencies. We evaluated 5142 clinical conclusions in DynaMed (an evidence-based point-of-care clinical reference) based on 4743 Cochrane Reviews. Clinical conclusions with level 2 evidence due to shortcomings in the review's conduct or reporting (rather than deficiencies in the underlying evidence) were confirmed by a DynaMed editor and two Cochrane Review authors. Thirty-one Cochrane Reviews (0.65%) had confirmed deficiencies in conduct and reporting as the reason for classifying 37 assessed clinical conclusions (0.72%) as level 2 evidence. In all cases, it was not feasible for the assessors to specify a clear criticism of the studies included in the reviews. The deficiencies were specific to not accounting for dropouts (2) or inadequate assessment and reporting of allocation concealment (11), other specific trial quality criteria (14), or all trial quality criteria (4). Cochrane Reviews provide high-quality assessment and synthesis of evidence, with fewer than 1% of Cochrane Reviews having limitations which hinder the summary of best current evidence for clinical decision-making. We expect this will further decrease following recent Cochrane quality initiatives. © 2015 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  10. What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about probiotics as preventive interventions?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinícius Lopes Braga

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Probiotics have been used for a range of clinical situations and their use is strongly encouraged by the media worldwide. This study identified and summarized all Cochrane systematic reviews about the preventive effects of probiotics in clinical practice. DESIGN AND SETTING: Review of systematic reviews, conducted in the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp. METHODS: We included all Cochrane reviews on any probiotics when they were used as preventive interventions and compared with no intervention, placebo or any other pharmacological or non-pharmacological intervention. RESULTS: 17 Cochrane systematic reviews fulfilled our inclusion criteria and were summarized in this report. None of the reviews included in the present study provided high-quality evidence for any outcome. The benefits from use of probiotics included decreased incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea; decreased incidence of upper respiratory tract infections and duration of episodes; decreased need for antibiotics and absences from school due to colds; and decreased incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Probiotics seem to decrease the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus, birthweight, risk of vaginal infection and incidence of eczema. CONCLUSION: Despite the marketing and the benefits associated with probiotics, there is little scientific evidence supporting the use of probiotics. None of the reviews provided any high-quality evidence for prevention of illnesses through use of probiotics. More trials are needed to gain better knowledge of probiotics and to confirm when their use is beneficial and cost-effective.

  11. Potential and Limitations of Cochrane Reviews in Pediatric Cardiology: A Systematic Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poryo, Martin; Khosrawikatoli, Sara; Abdul-Khaliq, Hashim; Meyer, Sascha

    2017-04-01

    Evidence-based medicine has contributed substantially to the quality of medical care in pediatric and adult cardiology. However, our impression from the bedside is that a substantial number of Cochrane reviews generate inconclusive data that are of limited clinical benefit. We performed a systematic synopsis of Cochrane reviews published between 2001 and 2015 in the field of pediatric cardiology. Main outcome parameters were the number and percentage of conclusive, partly conclusive, and inconclusive reviews as well as their recommendations and their development over three a priori defined intervals. In total, 69 reviews were analyzed. Most of them examined preterm and term neonates (36.2%), whereas 33.3% included also non-pediatric patients. Leading topics were pharmacological issues (71.0%) followed by interventional (10.1%) and operative procedures (2.9%). The majority of reviews were inconclusive (42.9%), while 36.2% were conclusive and 21.7% partly conclusive. Although the number of published reviews increased during the three a priori defined time intervals, reviews with "no specific recommendations" remained stable while "recommendations in favor of an intervention" clearly increased. Main reasons for missing recommendations were insufficient data (n = 41) as well as an insufficient number of trials (n = 22) or poor study quality (n = 19). There is still need for high-quality research, which will likely yield a greater number of Cochrane reviews with conclusive results.

  12. Couple functioning after pediatric cancer diagnosis: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Schoors, Marieke; Caes, Line; Alderfer, Melissa A; Goubert, Liesbet; Verhofstadt, Lesley

    2017-05-01

    A systematic review was conducted to (1) investigate couple functioning after a pediatric cancer diagnosis and (2) examine theoretical and methodological tendencies and issues in this literature. Searches of Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane, PsycINFO, and Embase resulted in inclusion of 32 qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method papers. Findings of these papers were extracted for summary. Most couples adapt well to the crisis of a pediatric cancer diagnosis in domains such as emotional closeness, support, marital satisfaction, and general marital adjustment. However, most experience difficulties in the domain of sexual intimacy, and reports on conflict are mixed across qualitative and quantitative studies. This review illustrates the need for future research with a greater focus on the impact of a pediatric cancer diagnosis on the couple's functioning, conducted with the use of appropriate theoretical frameworks and based on both partners' reports. Improvements in research are needed to best inform couple-based interventions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Associations Between Pedometer-Determined Physical Activity and Adiposity in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miguel-Berges, María L; Reilly, John J; Moreno Aznar, Luis A; Jiménez-Pavón, David

    2018-01-01

    The present review sought to examine the evidence on the associations between pedometer-determined physical activity and adiposity. Of 304 potentially eligible articles, 36 were included. A search for observational studies was carried out using Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), the OVID (MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO), EBSCOhost (Sportdiscus), and PEDro database from their commenced to July 2015. Of 304 potentially eligible articles, 36 were included. Most studies (30/36; 83%) were cross sectional and all used proxies for adiposity, such as body mass index (BMI) or BMI z-score as the outcome measure. Few studies (2/36; 6%) focused on preschool children. There was consistent evidence of negative associations between walking and adiposity; significant negative associations were observed in 72% (26/36) of studies overall. The present review supports the hypothesis that higher levels of walking are protective against child and adolescent obesity. However, prospective longitudinal studies are warranted; there is a need for more research on younger children and for more "dose-response" evidence.

  14. Cortisol as a predictor of psychological therapy response in depressive disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Susanne; Strawbridge, Rebecca; Vives, Andres Herane; Cleare, Anthony J

    2017-02-01

    Many patients with depressive disorders demonstrate resistance to psychological therapy. A frequent finding is hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis alterations. As cortisol is known to modulate cognitive processes, those patients may be less likely to profit from psychological therapy. To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on cortisol as a predictor of psychological therapy response. The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases were searched. Records were included if they looked at patients with any depressive disorder engaging in psychological therapy, with a pre-treatment cortisol and a post-treatment symptom measure. Eight articles satisfied our selection criteria. The higher the cortisol levels before starting psychological therapy, the more symptoms patients with depression experienced at the end of treatment and/or the smaller their symptom change. Our findings suggest that patients with depression with elevated HPA functioning are less responsive to psychological therapy. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017.

  15. Altered Neural Activity Associated with Mindfulness during Nociception: A Systematic Review of Functional MRI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Bilevicius

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To assess the neural activity associated with mindfulness-based alterations of pain perception. Methods: The Cochrane Central, EMBASE, Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched on 2 February 2016. Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were independently screened by two reviewers. Data were independently extracted from records that included topics of functional neuroimaging, pain, and mindfulness interventions. Results: The literature search produced 946 total records, of which five met the inclusion criteria. Records reported pain in terms of anticipation (n = 2, unpleasantness (n = 5, and intensity (n = 5, and how mindfulness conditions altered the neural activity during noxious stimulation accordingly. Conclusions: Although the studies were inconsistent in relating pain components to neural activity, in general, mindfulness was able to reduce pain anticipation and unpleasantness ratings, as well as alter the corresponding neural activity. The major neural underpinnings of mindfulness-based pain reduction consisted of altered activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

  16. Altered Neural Activity Associated with Mindfulness during Nociception: A Systematic Review of Functional MRI.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilevicius, Elena; Kolesar, Tiffany A; Kornelsen, Jennifer

    2016-04-19

    To assess the neural activity associated with mindfulness-based alterations of pain perception. The Cochrane Central, EMBASE, Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched on 2 February 2016. Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were independently screened by two reviewers. Data were independently extracted from records that included topics of functional neuroimaging, pain, and mindfulness interventions. The literature search produced 946 total records, of which five met the inclusion criteria. Records reported pain in terms of anticipation (n = 2), unpleasantness (n = 5), and intensity (n = 5), and how mindfulness conditions altered the neural activity during noxious stimulation accordingly. Although the studies were inconsistent in relating pain components to neural activity, in general, mindfulness was able to reduce pain anticipation and unpleasantness ratings, as well as alter the corresponding neural activity. The major neural underpinnings of mindfulness-based pain reduction consisted of altered activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

  17. Macronutrients and the FTO gene expression in hypothalamus; a systematic review of experimental studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doaei, Saeid; Kalantari, Naser; Mohammadi, Nastaran Keshavarz; Tabesh, Ghasem Azizi; Gholamalizadeh, Maryam

    The various studies have examined the relationship between FTO gene expression and macronutrients levels. In order to obtain better viewpoint from this interactions, all of existing studies were reviewed systematically. All published papers have been obtained and reviewed using standard and sensitive keywords from databases such as CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane, from 1990 to 2016. The results indicated that all of 6 studies that met the inclusion criteria (from a total of 428 published article) found FTO gene expression changes at short-term follow-ups. Four of six studies found an increased FTO gene expression after calorie restriction, while two of them indicated decreased FTO gene expression. The effect of protein, carbohydrate and fat were separately assessed and suggested by all of six studies. In Conclusion, The level of FTO gene expression in hypothalamus is related to macronutrients levels. Future research should evaluate the long-term impact of dietary interventions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Macronutrients and the FTO gene expression in hypothalamus; a systematic review of experimental studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeid Doaei

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The various studies have examined the relationship between FTO gene expression and macronutrients levels. In order to obtain better viewpoint from this interactions, all of existing studies were reviewed systematically. All published papers have been obtained and reviewed using standard and sensitive keywords from databases such as CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane, from 1990 to 2016. The results indicated that all of 6 studies that met the inclusion criteria (from a total of 428 published article found FTO gene expression changes at short-term follow-ups. Four of six studies found an increased FTO gene expression after calorie restriction, while two of them indicated decreased FTO gene expression. The effect of protein, carbohydrate and fat were separately assessed and suggested by all of six studies. In Conclusion, The level of FTO gene expression in hypothalamus is related to macronutrients levels. Future research should evaluate the long-term impact of dietary interventions.

  19. Uit de Cochrane Library: effectieve maatregelen beschikbaar voor valpreventie bij ouderen

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hamerlynck, J. V. T. H.; Middeldorp, S.; Scholten, R. J. P. M.

    2006-01-01

    Approximately 30% of people over 65 years of age and living in the community fall each year; the percentage is higher in institutions. A fifth of the incidents require medical attention. A Cochrane systematic review of 62 studies, encompassing 21,668 elderly people, showed that several interventions

  20. Conclusiveness of the Cochrane reviews in gynaecological cancer: A systematic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Shande; Chuai, Yunhai; Wang, Aiming; Zhang, Lanmei

    2015-06-01

    To assess the conclusiveness of Cochrane reviews in the field of gynaecological cancer. The Cochrane Library was searched for reviews regarding gynaecological cancer published between 1 January 2000 and 1 November 2014. Data were extracted from each paper and the conclusiveness of each review was assessed. The study included 66 reviews, 41 (62.1%) of which were conclusive. Of these, 58 included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 37 (63.8%) of which were conclusive. Conclusive reviews of RCTs included significantly more patients than inconclusive reviews, but there was no difference in the number of included studies. Of the eight reviews of nonrandomized studies, four (50.0%) were conclusive. The majority of reviews recognized the need for additional studies. In the field of gynaecological cancer, reviews are more likely to be conclusive when they include RCTs, as well as large numbers of patients. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  1. Strategies to optimize MEDLINE and EMBASE search strategies for anesthesiology systematic reviews. An experimental study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Volpato, Enilze de Souza Nogueira; Betini, Marluci; Puga, Maria Eduarda; Agarwal, Arnav; Cataneo, Antônio José Maria; Oliveira, Luciane Dias de; Bazan, Rodrigo; Braz, Leandro Gobbo; Pereira, José Eduardo Guimarães; El Dib, Regina

    2018-01-15

    A high-quality electronic search is essential for ensuring accuracy and comprehensiveness among the records retrieved when conducting systematic reviews. Therefore, we aimed to identify the most efficient method for searching in both MEDLINE (through PubMed) and EMBASE, covering search terms with variant spellings, direct and indirect orders, and associations with MeSH and EMTREE terms (or lack thereof). Experimental study. UNESP, Brazil. We selected and analyzed 37 search strategies that had specifically been developed for the field of anesthesiology. These search strategies were adapted in order to cover all potentially relevant search terms, with regard to variant spellings and direct and indirect orders, in the most efficient manner. When the strategies included variant spellings and direct and indirect orders, these adapted versions of the search strategies selected retrieved the same number of search results in MEDLINE (mean of 61.3%) and a higher number in EMBASE (mean of 63.9%) in the sample analyzed. The numbers of results retrieved through the searches analyzed here were not identical with and without associated use of MeSH and EMTREE terms. However, association of these terms from both controlled vocabularies retrieved a larger number of records than did the use of either one of them. In view of these results, we recommend that the search terms used should include both preferred and non-preferred terms (i.e. variant spellings and direct/indirect order of the same term) and associated MeSH and EMTREE terms, in order to develop highly-sensitive search strategies for systematic reviews.

  2. Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group's Stakeholder Engagement Project identified systematic review priority areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Anna Mae; Clark, Justin; Dooley, Liz; Jones, Ann; Jones, Mark; Del Mar, Chris

    2018-05-22

    Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) Group conducts systematic reviews of the evidence for treatment and prevention of ARIs. We report the results of a prioritisation project, aiming to identify highest priority systematic review topics. The project consisted of 2 Phases. Phase 1 analysed the gap between existing RCTs and Cochrane Systematic Reviews (reported previously). Phase 2 (reported here) consisted of a two-round survey. In round 1, respondents prioritised 68 topics and suggested up to 10 additional topics; in Round 2, respondents prioritised top 25 topics from Round 1. Respondents included clinicians, researchers, systematic reviewers, allied health, patients, and carers, from 33 different countries. In Round 1, 154 respondents identified 20 priority topics, most commonly selecting topics in non-specific ARIs, influenza, and common cold. 50 respondents also collectively suggested 134 additional topics. In Round 2, 78 respondents prioritised top 25 topics, most commonly in the areas of non-specific ARIs, pneumonia and influenza. We generated a list of priority systematic review topics, to guide the Cochrane ARI Group's systematic review work for the next 24 months. Stakeholder involvement enhanced the transparency of the process, and will increase the usability and relevance of the Group's work to stakeholders. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Injection therapy for subacute and chronic low back pain: an updated Cochrane review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staal, J Bart; de Bie, Rob A; de Vet, Henrica C W; Hildebrandt, Jan; Nelemans, Patty

    2009-01-01

    A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). To determine if injection therapy is more effective than placebo or other treatments for patients with subacute or chronic low back pain. The effectiveness of injection therapy for low back pain is still debatable. Heterogeneity of target tissue, pharmacological agent, and dosage, generally found in RCTs, point to the need for clinically valid comparisons in a literature synthesis. We updated the search of the earlier systematic review and searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases up to March 2007 for relevant trials reported in English, French, German, Dutch, and Nordic languages. We also screened references from trials identified. RCTs on the effects of injection therapy involving epidural, facet, or local sites for subacute or chronic low back pain were included. Studies that compared the effects of intradiscal injections, prolotherapy, or ozone therapy with other treatments were excluded unless injection therapy with another pharmaceutical agent (no placebo treatment) was part of one of the treatment arms. Studies about injections in sacroiliac joints and studies evaluating the effects of epidural steroids for radicular pain were also excluded. Eighteen trials (1179 participants) were included in this review. The injection sites varied from epidural sites and facet joints (i.e. intra-articular injections, peri-articular injections and nerve blocks) to local sites (i.e. tender-and trigger points). The drugs that were studied consisted of corticosteroids, local anesthetics, and a variety of other drugs. The methodologic quality of the trials was limited with 10 of 18 trials rated as having a high methodologic quality. Statistical pooling was not possible because of clinical heterogeneity in the trials. Overall, the results indicated that there is no strong evidence for or against the use of any type of injection therapy. There is insufficient evidence to

  4. Systematic review of stigma reducing interventions for African/Black diasporic women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loutfy, Mona; Tharao, Wangari; Logie, Carmen; Aden, Muna A; Chambers, Lori A; Wu, Wei; Abdelmaseh, Marym; Calzavara, Liviana

    2015-01-01

    Literature indicates that racism, sexism, homophobia and HIV-related stigma have adverse impacts on health, well-being, and quality of life among HIV-positive women of African descent (African/Black diaspora). However, limited evidence exists on the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing stigma tailored for these women. This study systematically reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomized observational and quasi-experimental studies evaluating the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing stigma experienced by this population. The Cochrane methodology was used to develop a search strategy in consultation with a librarian scientist. Databases searched included the Cochrane Library, Ovid EMBASE, PsycInfo, and 10 others. Two reviewers independently assessed the studies for potential relevance and conducted the Cochrane grading of RCTs to assess risk of bias and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale to assess the quality of non-randomized studies. Eligible papers were selected if they employed an intervention design with African/Black diasporic women living with HIV as the target population and had a primary outcome of stigma reduction. Of the five studies that met all of the eligibility criteria, four demonstrated the effectiveness of interventions in reducing HIV-related stigma. Only two of the five studies were designed specifically for HIV-positive African/Black diasporic women. Limitations included the absence of interventions addressing other forms of stigma and discrimination (e.g. gender discrimination, racism, heterosexism). Our findings suggest that there are limited interventions designed to address multiple forms of stigma, including gender and racial discrimination, experienced by HIV-positive African/Black diasporic women.

  5. The evidence for nursing interventions in the Cochrane database of systematic reviews.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mistiaen, P.; Poot, E.; Hickox, S.; Wagner, C.

    2004-01-01

    In this paper the authors describe how they conducted a search of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in order to explore the evidence for nursing interventions. They identify the number of studies, the number of participants, and the conclusions of systematic reviews concerning nursing

  6. Medication review in hospitalised patients to reduce morbidity and mortality

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Mikkel; Lundh, Andreas

    2016-01-01

    : We searched the Specialised Register of the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) Group; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); MEDLINE; EMBASE; and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) to November 2014, as well...

  7. Setting priorities for knowledge translation of Cochrane reviews for health equity: Evidence for Equity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tugwell, Peter; Petkovic, Jennifer; Welch, Vivian; Vincent, Jennifer; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A; Churchill, Rachel; deSavigny, Don; Mbuagbaw, Lawrence; Pantoja, Tomas

    2017-12-02

    A focus on equity in health can be seen in many global development goals and reports, research and international declarations. With the development of a relevant framework and methods, the Campbell and Cochrane Equity Methods Group has encouraged the application of an 'equity lens' to systematic reviews, and many organizations publish reviews intended to address health equity. The purpose of the Evidence for Equity (E4E) project was to conduct a priority-setting exercise and apply an equity lens by developing a knowledge translation product comprising summaries of systematic reviews from the Cochrane Library. E4E translates evidence from systematic reviews into 'friendly front end' summaries for policy makers. The following topic areas with high burdens of disease globally, were selected for the pilot: diabetes/obesity, HIV/AIDS, malaria, nutrition, and mental health/depression. For each topic area, a "stakeholder panel" was assembled that included policymakers and researchers. A systematic search of Cochrane reviews was conducted for each area to identify equity-relevant interventions with a meaningful impact. Panel chairs developed a rating sheet which was used by all panels to rank the importance of these interventions by: 1) Ease of Implementation; 2) Health System Requirements; 3)Universality/Generalizability/Share of Burden; and 4) Impact on Inequities/Effect on equity. The ratings of panel members were averaged for each intervention and criterion, and interventions were ordered according to the average overall ratings. Stakeholder panels identified the top 10 interventions from their respective topic areas. The evidence on these interventions is being summarized with an equity focus and the results posted online, at http://methods.cochrane.org/equity/e4e-series . This method provides an explicit approach to setting priorities by systematic review groups and funders for providing decision makers with evidence for the most important equity

  8. Transparency in ovarian cancer clinical trial results: ClinicalTrials.gov versus PubMed, Embase and Google scholar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberto, Anna; Radrezza, Silvia; Mosconi, Paola

    2018-04-10

    In recent years the question of the lack of transparency in clinical research has been debated by clinicians, researchers, citizens and their representatives, authors and publishers. This is particularly important for infrequent cancers such as ovarian cancer, where treatment still gives disappointing results in the majority of cases. Our aim was to assess the availability to the public of results in ClinicalTrials.gov, and the frequency of non-publication of results in ClinicalTrials.gov and in PubMed, Embase and Google Scholar. We collected all trials on ovarian cancer identified as "completed status" in the ClinicalTrials.gov registry on 17 January 2017. We checked the availability of the results in ClinicalTrials.gov and systematically identified published manuscripts on results. Out of 2725 trials on ovarian cancer identified, 752 were classified as "completed status". In those closed between 2008 and 2015, excluding phase I, the frequency of results in ClinicalTrials.gov was 35%. Of the 752 completed studies the frequency of published results in PubMed, Embase or Google Scholar ranged from 57.9% to 69.7% in the last years. These findings show a lack of transparency and credibility of research. Citizens or patients' representatives, with the medical community, should continuously support initiatives to improve the publication and dissemination of clinical study results.

  9. A systematic assessment of Cochrane reviews and systematic reviews published in high-impact medical journals related to cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldkuhle, Marius; Narayan, Vikram M; Weigl, Aaron; Dahm, Philipp; Skoetz, Nicole

    2018-03-25

    To compare cancer-related systematic reviews (SRs) published in the Cochrane Database of SRs (CDSR) and high-impact journals, with respect to type, content, quality and citation rates. Methodological SR with assessment and comparison of SRs and meta-analyses. Two authors independently assessed methodological quality using an Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR)-based extraction form. Both authors independently screened search results, extracted content-relevant characteristics and retrieved citation numbers of the included reviews using the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science database. Cancer-related SRs were retrieved from the CDSR, as well as from the 10 journals which publish oncological SRs and had the highest impact factors, using a comprehensive search in both the CDSR and MEDLINE. We included all cancer-related SRs and meta-analyses published from January 2011 to May 2016. Methodological SRs were excluded. We included 346 applicable Cochrane reviews and 215 SRs from high-impact journals. Cochrane reviews consistently met more individual AMSTAR criteria, notably with regard to an a priori design (risk ratio (RR) 3.89; 95% CI 3.10 to 4.88), inclusion of the grey literature and trial registries (RR 3.52; 95% CI 2.84 to 4.37) in their searches, and the reporting of excluded studies (RR 8.80; 95% CI 6.06 to 12.78). Cochrane reviews were less likely to address questions of prognosis (RR 0.04; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.09), use individual patient data (RR 0.03; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.09) or be based on non-randomised controlled trials (RR 0.04; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.09). Citation rates of Cochrane reviews were notably lower than those for high-impact journals (Cochrane reviews: mean number of citations 6.52 (range 0-143); high-impact journal SRs: 74.45 (0-652)). When comparing cancer-related SRs published in the CDSR versus those published in high-impact medical journals, Cochrane reviews were consistently of higher methodological quality, but cited less

  10. The handsearching of 2 medical journals of Bahrain for reports of randomized controlled trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Hajeri, Amani A; Fedorowicz, Zbigniew; Amin, Fawzi A; Eisinga, Anne

    2006-04-01

    To identify reports of randomized trials by handsearching 2 Bahrain medical journals, which are indexed in the biomedical database EMBASE and to determine any added value of the handsearching by comparing the reports found by handsearching with what would have been found by searching EMBASE to examine (i) the precision and sensitivity of the EMBASE index term Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) and (ii) The Cochrane Collaboration's systematic electronic search of EMBASE (which uses 4 index terms and 9 free-text terms). All issues of the Bahrain Medical Bulletin (BMB) (1979-2004) and the Journal of the Bahrain Medical Society (JBMS) (1989-2004) were handsearched in February 2005 for reports of RCTs or Controlled Clinical Trials (CCTs), according to Cochrane eligibility criteria. Out of 395 articles in BMB we found reports of 12 RCTs and 4 CCTs. Distribution by country of corresponding author: Jordan (4 RCTs, one CCT), Bahrain (one RCT, one CCT), India (3 RCTs, one CCT), Kuwait (one CCT), Saudi Arabia (2 RCTs), USA/Bahrain (one RCT), and Oman (one RCT); and by specialty: Anesthesia (8), Surgery (1) Pediatrics (1), Radiotherapy (1), Community Medicine (1), Sports Medicine (1), Obstetrics/Gynecology (3). The Journal of the Bahrain Medical Society included reports of 14 RCTs and 3 CCTs, out of 97 articles. Distribution by country of corresponding author: Jordan (9 RCTs, 2 CCTs), Bahrain (3 RCTs), Egypt (one RCT), Kuwait (one RCT), and Saudi Arabia (one RCT); and by specialty: Anesthesia (7), General Surgery (3), Obstetrics/Gynecology (1), Radiotherapy (1), Pediatrics (1), Orthopaedic Surgery (1), Education (1) Ear Nose and Throat (1) Ophthalmology (1). Overall, of the 33 reports of trials found by handsearching both journals, only 23 were included in EMBASE of which only 6 had been indexed with the term RCT. Of the 23 reports of trials included in EMBASE, 16 had been identified in the Collaboration s systematic search of EMBASE. Two reports of trials could have been

  11. Insufficient evidence to support or refute the need for 6-monthly dental check-ups. What is the optimal recall frequency between dental checks?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mettes, T.G.P.H.

    2005-01-01

    DATA SOURCES: Trials were sourced using the Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline and Embase. Reference lists from relevant articles were scanned and the authors of some papers were contacted to identify further trials and obtain

  12. The Facultad Ciencias de la Salud and the Cochrane Collaboration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mario Delgado-Noguera

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Cauca is an Associate Cochrane Group since January 2009 and ratified its membership in the network in November 2013. As an associated group it has promoted the Organized training workshops in systematic reviews, occasionally in conjunction with scientific societies such as the Cauca Pediatric Society. It has also participated with the authorship of two systematic reviews in the areas of Anesthesia, Child Nutrition and Pediatric Infectology.

  13. Interventions for replacing missing teeth: Antibiotics in dental implant placement to prevent complications: Evidence summary of Cochrane review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayaraman, Srinivasan

    2015-01-01

    The failure of dental implant can occurs at the preoperative planning stage, at the surgical stage, and at the postoperative stage. The success of this treatment can be increased if the clinical implant practice guidelines are prepared based on the recommendations from the highest level of research evidence (i.e.,) from systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with meta-analysis. The Cochrane reviews of interventions are basically systematic reviews of RCTs with meta-analysis but follow a systematic methodological approach following the guidelines from Cochrane handbook for Systematic Reviews of Intervention. They give the current best evidence as they are updated every 2 years which is being the minimum period for an update. This evidence summary recommends the use of antibiotics, single dose of 2 g of amoxicillin 1 h prior to implant surgery to prevent implant failure, based on the body of evidence from the Cochrane review that was first published in 2003, 2008, and then updated twice in 2010 and 2013. The included studies are not from our population for the research question asked in this updated Cochrane review; hence, the need to do primary research in our population to support the available evidence is mandatory.

  14. Comparing the coverage, recall, and precision of searches for 120 systematic reviews in Embase, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar: A prospective study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    W.M. Bramer (Wichor); D. Giustini (Dean); B.M.R. Kramer (Bianca)

    2016-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Previously, we reported on the low recall of Google Scholar (GS) for systematic review (SR) searching. Here, we test our conclusions further in a prospective study by comparing the coverage, recall, and precision of SR search strategies previously performed in Embase,

  15. 77 FR 65545 - Mr. Jesse S. Capel and Mr. Hilton J. Cochran; EWP LLC; Notice of Transfer of Exemption

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-10-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 4815-009] Mr. Jesse S. Capel and Mr. Hilton J. Cochran; EWP LLC; Notice of Transfer of Exemption 1. By application filed on July 30, 2012 and supplemented on August 14, 2012, Mr. Jesse S. Capel and Mr. Hilton J. Cochran and EWP...

  16. Reporting and Handling Missing Outcome Data in Mental Health: A Systematic Review of Cochrane Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spineli, Loukia M.; Pandis, Nikolaos; Salanti, Georgia

    2015-01-01

    Objectives: The purpose of the study was to provide empirical evidence about the reporting of methodology to address missing outcome data and the acknowledgement of their impact in Cochrane systematic reviews in the mental health field. Methods: Systematic reviews published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews after January 1, 2009 by…

  17. Systematic reviews of physical and rehabilitation medicine Cochrane contents. Part 1. Disabilities due to spinal disorders and pain syndromes in adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negrini, S; Imperio, G; Villafañe, J H; Negrini, F; Zaina, F

    2013-08-01

    This article is the first in a series presenting the strongest published evidence for physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) to date coming from the Cochrane Collaboration. The intent of the series is to stimulate ideas for reviews and research in neglected areas of PRM. To systematically review the rehabilitation contents of the Cochrane Collaboration on disabilities due to spinal disorders or pain syndromes in adults. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was searched at the end of June 2013 for articles relevant for PRM about disabilities resulting from spinal disorders or pain syndromes in adults. Retrieved papers were classified according to the PRM approach: active therapies, which require active participation by patients to achieve treatment goals, and passive treatments, which rely on the application of external forces. The quality of the reviews was checked against the AMSTAR checklist. Reviews on spinal disorders or pain syndromes were found in the Cochrane Back Group (CBG) and in the Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group (CPPSCG). Thirty-eight (42.8%) of 89 Cochrane reviews in the CBG and 7 (2.4%) of 293 Cochrane reviews in the CPPSCG were included. All were of high quality (range, 8-11 points out of 11 on the AMSTAR checklist). The contents of the reviews are given in detail. This review presents an overview of the current evidence for PRM in the treatment of disabilities due to spinal disorders or pain syndromes in adults. Within PRM there is ample space for research in the Cochrane Collaboration and for producing original studies (randomized controlled trials [RCTs]). To apply evidence-based clinical practice, clinicians must be familiar with the current best evidence.

  18. Efficacy of interventions to combat tobacco addiction: Cochrane update of 2012 reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartmann-Boyce, Jamie; Stead, Lindsay F; Cahill, Kate; Lancaster, Tim

    2013-10-01

    The Cochrane Collaboration is an international not-for-profit organization which produces and disseminates systematic reviews of health-care interventions. This paper is the first in a series of annual updates of Cochrane reviews on tobacco addiction interventions. It also provides an up-to-date overview of review findings in this area to date and summary statistics for cessation reviews in which meta-analyses were conducted. In 2012, the Group published seven new reviews and updated 13 others. This update summarizes and comments on these reviews. It also summarizes key findings from all the other reviews in this area. New reviews in 2012 found that in smokers using pharmacotherapy, behavioural support improves success rates [risk ratio (RR) 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09-1.24], and that combining behavioural support and pharmacotherapy aids cessation (RR 1.82, 95% CI = 1.66-2.00). Updated reviews established mobile phones as potentially helpful in aiding cessation (RR 1.71, 95% CI = 1.47-1.99), found that cytisine (RR 3.98, 95% CI = 2.01-7.87) and low-dose varenicline (RR 2.09, 95% CI = 1.56-2.78) aid smoking cessation, and found that training health professionals in smoking cessation improves patient cessation rates (RR 1.60, 95% CI = 1.26-2.03). The updated reviews confirmed the benefits of nicotine replacement therapy, standard dose varenicline and providing cessation treatment free of charge. Lack of demonstrated efficacy remained for partner support, expired-air carbon monoxide feedback and lung function feedback. Cochrane systematic review evidence for the first time establishes the efficacy of behavioural support over and above pharmacotherapy, as well as the efficacy of cytisine, mobile phone technology, low-dose varenicline and health professional training in promoting smoking cessation. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  19. Interlocuções com Marilyn Cochran-Smith sobre aprendizagem e pesquisa do professor em comunidades investigativas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DARIO FIORENTINI

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Este artículo presenta y discute la vida y obra de Marilyn Cochran-Smith, así como sus principales constructos teóricos, desarrollados en colaboración con Susan Lytle, tales como: comunidades investigativas, investigación del profesor, postura investigativa y formación de profesores para la justicia social. También menciona estudios y autores brasileños que establecen diálogos con las ideas de esas autoras. Destacan algunas influencias y contribuciones de Cochran-Smith y Lytle relativas a estos estudios, sobre todo aquellas relacionadas con la investigación del profesor sobre su práctica, y a la investigación sobre el aprendizaje y el desarrollo del profesor en comunidades investigativas. Por último, para ampliar el debate sobre tales ideas y obtener su visión actual del movimiento de investigación del profesor y la política educativa del gobierno Obama, se presenta una entrevista completa realizada el 2012 por los autores a Cochran-Smith, en el Boston College.

  20. Hypnosis in patients with perceived stress - a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisch, S; Brinkhaus, B; Teut, M

    2017-06-19

    Although hypnosis and hypnotherapy have become more popular in recent years, the evidence for hypnosis to influence perceived stress is unclear. In this systematic review we searched and evaluated randomized clinical studies investigating the effect of hypnosis on perceived stress reduction and coping. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Database of Abstracts of Review of Effects, EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX and PubMed were systematically screened from their inception until December 2015 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting about hypnosis or hypnotherapy for stress reduction in healthy participants. Risk of Bias was assessed according the Cochrane Collaboration recommendations. Nine RCTs with a total of 365 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Most included participants were medical students, predominantly female (n = 211). Mean age of participants ranged in most studies between 20 and 25 years, in three studies the mean ages were between 30 and 42 years. Perceived stress was measured by a wide range of psychological questionnaires including Face Valid Stress Test, Stress Thermometer, and immunological data was collected. All nine included studies used explorative designs and showed a high risk of bias. Six out of nine studies reported significant positive effects of hypnosis for stress reduction in the main outcome parameter compared to control groups (3 active controls, 3 no therapy controls). Immunological outcomes were assessed in six studies, the results were inconclusive. Due to exploratory designs and high risk of bias, the effectiveness of hypnosis or hypnotherapy in stress reduction remains still unclear. More high quality clinical research is urgently needed.

  1. Massage therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Myeong Soo; Kim, Jong-In; Ernst, Edzard

    2011-03-01

    We aimed to assess the effectiveness of massage as a treatment option for autism. We searched the following electronic databases using the time of their inception through March 2010: MEDLINE, AMED, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Health Technology Assessment, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, 6 Korean medical databases (KSI, DBpia, KISTEP, RISS, KoreaMed, and National Digital Library), China Academic Journal (through China National Knowledge Infrastructure), and 3 Japanese medical databases (Journal@rchive, Science Links Japan, and Japan Science & Technology link). The search phrase used was "(massage OR touch OR acupressure) AND (autistic OR autism OR Asperger's syndrome OR pervasive developmental disorder)." The references in all located articles were also searched. No language restrictions were imposed. Prospective controlled clinical studies of any type of massage therapy for autistic patients were included. Trials in which massage was part of a complex intervention were also included. Case studies, case series, qualitative studies, uncontrolled trials, studies that failed to provide detailed results, and trials that compared one type of massage with another were excluded. All articles were read by 2 independent reviewers (M.S.L. and J-I.K.), who extracted data from the articles according to predefined criteria. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane classification. Of 132 articles, only 6 studies met our inclusion criteria. One randomized clinical trial found that massage plus conventional language therapy was superior to conventional language therapy alone for symptom severity (P firm conclusions cannot be drawn. Future, more rigorous randomized clinical trials seem to be warranted. © Copyright 2011 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

  2. Systematic review with meta-analysis: online psychological interventions for mental and physical health outcomes in gastrointestinal disorders including irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanlon, I; Hewitt, C; Bell, K; Phillips, A; Mikocka-Walus, A

    2018-06-14

    Online psychotherapy has been successfully used as supportive treatment in many chronic illnesses. However, there is a lack of evidence on its role in the management of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. To examine whether online psychological interventions improve mental and physical outcomes in gastrointestinal diseases. We searched CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Health Management Information Consortium, PsycINFO, British Nursing Index, Cochrane Library, a specialised register of the IBD/FBD Cochrane Group, MEDLINE (PubMed) WHO International Clinical Trial Registry, ClinicalTrials.gov, and reference lists of all papers included in the review. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess internal validity. Where possible, data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. We identified 11 publications (encompassing nine studies) meeting inclusion criteria. One study had a high risk of selection bias (allocation concealment), all studies had a high risk of performance and detection bias. Eight studies were included in the meta-analyses (6 on irritable bowel syndrome [IBS] and two on inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]). Online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was shown to significantly improve gastrointestinal symptom-specific anxiety (MD: -8.51, 95% CI -12.99 to -4.04, P = 0.0002) and lessen symptom-induced disability (MD: -2.78, 95% CI -5.43 to -0.12, P = 0.04) in IBS post intervention. There was no significant effect of online CBT on any other outcomes in IBS. No significant effect of online psychotherapy was demonstrated in IBD. There is insufficient evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of online CBT to manage mental and physical outcomes in gastrointestinal diseases. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about non-surgical interventions for urinary incontinence in women?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Anderson Adriano Leal Freitas da; Vasconcellos, Igor Martins; Pacheco, Rafael Leite; Bella, Zsuzsanna Ilona Katalin de Jármy Di; Riera, Rachel

    2018-01-01

    Urinary incontinence is a highly prevalent condition that impacts self-esteem and overall quality of life. Many non-surgical treatment options are available, ranging from pharmacological approaches to pelvic exercises. We aimed to summarize the available evidence regarding these non-surgical interventions. Review of systematic reviews, conducted in the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP). A sensitive search was conducted to identify all Cochrane systematic reviews that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Titles and abstracts were screened by two authors. We included 20 Cochrane systematic reviews: 4 assessing methods of vesical training, 3 evaluating pharmacological interventions, 4 studying pelvic floor muscle training approaches and 9 aimed at other alternatives (such as urethral injections, weighted vaginal cone use, acupuncture, biostimulation and radiofrequency therapy). The reviews found that the evidence regarding the benefits of these diverse interventions ranged in quality from low to high. This review included 20 Cochrane systematic reviews that provided evidence (of diverse quality) for non-pharmacological interventions for patients with urinary incontinence. Moderate to high quality of evidence was found favoring the use of pelvic floor muscle training among women with urinary incontinence. To establish solid conclusions for all the other comparisons, further studies of good methodological quality are needed.

  4. High-performance information search filters for acute kidney injury content in PubMed, Ovid Medline and Embase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hildebrand, Ainslie M; Iansavichus, Arthur V; Haynes, R Brian; Wilczynski, Nancy L; Mehta, Ravindra L; Parikh, Chirag R; Garg, Amit X

    2014-04-01

    We frequently fail to identify articles relevant to the subject of acute kidney injury (AKI) when searching the large bibliographic databases such as PubMed, Ovid Medline or Embase. To address this issue, we used computer automation to create information search filters to better identify articles relevant to AKI in these databases. We first manually reviewed a sample of 22 992 full-text articles and used prespecified criteria to determine whether each article contained AKI content or not. In the development phase (two-thirds of the sample), we developed and tested the performance of >1.3-million unique filters. Filters with high sensitivity and high specificity for the identification of AKI articles were then retested in the validation phase (remaining third of the sample). We succeeded in developing and validating high-performance AKI search filters for each bibliographic database with sensitivities and specificities in excess of 90%. Filters optimized for sensitivity reached at least 97.2% sensitivity, and filters optimized for specificity reached at least 99.5% specificity. The filters were complex; for example one PubMed filter included >140 terms used in combination, including 'acute kidney injury', 'tubular necrosis', 'azotemia' and 'ischemic injury'. In proof-of-concept searches, physicians found more articles relevant to topics in AKI with the use of the filters. PubMed, Ovid Medline and Embase can be filtered for articles relevant to AKI in a reliable manner. These high-performance information filters are now available online and can be used to better identify AKI content in large bibliographic databases.

  5. Divine intervention? A Cochrane review on intercessory prayer gone beyond science and reason

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Karsten Juhl; Hróbjartsson, Asbjørn; Gøtzsche, Peter C

    2009-01-01

    We discuss in this commentary a recent Cochrane review of 10 randomised trials aimed at testing the religious belief that praying to a god can help those who are prayed for. The review concluded that the available studies merit additional research. However, the review presented a scientifically u...

  6. Non-pharmacological interventions to manage fatigue and psychological stress in children and adolescents with cancer: an integrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopes-Júnior, L C; Bomfim, E O; Nascimento, L C; Nunes, M D R; Pereira-da-Silva, G; Lima, R A G

    2016-11-01

    Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most stressful and prevalent symptom in paediatric oncology patients. This integrative review aimed to identify, analyse and synthesise the evidence of non-pharmacological intervention studies to manage fatigue and psychological stress in a paediatric population with cancer. Eight electronic databases were used for the search: PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, LILACS, EMBASE, SCOPUS, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library. Initially, 273 articles were found; after the exclusion of repeated articles, reading of the titles, abstracts and the full articles, a final sample of nine articles was obtained. The articles were grouped into five categories: physical exercise, healing touch, music therapy, therapeutic massage, nursing interventions and health education. Among the nine studies, six showed statistical significance regarding the fatigue and/or stress levels, showing that the use of the interventions led to symptoms decrease. The most frequently tested intervention was programmed physical exercises. It is suggested that these interventions are complementary to conventional treatment and that their use can indicate an improvement in CRF and psychological stress. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Theory based interventions for caries related sugar intake in adults: systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Rawahi, Said Hartih; Asimakopoulou, Koula; Newton, Jonathon Timothy

    2017-07-25

    Theories of behavior change are essential in the design of effective behaviour change strategies. No studies have assessed the effectiveness of interventions based on psychological theories to reduce sugar intake related to dental caries. The study assessed the effect of interventions based on Social Congition Models (SCMs) on sugar intake in adults, when compared with educational interventions or no intervention. A range of papers were considered: Systematic review Systematic Reviews with or without Meta Analyses; Randomised Controlled Trials; Controlled Clinical Trials and Before and after studies, of interventions based on Social Cognition Models aimed at dietary intake of sugar in adults. The Cochrane database including: Oral Health Group's Trials Register (2015), MEDLINE (from 1966 to September 2015), EMBASE (from 1980 to September 2015), PsycINFO (from 1966 to September 2015) were searched. No article met the full eligibility criteria for the current systematic review so no articles were included. There is a need for more clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of interventions based on psychological theory in reducing dietary sugar intake among adults. PROSPERO: CRD42015026357 .

  8. Systematic Review: Family Resilience After Pediatric Cancer Diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Schoors, Marieke; Caes, Line; Verhofstadt, Lesley L; Goubert, Liesbet; Alderfer, Melissa A

    2015-10-01

    A systematic review was conducted to (1) investigate family resilience in the context of pediatric cancer, and (2) examine theoretical, methodological, and statistical issues in this literature. Family resilience was operationalized as competent family functioning after exposure to a significant risk. Following guidelines for systematic reviews, searches were performed using Web of Science, Pubmed, Cochrane, PsycInfo, and Embase. After screening 5,563 articles, 85 fulfilled inclusion criteria and were extracted for review. Findings indicated that most families are resilient, adapting well to the crisis of cancer diagnosis. However, a subset still experiences difficulties. Methodological issues in the current literature hamper strong nuanced conclusions. We suggest future research with a greater focus on family resilience and factors predicting it, based on available theory, and conducted with attention toward unit of measurement and use of appropriate statistical analyses. Improvements in research are needed to best inform family-based clinical efforts. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Augmentative Approaches in Family-Based Treatment for Adolescents with Restrictive Eating Disorders: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richards, Imogen Lim; Subar, Anni; Touyz, Stephen; Rhodes, Paul

    2018-03-01

    To systematically review the literature reporting outcomes of augmentative family-based treatment (FBT) interventions for adolescents with restrictive eating disorders (EDs). Articles were identified through a systematic search of five electronic databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Database). Thirty articles were included, reporting on FBT augmentations featuring adjunctive treatment components, modified treatment structure and/or content with adherence to FBT principles, and adaptations allowing FBT delivery in different settings. All reported significant improvements in weight and/or ED symptoms at end-of-treatment, although few compared augmentative and standard FBT interventions and good quality follow-up data was generally lacking. There is early evidence for the effectiveness of augmentative FBT-based approaches in facilitating weight and/or ED symptom improvements for adolescents with restrictive EDs. There remains a lack of robust evidence demonstrating superior effects of such approaches over standard FBT, and further controlled studies are required to expand on the current evidence. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

  10. Mood and anxiety disorders as early manifestations of medical illness: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosci, Fiammetta; Fava, Giovanni A; Sonino, Nicoletta

    2015-01-01

    Affective disturbances involving alterations of mood, anxiety and irritability may be early symptoms of medical illnesses. The aim of this paper was to provide a systematic review of the literature with qualitative data synthesis. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Cochrane, and ISI Web of Science were systematically searched from inception to February 2014. Search terms were 'prodrome/early symptom', combined using the Boolean 'AND' operator with 'anxiety/depression/mania/hypomania/irritability/irritable mood/hostility', combined with the Boolean 'AND' operator with 'medical illness/medical disorder'. PRISMA guidelines were followed. A total of 21 studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Depression was found to be the most common affective prodrome of medical disorders and was consistently reported in Cushing's syndrome, hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, pancreatic and lung cancer, myocardial infarction, Wilson's disease, and AIDS. Mania, anxiety and irritability were less frequent. Physicians may not pursue medical workup of cases that appear to be psychiatric in nature. They should be alerted that disturbances in mood, anxiety and irritability may antedate the appearance of a medical disorder.

  11. Managing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults using illicit psychostimulants: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Jon; Lloyd-Jones, Martyn; Arunogiri, Shalini; Ogden, Edward; Bonomo, Yvonne

    2017-09-01

    Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and stimulant use disorder commonly co-exist, and appropriate treatments have not been well established. To provide guidance for treatment of co-existing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and stimulant use disorder. A systematic review of published English articles using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Cochrane, utilising consistent search terms. Randomised controlled trials, comparing any treatment arm with a control group, for participants meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or equivalent criteria for both attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and stimulant use disorder. Eight trials were identified for inclusion in this review. Four of eight studies showed improvement in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder outcome measures compared with placebo. Two of six studies that reported substance use outcomes showed improvement in treatment arms compared with placebo. Studies to show effect tended to be those with the highest treatment dosage. Evidence for the efficacy of treatment of patients with comorbid stimulant use disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is limited. Promising outcomes need replication in further studies utilising higher treatment dosage.

  12. Group cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia: a meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beatriz Navarro-Bravo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: insomnia is a highly prevalent disorder in the general population and in clinical practice. Although pharmacological treatment is the most widespread choice, psychological treatment appears to have longer lasting effects. The main objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the cognitive-behavioural group therapy treatment for insomnia. Method: a systematic search for cognitive-behavioural therapy clinical trials in Pubmed, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Scielo, WOK, Cochrane, Scopus and Embase. 153 articles were reviewed, of which 9 met inclusion criteria for the metaanalysis. Adding up the data from all 9 trials, a total of 699 people completed the post-test phase. Results: after finishing cognitive-behavioural therapy, significant improvements regarding insomnia were found according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Insomnia Severity Index, sleep latency, wake after sleep onset and sleep efficiency. There were no significant improvements in total sleep time. Conclusions: the results from experimental studies on cognitive-behavioural therapy as an insomnia treatment clearly suggest a positive impact on symptoms, as assessed using both validated scales and sleep diaries.

  13. A systematic review--physical activity in dementia: the influence of the nursing home environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderiesen, Hester; Scherder, Erik J A; Goossens, Richard H M; Sonneveld, Marieke H

    2014-11-01

    Most older persons with dementia living in nursing homes spend their days without engaging in much physical activity. This study therefore looked at the influence that the environment has on their level of physical activity, by reviewing empirical studies that measured the effects of environmental stimuli on the physical activity of nursing home residents suffering from dementia. The electronic databases PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library were used for the search. The search covered studies published between January 1993 and December 2012, and revealed 3187 abstracts. 326 studies were selected as potentially relevant; of these, 24 met all the inclusion criteria. Positive results on the residents' levels of physical activity were found for music, a homelike environment and functional modifications. Predominantly positive results were also found for the small-scale group living concepts. Mixed results were found for bright or timed light, the multisensory environment and differences in the building footprint. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  14. Descending pain modulation in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakiath, Rosemary J; Siddall, Philip J; Kellow, John E; Hush, Julia M; Jones, Mike P; Marcuzzi, Anna; Wrigley, Paul J

    2015-12-10

    Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder. While abdominal pain is a dominant symptom of IBS, many sufferers also report widespread hypersensitivity and present with other chronic pain conditions. The presence of widespread hypersensitivity and extra-intestinal pain conditions suggests central nervous dysfunction. While central nervous system dysfunction may involve the spinal cord (central sensitisation) and brain, this review will focus on one brain mechanism, descending pain modulation. We will conduct a comprehensive search for the articles indexed in the databases Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid PsycINFO and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trial (CENTRAL) from their inception to August 2015, that report on any aspect of descending pain modulation in irritable bowel syndrome. Two independent reviewers will screen studies for eligibility, assess risk of bias and extract relevant data. Results will be tabulated and, if possible, a meta-analysis will be carried out. The systematic review outlined in this protocol aims to summarise current knowledge regarding descending pain modulation in IBS. PROSPERO CRD42015024284.

  15. Descriptive analysis of cochrane child-relevant systematic reviews: an update and comparison between 2009 and 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crick, Katelynn; Thomson, Denise; Fernandes, Ricardo M; Nuspl, Megan; Eurich, Dean T; Rowe, Brian H; Hartling, Lisa

    2017-07-11

    Systematic reviews support health systems and clinical decision-making by identifying and summarizing all existing studies on a particular topic. In 2009, a comprehensive description of child-relevant systematic reviews published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was compiled. This study aims to provide an update, and to describe these systematic reviews according to their content and methodological approaches. All child-relevant systematic reviews published by the Cochrane Collaboration in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) as of March, 2013 were identified and described in relation to their content and methodological approaches. This step equated to an update of the Child Health Field Review Register (CHFRR). The content of the updated CHFRR was compared to the published 2009 CHFRR description regarding clinical and methodological characteristics, using bivariate analyses. As the Cochrane Collaboration has recognized that disease burden should guide research prioritization, we extracted data from the Global and National Burden of Diseases and Injuries Among Children and Adolescents Between 1990 and 2013 study in order to map the distribution of the burden of disease in child health to the distribution of evidence across Review Groups in the CHFRR. Of the 5,520 potential Cochrane systematic reviews identified, 1,293 (23.4%) were child-relevant (an increase of 24% since 2009). Overall, these reviews included 16,738 primary studies. The most commonly represented Review Groups were Airways (11.5%), Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Diseases (7.9%), Acute Respiratory Infections (7.8%), Developmental, Psychological and Learning Problems (6.7%), and Infectious Diseases (6.2%). Corresponding authors were most often from Europe (51%), North America (15%), and Australia (15%). The majority of systematic reviews examined pharmacological interventions alone (52% compared to 59% in 2009). Out of 611 reviews that were assessed as up-to-date, GRADE was

  16. Cochrane Commentary: Probiotics For Prevention of Acute Upper Respiratory Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quick, Melissa

    2015-01-01

    Probiotics may improve a person's health by regulating their immune function. Some trials have shown that probiotic strains can prevent respiratory infections. Even though the previous version of our review showed benefits of probiotics for acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), several new studies have been published. To assess the effectiveness and safety of probiotics (any specified strain or dose), compared with placebo, in the prevention of acute URTIs in people of all ages, who are at risk of acute URTIs. We searched CENTRAL (2014, Issue 6), MEDLINE (1950 to July week 3, 2014), EMBASE (1974 to July 2014), Web of Science (1900 to July 2014), the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, which includes the China Biological Medicine Database (from 1978 to July 2014), the Chinese Medicine Popular Science Literature Database (from 2000 to July 2014) and the Masters Degree Dissertation of Beijing Union Medical College Database (from 1981 to July 2014). We also searched the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and ClinicalTrials.gov for completed and ongoing trials on 31 July 2014. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing probiotics with placebo to prevent acute URTIs. Two review authors independently assessed the eligibility and quality of trials, and extracted data using the standard methodological procedures expected by The Cochrane Collaboration. We included 13 RCTs, although we could only extract data to meta-analyze 12 trials, which involved 3720 participants including children, adults (aged around 40 years) and older people. We found that probiotics were better than placebo when measuring the number of participants experiencing episodes of acute URTI [at least one episode: odds ratio (OR): 0.53; 95% CI = 0.37-0.76, P school absence (OR: 0.10; 95% CI = 0.02-0.47, very low quality evidence). Probiotics and placebo were similar when measuring the rate ratio of episodes of acute URTI (rate ratio: 0

  17. What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about non-surgical interventions for urinary incontinence in women?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anderson Adriano Leal Freitas da Costa

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence is a highly prevalent condition that impacts self-esteem and overall quality of life. Many non-surgical treatment options are available, ranging from pharmacological approaches to pelvic exercises. We aimed to summarize the available evidence regarding these non-surgical interventions. DESIGN AND SETTING: Review of systematic reviews, conducted in the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP. METHODS: A sensitive search was conducted to identify all Cochrane systematic reviews that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Titles and abstracts were screened by two authors. RESULTS: We included 20 Cochrane systematic reviews: 4 assessing methods of vesical training, 3 evaluating pharmacological interventions, 4 studying pelvic floor muscle training approaches and 9 aimed at other alternatives (such as urethral injections, weighted vaginal cone use, acupuncture, biostimulation and radiofrequency therapy. The reviews found that the evidence regarding the benefits of these diverse interventions ranged in quality from low to high. CONCLUSIONS: This review included 20 Cochrane systematic reviews that provided evidence (of diverse quality for non-pharmacological interventions for patients with urinary incontinence. Moderate to high quality of evidence was found favoring the use of pelvic floor muscle training among women with urinary incontinence. To establish solid conclusions for all the other comparisons, further studies of good methodological quality are needed.

  18. Reporting of conflicts of interest from drug trials in Cochrane reviews : cross sectional study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roseman, Michelle; Turner, Erick H.; Lexchin, Joel; Coyne, James C.; Bero, Lisa A.; Thombs, Brett D.

    2012-01-01

    Objectives To investigate the degree to which Cochrane reviews of drug interventions published in 2010 reported conflicts of interest from included trials and, among reviews that reported this information, where it was located in the review documents. Design Cross sectional study. Data sources

  19. The effects of life review on psycho-spiritual well-being among patients with life-threatening illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ying; Xiao, Huimin; Yang, Yanqing; Lan, Xiuyan

    2017-07-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the strength of evidence regarding the effects of life review on psycho-spiritual well-being among patients with life-threatening illness. Life-threatening illness not only causes physical symptoms but also psycho-spiritual burdens. Life review has been widely implemented to assist people coping with these burdens. However, the effectiveness of life review is not clear. To date, no systematic review or meta-analysis has been published on this topic. A systematic review with meta- analysis consistent with the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration was conducted. Database searches included MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, CNKI and VIP et al. up to April 2015. We also searched the grey literature, reviewed reference lists from relevant articles and book chapters and contacted experts. Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and two controlled clinical trials (CCTs) were eligible for this systematic review and meta-analysis. The risk of bias for those studies were rated as moderate (n = 11). The meta-analyses demonstrated significant standardized mean differences or mean differences in favour of life review compared with the control for depression, quality of life and self-esteem. The findings indicate that life review can decrease depressive symptoms, improve quality of life and enhance self-esteem among patients with life-threatening illnesses. Multi-centre studies with adequate sample size and rigorous designs are needed in future research. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Online tools for individuals with depression and neurologic conditions: A scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukmanji, Sara; Pham, Tram; Blaikie, Laura; Clark, Callie; Jetté, Nathalie; Wiebe, Samuel; Bulloch, Andrew; Holroyd-Leduc, Jayna; Macrodimitris, Sophia; Mackie, Aaron; Patten, Scott B

    2017-08-01

    Patients with neurologic conditions commonly have depression. Online tools have the potential to improve outcomes in these patients in an efficient and accessible manner. We aimed to identify evidence-informed online tools for patients with comorbid neurologic conditions and depression. A scoping review of online tools (free, publicly available, and not requiring a facilitator) for patients with depression and epilepsy, Parkinson disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or migraine was conducted. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials were searched from database inception to January 2017 for all 5 neurologic conditions. Gray literature using Google and Google Scholar as well as app stores for both Android and Apple devices were searched. Self-management or self-efficacy online tools were not included unless they were specifically targeted at depression and one of the neurologic conditions and met the other eligibility criteria. Only 4 online tools were identified. Of these 4 tools, 2 were web-based self-management programs for patients with migraine or MS and depression. The other 2 were mobile apps for patients with PD or TBI and depression. No online tools were found for epilepsy. There are limited depression tools for people with neurologic conditions that are evidence-informed, publicly available, and free. Future research should focus on the development of high-quality, evidence-based online tools targeted at neurologic patients.

  1. Serious electronic games as behavioural change interventions in healthcare-associated infections and infection prevention and control: a scoping review of the literature and future directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro-Sánchez, Enrique; Kyratsis, Yiannis; Iwami, Michiyo; Rawson, Timothy M; Holmes, Alison H

    2016-01-01

    The uptake of improvement initiatives in infection prevention and control (IPC) has often proven challenging. Innovative interventions such as 'serious games' have been proposed in other areas to educate and help clinicians adopt optimal behaviours. There is limited evidence about the application and evaluation of serious games in IPC. The purposes of the study were: a) to synthesise research evidence on the use of serious games in IPC to support healthcare workers' behaviour change and best practice learning; and b) to identify gaps across the formulation and evaluation of serious games in IPC. A scoping study was conducted using the methodological framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley. We interrogated electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase Classic + Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, Cochrane, Google Scholar) in December 2015. Evidence from these studies was assessed against an analytic framework of intervention formulation and evaluation. Nine hundred sixty five unique papers were initially identified, 23 included for full-text review, and four finally selected. Studies focused on intervention inception and development rather than implementation. Expert involvement in game design was reported in 2/4 studies. Potential game users were not included in needs assessment and game development. Outcome variables such as fidelity or sustainability were scarcely reported. The growing interest in serious games for health has not been coupled with adequate evaluation of processes, outcomes and contexts involved. Explanations about the mechanisms by which game components may facilitate behaviour change are lacking, further hindering adoption.

  2. Evidence-based clinical practice, [corrected] evidence-based medicine and the Cochrane collaboration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gambrill, E

    1999-03-01

    Encouraging professionals in training and later to consider practice-related research findings when making important clinical decisions is an on-going concern. Evidenced-Based Medicine (EBM) and the Cochrane Collaboration (CC) provide a source of tools and ideas for doing so, as well as a roster of colleagues who share this interest. Evidenced-based medicine involves integrating clinical expertise with the best available external evidence from systematic research as well as considering the values and expectations of patients/clients. Advantage can be taken of educational formats developed in EBM, such as problem-based learning and critical-appraisal workshops in which participants learn how to ask key answerable questions related to important clinical practice questions (e.g., regarding effectiveness, accuracy of assessment measures, prediction, prevention, and quality of clinical practice guidelines) and to access and critically appraise related research. The Cochrane Collaboration is a world-wide network of centers that prepare, maintain, and disseminate high-quality systematic reviews on the efficacy of healthcare. These databases allow access to evidence related to clinical practice decisions. Forging reciprocal working relationships with those involved in EBM reciprocal and the CC should contribute to the pursuit of shared goals such as basing clinical decisions on the best-available evidence and involving clients as informed consumers.

  3. Effectiveness of teaching strategies on the development of critical thinking in undergraduate nursing students: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Larissa Bertacchini de; Díaz, Leidy Johanna Rueda; Carbogim, Fábio da Costa; Rodrigues, Adriano Rogério Baldacin; Püschel, Vilanice Alves de Araújo

    2016-04-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies used for development of critical thinking (CT) in undergraduate nursing students. Systematic review with meta-analysis based on the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute . Searches were conducted in the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, LILACS, Cochrane CENTRAL, PsycINFO, ERIC, and a database of theses from four continents. The initial selection and evaluation of studies and assessment of methodological quality was performed by two reviewers independently. Twelve randomized clinical trials were included in the study. In the meta-analysis of the four studies included that evaluated the strategy of problem-based learning (PBL), compared to lectures, the effectiveness of PBL was demonstrated with statistical significance (SMD = 0.21 and 95% CI = 0.01 to 0.42; p = 0.0434) for the development of CT in undergraduate nursing students, and the studies were homogeneous (chi-square = 6.10, p = 0.106). The effectiveness of PBL was demonstrated in the increase of overall CT scores. Further studies need to be conducted in order to develop, implement and evaluate teaching strategies that are guided in high methodological rigor, and supported in theoretical models of teaching and learning. Avaliar a efetividade das estratégias de ensino utilizadas para o desenvolvimento do pensamento crítico (PC) em estudantes de graduação em Enfermagem. Revisão sistemática com metanálise baseada nas recomendações do Joanna Briggs Institute. A busca foi realizada nas bases de dados PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, LILACS, Cochrane CENTRAL, PsycINFO e ERIC e de banco de teses dos quatro continentes. A seleção e avaliação inicial dos estudos e a avaliação da qualidade metodológica foi realizada por dois revisores de forma independente. Incluídos 12 ensaios clínico randomizados. Na metanálise, dos quatro estudos incluídos que avaliaram a estratégia do Problem Based

  4. Update of strategies to translate evidence from cochrane musculoskeletal group systematic reviews for use by various audiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rader, Tamara; Pardo Pardo, Jordi; Stacey, Dawn; Ghogomu, Elizabeth; Maxwell, Lara J; Welch, Vivian A; Singh, Jasvinder A; Buchbinder, Rachelle; Légaré, France; Santesso, Nancy; Toupin April, Karine; O'Connor, Annette M; Wells, George A; Winzenberg, Tania M; Johnston, Renea; Tugwell, Peter

    2014-02-01

    For rheumatology research to have a real influence on health and well-being, evidence must be tailored to inform the decisions of various audiences. The Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group (CMSG), one of 53 groups of the not-for-profit international Cochrane Collaboration, prepares, maintains, and disseminates systematic reviews of treatments for musculoskeletal diseases. While systematic reviews provided by the CMSG fill a major gap in meeting the need for high-quality evidence syntheses, our work does not end at the completion of a review. The term "knowledge translation" (KT) refers to the activities involved in bringing research evidence to various audiences in a useful form so it can be used to support decision making and improve practices. Systematic reviews give careful consideration to research methods and analysis. Because the review is often long and detailed, the clinically relevant results may not be apparent or in the optimal form for use by patients and their healthcare practitioners. This paper describes 10 formats, many of them new, for ways that evidence from Cochrane Reviews can be translated with the intention of meeting the needs of various audiences, including patients and their families, practitioners, policy makers, the press, and members of the public (the "5 Ps"). Current and future knowledge tools include summary of findings tables, patient decision aids, plain language summaries, press releases, clinical scenarios in general medical journals, frequently asked questions (Cochrane Clinical Answers), podcasts, Twitter messages, Journal Club materials, and the use of storytelling and narratives to support continuing medical education. Future plans are outlined to explore ways of improving the influence and usefulness of systematic reviews by providing results in formats suitable to our varied audiences.

  5. Baekkenbundstraening til gravide og barslende kvinder--en gennemgang af et Cochrane-review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brostrøm, Søren; Due, Ulla; Lose, Gunnar

    2010-01-01

    Urinary and anal incontinence are prevalent in pregnant and parturient women. Pelvic floor muscle training is frequently employed for prevention and treatment. A recent Cochrane review is discussed. Fifteen studies with a total of 6,181 women were included. Pregnant women without urinary...... incontinence experienced a reduction of the risk of developing urinary incontinence in later pregnancy or post partum. Peripartum patients with urinary and anal incontinence experienced a reduction of their symptoms following training....

  6. Effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in eating disorders: an overview of Cochrane systematic reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Marcelle Barrueco; Melnik, Tamara

    2016-01-01

    Eating disorders are psychiatric conditions originated from and perpetuated by individual, family and sociocultural factors. The psychosocial approach to treatment and prevention of relapse is crucial. To present an overview of the scientific evidence on effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in treatment of eating disorders. All systematic reviews published by the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews - Cochrane Library on the topic were included. Afterwards, as from the least recent date of these reviews (2001), an additional search was conducted at PubMed with sensitive search strategy and with the same keywords used. A total of 101 primary studies and 30 systematic reviews (5 Cochrane systematic reviews), meta-analysis, guidelines or narrative reviews of literature were included. The main outcomes were: symptomatic remission, body image, cognitive distortion, psychiatric comorbidity, psychosocial functioning and patient satisfaction. The cognitive behavioral approach was the most effective treatment, especially for bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and the night eating syndrome. For anorexia nervosa, the family approach showed greater effectiveness. Other effective approaches were interpersonal psychotherapy, dialectic behavioral therapy, support therapy and self-help manuals. Moreover, there was an increasing number of preventive and promotional approaches that addressed individual, family and social risk factors, being promising for the development of positive self-image and self-efficacy. Further studies are required to evaluate the impact of multidisciplinary approaches on all eating disorders, as well as the cost-effectiveness of some effective modalities, such as the cognitive behavioral therapy. RESUMO Transtornos alimentares são doenças psiquiátricas originadas de e perpetuadas por fatores individuais, familiares e socioculturais. A abordagem psicossocial é essencial para o tratamento e a prevenção de recaídas. Apresentar uma vis

  7. Systemisk prokinetisk behandling af postoperativ ileus efter abdominalkirurgi. Gennemgang af et Cochrane-review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holte, Kathrine

    2010-01-01

    Based on the evidence presented in the Cochrane review "Systemic prokinetic pharmacologic treatment for postoperative adynamic ileus following abdominal surgery in adults", routine administration of systemic prokinetics for the prevention of postoperative ileus is not recommendable. The potential...... of selective opioid antagonists and intravenous lidocaine should be further investigated, particularly in conjunction with laparoscopic surgery, epidural pain management and fast-track surgery....

  8. Cochrane Review: Osmotic and stimulant laxatives for the management of childhood constipation (Review).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, Morris; Naidoo, Khimara; Akobeng, Anthony K; Thomas, Adrian G

    2013-01-01

    Constipation within childhood is an extremely common problem. Despite the widespread use of osmotic and stimulant laxatives by health professionals to manage constipation in children, there has been a long standing paucity of high quality evidence to support this practice. We set out to evaluate the efficacy and safety of osmotic and stimulant laxatives used to treat functional childhood constipation. The search (inception to May 7, 2012) was standardised and not limited by language and included electronic searching (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Functional Bowel Disorders Group Specialized Trials Register), reference searching of all included studies, personal contacts and drug companies. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) which compared osmotic or stimulant laxatives with either placebo or another intervention, with patients aged 0 to 18 years old were considered for inclusion. The primary outcome was frequency of defecation. Secondary endpoints included faecal incontinence, disimpaction, need for additional therapies and adverse events. Relevant papers were identified and the authors independently assessed the eligibility of trials. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.The Cochrane RevMan software was used for analyses. Patients with final missing outcomes were assumed to have relapsed. For continuous outcomes we calculated a mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using a fixed-effect model. For dichotomous outcomes we calculated an odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) using a fixed-effect model. The chi square and I(2) statistics were used to assess statistical heterogeneity. A random-effects model was used in situations of unexplained heterogeneity Eighteen RCTs (1643 patients) were included in the review. Nine studies were judged to be at high risk of bias due to lack of blinding, incomplete outcome data and selective

  9. Review of parental activation interventions for parents of children with special health care needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirza, M; Krischer, A; Stolley, M; Magaña, S; Martin, M

    2018-05-01

    A large number of U.S. children are identified as having special health care needs (CSHCN). Despite parents' central role in managing their child's needs, many parents report difficulties in navigating service systems, finding information about their child's condition, and accessing health care and community resources. Therefore, there is a need for interventions that "activate" parents of children with special health care needs to increase their knowledge, skills, and confidence in managing, coordinating, and advocating for their child's needs. This study sought to review the existing literature and examine the effects of parent support interventions that focus on parental activation either in part or whole, on child, parent, or family outcomes. Specific aims included (a) summarizing the nature and content of interventions; (b) describing changes in relevant outcomes; (c) identifying limitations and making recommendations for future research. Following electronic databases were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO via ProQuest, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health via EBSCO, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) via ProQuest, The Cochrane Library (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Methodology Register), and Google Scholar. Twenty-two studies were selected, data were extracted, and quality was assessed using standardized procedures. Five intervention categories were identified: parent-to-parent supports, psycho-educational groups, content-specific groups, community health worker model, and self-management-based interventions. Although most studies showed positive effects of the intervention, evidence was inconsistent for parental outcomes such as self-efficacy, confidence, strain, depression, and perceived social support. Evidence was more consistent in showing improvement in parent coping and in use of community-based services and resources. There is a need to boost active

  10. Care delivery and self-management strategies for children with epilepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleeman, Nigel; Bradley, Peter M

    2018-03-01

    In response to criticism that epilepsy care for children has little impact, healthcare professionals and administrators have developed various service models and strategies to address perceived inadequacies. To assess the effects of any specialised or dedicated intervention for epilepsy versus usual care in children with epilepsy and in their families. We searched the Cochrane Epilepsy Group Specialized Register (27 September 2016), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2016, Issue 9) in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (1946 to 27 September 2016), Embase (1974 to 27 September 2016), PsycINFO (1887 to 27 September 2016) and CINAHL Plus (1937 to 27 September 2016). In addition, we also searched clinical trials registries for ongoing or recently completed trials, contacted experts in the field to seek information on unpublished and ongoing studies, checked the websites of epilepsy organisations and checked the reference lists of included studies. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies or other prospective studies with a (matched or unmatched) control group (controlled before-and-after studies), or time series studies. We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. Our review included six interventions reported through seven studies (of which five studies were designed as RCTs). They reported on different education and counselling programmes for children and parents; teenagers and parents; or children, adolescents and their parents. Each programme showed some benefits for the well-being of children with epilepsy, but all had methodological flaws (e.g. in one of the studies designed as an RCT, randomisation failed), no single programme was independently evaluated with different study samples and no interventions were sufficiently homogeneous enough to be included in a meta-analysis,. While each of the programmes in this review showed some benefit to children with epilepsy, their impacts were extremely

  11. Efficacy of physical exercise in preventing falls in older adults with cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Wai Chi; Yeung, Jerry Wing Fai; Wong, Corine Sau Man; Lam, Linda Chiu Wa; Chung, Ka Fai; Luk, James Ka Hay; Lee, Jenny Shun Wah; Law, Andrew Chi Kin

    2015-02-01

    Numerous studies have reported the prevention of falls through exercise among cognitively healthy older people. This study aimed to determine whether the current evidence supports that physical exercise is also efficacious in preventing falls in older adults with cognitive impairment. Two independent reviewers searched MEDLINE; EMBASE; PsycINFO; the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; the Cochrane Bone, Joint, and Muscle Trauma Group Specialized Register; ClinicalTrials.gov; and the UK Clinical Research Network Study Portfolio up to July 2013 without language restriction. We included randomized controlled trials that examined the efficacy of physical exercise in older adults with cognitive impairment. The methodological qualities of the included trials were appraised according to the criteria developed for the Cochrane review of fall prevention trials. The primary outcome measure was the rate ratio of falls. A meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled rate ratio and summarize the results of the trials on fall prevention through physical exercise. Seven randomized controlled trials involving 781 participants were included, 4 of which examined solely older people with cognitive impairment. Subgroup data on persons with cognitive impairment were obtained from the other 3 trials that targeted older populations in general. The meta-analysis showed that physical exercise had a significant effect in preventing falls in older adults with cognitive impairment, with a pooled estimate of rate ratio of 0.68 (95% confidence interval 0.51-0.91). The present analysis suggests that physical exercise has a positive effect on preventing falls in older adults with cognitive impairment. Further studies will be required to determine the modality and frequency of exercise that are optimal for the prevention of falls in this population. Copyright © 2015 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care

  12. Interventions for motor apraxia following stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, C; Bowen, A; Hesketh, A; Vail, A

    2008-01-23

    Apraxia is a cognitive disorder that can occur after stroke. It prevents a person from carrying out a learned movement. Various interventions are used to treat apraxia but evidence of their benefit has been lacking. To determine which therapeutic interventions targeted at motor apraxia reduce disability. We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched November 2006). In addition, we searched the following databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2006), MEDLINE (1966 to November 2007), EMBASE (1980 to November 2006), CINAHL (1982 to November 2006), PsycINFO (1974 to November 2006), the Research Index of the Occupational Therapy Journal (searched November 2006), REHABDATA (1956 to November 2006), the National Research Register (searched November 2006) and Current Controlled Trials Register (searched November 2006). We reviewed the reference lists of all articles that we identified as relevant. We made efforts to find both published and unpublished trials by writing to key authors and journals. Randomised controlled trials of therapeutic intervention for motor apraxia in stroke. One review author searched the titles, abstracts and keywords. Four review authors extracted data and analysed trial quality. We contacted investigators for further details of trials if necessary. Three trials including a total of 132 participants were included in the review. There was evidence of a small and short-lived therapeutic effect in the two studies that reported change in activities of daily living (102 participants) but this was not considered clinically significant and did not persist at the longer-term follow up. There is insufficient evidence to support or refute the effectiveness of specific therapeutic interventions for motor apraxia after stroke. Further research of higher quality is required. As we did not review whether patients with apraxia benefit from rehabilitation input in general, they

  13. Systematic review protocol of interventions to improve the psychological well-being of general practitioners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Marylou; Murray, Lois; Donnelly, Michael

    2015-09-22

    The challenges and complexities faced by general practitioners are increasing, and there are concerns about their well-being. Consequently, attention has been directed towards developing and evaluating interventions and strategies to improve general practitioner well-being and their capacity to cope with workplace challenges. This systematic review aims to evaluate research evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve general practitioner well-being. Eligible studies will include programmes developed to improve psychological well-being that have assessed outcomes using validated tools pertaining to well-being and related outcomes. Only programmes that have been evaluated using controlled study designs will be reviewed. An appropriately developed search strategy will be applied to six electronic databases: the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Studies will be screened in two stages by two independent reviewers. A third reviewer will arbitrate when required. Pre-specified inclusion and exclusion criteria will be assessed during a pilot phase early on in the review process. The Cochrane data extraction form will be adapted and applied to each eligible study by two independent reviewers, and each study will be appraised critically using standardised checklists from the Cochrane Handbook. Methodological quality will be taken into account in the analysis of the data and the synthesis of results. A narrative synthesis will be undertaken if data is unsuited to a meta-analysis. The systematic review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidance. This will be the first systematic review on this topic, and the evidence synthesis will aid decision-making by general practitioners, policy makers and planners regarding ways in which to improve GP well-being. Findings will be disseminated at general practitioner meetings

  14. Uit de Cochrane Library: Marginaal grotere genezingskans door antibioticabehandeling bij acute bacteriële conjunctivitis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hamerlynck, J. V. T. H.; Rietveld, R. P.; Hooft, L.

    2007-01-01

    Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is one of the most frequently encountered ocular disorders in primary care. It is frequently self-limiting, and the widespread use of broad-spectrum antibiotics has led to concerns regarding antibiotic resistance. Therefore, a Cochrane systematic review of 5 randomised

  15. Revisão sistemática para estudar a eficácia de terapia cognitivo-comportamental para crianças e adolescentes abusadas sexualmente com transtorno de estresse pós-traumático A systematic review to study the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for sexually abused children and adolescents with posttraumatic stress disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristiane de Medeiros Passarela

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available CONTEXTO: O transtorno de estresse pós-traumático (TEPT, uma das possíveis consequências de abuso sexual de crianças e adolescentes, pode ser encontrado em aproximadamente 40% a 50% dos casos. OBJETIVO: Conduzir uma revisão sistemática de estudos investigando o uso de terapia cognitivo-comportamental (TCC para o tratamento de crianças e adolescentes abusadas sexualmente com TEPT. MÉTODOS: Uma pesquisa por ensaios clínicos randomizados que avaliaram TEPT em crianças e adolescentes de 1980 a 1º de fevereiro de 2006 foi conduzida nas seguintes bases de dados: MedLine, EMBASE, LILACS, PsycLIT, PsycINFO, Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Group Database of Trials, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Science Citation Index (SciSearch e PILOTS. As referências em todos os ensaios clínicos foram localizadas manualmente. RESULTADOS: Dos 43 estudos inicialmente selecionados, apenas três preencheram critérios de inclusão. As seguintes comparações foram encontradas nos estudos: TCC para tratar a criança e membros da família versus não tratamento (lista de espera; TCC para tratar apenas a criança, apenas os pais ou ambos versus Community Care; e TCC focada no trauma versus terapia centrada na criança (CCT. Os resultados para tratamento de TEPT com TCC foram melhores do que não tratamento (lista de espera (p BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD, one of the possible consequences of sexual abuse of children and adolescents, may be found in about 40% to 50% of the cases. OBJECTIVES: Conduct a systematic review of studies investigating the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT for the treatment of sexually abused children and adolescents with PTSD. METHODS: A search for randomized clinical trials that evaluated PTSD in children and adolescents from 1980 to February 1, 2006 was conducted in the following databases: MedLine, EMBASE, LILACS, PsycLIT, PsycINFO, Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Group Database of

  16. Interventions for improving patients' trust in doctors and groups of doctors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rolfe, Alix; Cash-Gibson, Lucinda; Car, Josip; Sheikh, Aziz; McKinstry, Brian

    2014-03-04

    Trust is a fundamental component of the patient-doctor relationship and is associated with increased satisfaction, adherence to treatment, and continuity of care. Our 2006 review found little evidence that interventions improve patients' trust in their doctor; therefore an updated search was required to find out if there is further evidence of the effects of interventions that may improve trust in doctors or groups of doctors. To update our earlier review assessing the effects of interventions intended to improve patients' trust in doctors or a group of doctors. In 2003 we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, EMBASE, Health Star, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS, African Trials Register, African Health Anthology, Dissertation Abstracts International and the bibliographies of studies selected for inclusion. We also contacted researchers active in the field. We updated and re-ran the searches on available original databases (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library issue 2, 2013), MEDLINE (OvidSP), EMBASE (OvidSP), PsycINFO (OvidSP), CINAHL (Ebsco)) as well as Proquest Dissertations and Current Contents for the period 2003 to 18 March 2013. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-randomised controlled trials, controlled before and after studies, and interrupted time series of interventions (informative, educational, behavioural, organisational) directed at doctors or patients (or carers) where trust was assessed as a primary or secondary outcome. Two review authors independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Where mentioned, we extracted data on adverse effects. We synthesised data narratively. We included 10 randomised controlled trials (including 7 new trials) involving 11,063 patients. These studies were all undertaken in North America, and all but two involved primary care.  As expected, there was considerable heterogeneity between

  17. Some in Saskatchewan Find The Cochrane Library Useful after Promotion, Access and Training Efforts. A review of: Forbes, Dorothy, Christine Neilson, Janet Bangma, Jennifer Forbes, Daniel Fuller, and Shari Furniss. “Saskatchewan Residents’ Use of The Cochrane Library.” Partnership: the Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research 2.2 (2007.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shandra Protzko

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective – To evaluate the use of The Cochrane Library by librarians, health care providers and consumers in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Design – Volunteer telephone interviews and surveys of training participants at multiple time points; usage statistics.Setting – Saskatchewan.Subjects – Ninety-four volunteers participated in the study. Participants were self-selected from approximately 300 health practitioners and 100 public library staff attending training sessions, located primarily in rural areas. The majority of public library staff who attended training sessions were not professional librarians, although 31.5% of the study participants were librarians. Nurses made up the next largest group (16.3%, followed by therapists (7.6%, library support staff (5.4%,pharmacists (4.3%, physicians (3.3%, other health care providers (20.7%, and other (9.8%. Most were 40-65 years of age (71.6%and female (92.4%.Methods – Forty-six training sessions were provided upon request between October 2004 and December 2006. Attendees wereinvited to participate in the study. Telephone interviews were conducted at three, six, nine, and twelve months following training sessions. Demographic information and data on the use of andsatisfaction with The Cochrane Library were collected. Additionally, monthly statistics were tracked by Wiley-Blackwell for user sessions, number of searches, and the number of full-text articles and abstracts visited.Main Results – Telephone interviews revealed that 65.2% of participants had accessed The Cochrane Library at three months; 64.2% had at six months. At nine months access dropped to 45.2%. At twelve months only 27.4% of participants reported using the resource. Of those who used The Cochrane Library, 16.4% reported at the three month interview that it was not helpful. This number decreased at six months (11.6%, nine months (7.7% and twelve months (11.8%. 57.5% of respondents claimed to have learned something

  18. A systematic review of randomised control trials of sexual health interventions delivered by mobile technologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burns, Kara; Keating, Patrick; Free, Caroline

    2016-08-12

    Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) pose a serious public health problem globally. The rapid spread of mobile technology creates an opportunity to use innovative methods to reduce the burden of STIs. This systematic review identified recent randomised controlled trials that employed mobile technology to improve sexual health outcomes. The following databases were searched for randomised controlled trials of mobile technology based sexual health interventions with any outcome measures and all patient populations: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Global Health, The Cochrane Library (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Methodology Register, NHS Health Technology Assessment Database, and Web of Science (science and social science citation index) (Jan 1999-July 2014). Interventions designed to increase adherence to HIV medication were not included. Two authors independently extracted data on the following elements: interventions, allocation concealment, allocation sequence, blinding, completeness of follow-up, and measures of effect. Trials were assessed for methodological quality using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. We calculated effect estimates using intention to treat analysis. A total of ten randomised trials were identified with nine separate study groups. No trials had a low risk of bias. The trials targeted: 1) promotion of uptake of sexual health services, 2) reduction of risky sexual behaviours and 3) reduction of recall bias in reporting sexual activity. Interventions employed up to five behaviour change techniques. Meta-analysis was not possible due to heterogeneity in trial assessment and reporting. Two trials reported statistically significant improvements in the uptake of sexual health services using SMS reminders compared to controls. One trial increased knowledge. One trial reported promising results in increasing condom use but no trial reported statistically significant increases in condom

  19. Knowledge transfer to clinicians and consumers by the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santesso, Nancy; Maxwell, Lara; Tugwell, Peter S; Wells, George A; O'connor, Annette M; Judd, Maria; Buchbinder, Rachelle

    2006-11-01

    The Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group (CMSG) is one of 50 groups of the Cochrane Collaboration that prepares, maintains, and disseminates systematic reviews of treatments for musculoskeletal diseases. Once systematic reviews are completed, the next challenge is presenting the results in useful formats to be integrated into the healthcare decisions of clinicians and consumers. The CMSG recommends 3 methods to aid knowledge translation and exchange between clinicians and patients: produce clinical relevance tables, create graphical displays using face figures, and write consumer summaries and patient decision aids. Accordingly, CMSG has developed specific guidelines to help researchers and authors convert the pooled estimates of metaanalyses in the systematic reviews to user-friendly numbers. First, clinical relevance tables are developed that include absolute and relative benefits or harms and the numbers needed to treat. Next, the numbers from the clinical relevance tables are presented graphically using faces. The faces represent a group of 100 people and are shaded according to how many people out of 100 benefited or were harmed by the interventions. The user-friendly numbers are also included in short summaries and decision aids written for patients. The different levels of detail in the summaries and decision aids provide patients with tools to prepare them to discuss treatment options with their clinicians. Methods to improve the effects and usability of systematic reviews by providing results in more clinically relevant formats are essential. Both clinicians and consumers can use these products to use evidence-based information in individual and shared decision-making.

  20. Psychosocial consequences of mild traumatic brain injury in children

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Keightley, Michelle L; Côté, Pierre; Rumney, Peter

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the best available evidence regarding psychosocial consequences of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) in children. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus were searched (2001-2012). Inclusion criteria included published peer-reviewed reports...

  1. Prognostic association of depression following myocardial infarction with mortality and cardiovascular events : A meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Melle, JP; de Jonge, P; Spijkerman, TA; Tijssen, JGP; Ormel, J; van Veldhuisen, DJ; van den Brink, RHS; van den Berg, MP

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To assess the association of depression following myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiovascular prognosis. Methods: The authors performed a meta-analysis of references derived from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PSYCINFO (1975-2003) combined with crossreferencing without language restrictions. The

  2. Ideology and Reform in Teacher Education in England: Some Reflections on Cochran-Smith and Fries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furlong, John

    2002-01-01

    Presents an international perspective on Cochran-Smith and Fries' recent analysis of the ways that two competing ideologies (deregulation and professionalization) are being employed in the United States to support teacher education reform, noting important differences between the United States and England in how these ideologies have been advanced…

  3. Cochrane systematic reviews are useful to map research gaps for decreasing maternal mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, Evelina; Reveiz, Ludovic; Chambliss, Amy; Sangalang, Stephanie; Bonfill, Xavier

    2013-01-01

    To use an "evidence-mapping" approach to assess the usefulness of Cochrane reviews in identifying research gaps in the maternal health. The article describes the general mapping, prioritizing, reconciling, and updating approach: (1) identifying gaps in the maternal health research using published systematic reviews and formulating research questions, (2) prioritizing questions using Delphi method, (3) reconciling identified research priorities with the existing literature (i.e., searching of ongoing trials in trials registries), (4) updating the process. A comprehensive search of Cochrane systematic reviews published or updated from January 2006 to March 2011 was performed. We evaluated the "Implications for Research" section to identify gaps in the research. Our search strategy identified 695 references; 178 systematic reviews identifying at least one research gap were used. We formulated 319 research questions, which were classified into 11 different categories based on the direct and indirect causes of maternal mortality: postpartum hemorrhage, abortion, hypertensive disorders, infection/sepsis, caesarean section, diabetes, pregnancy prevention, preterm labor, other direct causes, indirect causes, and health policies and systems. Most research questions concerned the effectiveness of clinical interventions, including drugs (42.6%), nonpharmacologic interventions (16.3%), and health system (14.7%). It is possible to identify gaps in the maternal health research by using this approach. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Langtidseffekt af vægtreducerende behandlinghos patienter med hypertension--en gennemgang af et Cochrane-review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsbad, Sten

    2011-01-01

    In eight studies included in the present Cochrane review the effects of orlistat or sibutramine versus placebo on mortality, cardiovascular mortality and adverse events were investigated in obese people with hypertension. No studies with rimonabant fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The weight loss...... of the effect on cardiovascular mortality and morbidity....

  5. Physical activity and performance at school A systematic review of the literature including a methodological quality assessment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Singh, A.S.; Uijtdewilligen, L.; Twisk, J.W.; van Mechelen, W.; Chin A Paw, M.J.M.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To describe the prospective relationship between physical activity and academic performance. Data Sources: Prospective studies were identified from searches in PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central, and Sportdiscus from 1990 through 2010. Study Selection: We screened the titles and abstracts

  6. What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about interventions for autism spectrum disorders?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyra, Larissa; Rizzo, Luiz Eduardo; Sunahara, Camila Sá; Pachito, Daniela Vianna; Latorraca, Carolina de Oliveira Cruz; Martimbianco, Ana Luiza Cabrera; Riera, Rachel

    2017-01-01

    Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) include autistic disorder, Asperger's disorder and pervasive developmental disorder. The manifestations of ASDs can have an important impact on learning and social functioning that may persist during adulthood. The aim here was to summarize the evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews on interventions for ASDs. Review of systematic reviews, conducted within the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. We included and summarized the results from Cochrane systematic reviews on interventions for ASDs. Seventeen reviews were included. These found weak evidence of benefits from acupuncture, gluten and casein-free diets, early intensive behavioral interventions, music therapy, parent-mediated early interventions, social skill groups, Theory of Mind cognitive model, aripiprazole, risperidone, tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI); this last only for adults. No benefits were found for sound therapies, chelating agents, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, omega-3, secretin, vitamin B6/magnesium and SSRI for children. Acupuncture, gluten and casein-free diets, early intensive behavioral interventions, music therapy, parent-mediated early interventions, social skill groups and the Theory of Mind cognitive model seem to have benefits for patients with autism spectrum disorders (very low to low-quality evidence). Aripiprazole, risperidone, tricyclic antidepressants and SSRI (this last only for adults) also showed some benefits, although associated with higher risk of adverse events. Experimental studies to confirm a link between probable therapies and the disease, and then high-quality long-term clinical trials, are needed.

  7. How useful are systematic reviews for informing palliative care practice? Survey of 25 Cochrane systematic reviews

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hadley Gina

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In contemporary medical research, randomised controlled trials are seen as the gold standard for establishing treatment effects where it is ethical and practical to conduct them. In palliative care such trials are often impractical, unethical, or extremely difficult, with multiple methodological problems. We review the utility of Cochrane reviews in informing palliative care practice. Methods Published reviews in palliative care registered with the Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group as of December 2007 were obtained from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, issue 1, 2008. We reviewed the quality and quantity of primary studies available for each review, assessed the quality of the review process, and judged the strength of the evidence presented. There was no prior intention to perform any statistical analyses. Results 25 published systematic reviews were identified. Numbers of included trials ranged from none to 54. Within each review, included trials were heterogeneous with respect to patients, interventions, and outcomes, and the number of patients contributing to any single analysis was generally much lower than the total included in the review. A variety of tools were used to assess trial quality; seven reviews did not use this information to exclude low quality studies, weight analyses, or perform sensitivity analysis for effect of low quality. Authors indicated that there were frequently major problems with the primary studies, individually or in aggregate. Our judgment was that the reviewing process was generally good in these reviews, and that conclusions were limited by the number, size, quality and validity of the primary studies. We judged the evidence about 23 of the 25 interventions to be weak. Two reviews had stronger evidence, but with limitations due to methodological heterogeneity or definition of outcomes. No review provided strong evidence of no effect. Conclusion Cochrane reviews

  8. Instruments used to assess functional limitations in workers applying for disability benefit : a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Spanjer, Jerry; Groothoff, Johan W.; Brouwer, Sandra

    2011-01-01

    Purpose. To systematically review the quality of the psychometric properties of instruments for assessing functional limitations in workers applying for disability benefit. Method. Electronic searches of Medline, Embase, CINAHL and PsycINFO were performed to identify studies focusing on the

  9. Are There Benefits from Teaching Yoga at Schools? A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials of Yoga-Based Interventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Ferreira-Vorkapic

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Yoga is a holistic system of varied mind-body practices that can be used to improve mental and physical health and it has been utilized in a variety of contexts and situations. Educators and schools are looking to include yoga as a cost-effective, evidence-based component of urgently needed wellness programs for their students. Objectives. The primary goal of this study was to systematically examine the available literature for yoga interventions exclusively in school settings, exploring the evidence of yoga-based interventions on academic, cognitive, and psychosocial benefits. Methods. An extensive search was conducted for studies published between 1980 and October 31, 2014 (PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, ISI, and the Cochrane Library. Effect size analysis, through standardized mean difference and Hedges’g, allowed for the comparison between experimental conditions. Results and Conclusions. Nine randomized control trials met criteria for inclusion in this review. Effect size was found for mood indicators, tension and anxiety in the POMS scale, self-esteem, and memory when the yoga groups were compared to control. Future research requires greater standardization and suitability of yoga interventions for children.

  10. Impact of pay for performance on inequalities in health care: systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alshamsan, Riyadh; Majeed, Azeem; Ashworth, Mark; Car, Josip; Millett, Christopher

    2010-07-01

    To assess the impact of pay for performance programmes on inequalities in the quality of health care in relation to age, sex, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Systematic search and appraisal of experimental or observational studies that assessed quantitatively the impact of a monetary incentive on health care inequalities. We searched published articles in English identified in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Cochrane databases. Twenty-two studies were identified, 20 of which were conducted in the United Kingdom and examined the impact of the Quality and Outcomes Framework. Sixteen studies used practice level data rather than patient level data. Socioeconomic status was the most frequently examined inequality; age, sex and ethnic inequalities were less frequently assessed. There was some weak evidence that the use of financial incentives reduced inequalities in chronic disease management between socioeconomic groups. Inequalities in chronic disease management between age, sex and ethnic groups persisted after the use of such incentives. Inequalities in chronic disease management have largely persisted after the introduction of the Quality and Outcome Framework. Pay for performance programmes should be designed to reduce inequalities as well as improve the overall quality of care.

  11. Mental illness among journalists: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aoki, Yuta; Malcolm, Estelle; Yamaguchi, Sosei; Thornicroft, Graham; Henderson, Claire

    2013-06-01

    Mass media depictions of people with mental illness have a strong influence on public attitudes, to the extent that changes in these depictions can reduce public stigmatization of people with such illness. Journalists' mental health may influence their depiction of those with mental illness, but little is known about this. To investigate mental illness among journalists in five key areas: (1) journalists' mental health status; (2) journalists' personal attitudes towards mental illness; (3) attitudes and support journalists expect or have experienced from colleagues when they have a mental health problem; (4) effect of journalism's professional culture on the course of mental illness; and (5) effect of journalism's professional culture on mass media depictions of people with mental illness. We performed a systematic screening of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library regarding the study aims. We identified 19, 12, seven and four studies for aims 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. No articles were found for aim 5. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among journalists is higher than that among the general population. Journalists have positive personal attitudes towards mental illness, but there are perceived workplace disincentives to disclose mental health problems.

  12. The Effectiveness of Mobile Phone Text Messaging in Improving Medication Adherence for Patients with Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ershad Sarabi, Roghayeh; Sadoughi, Farahnaz; Jamshidi Orak, Roohangiz; Bahaadinbeigy, Kambiz

    2016-05-01

    Medication non-adherence is a commonly observed problem in the self-administration of treatment, regardless of the disease type. Text messaging reminders, as electronic reminders, provide an opportunity to improve medication adherence. In this study, we aimed to provide evidence addressing the question of whether text message reminders were effective in improving patients' adherence to medication. We carried out a systematic literature search, using the five electronic bibliographic databases: PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane central register of controlled trials. Studies were included on the basis of whether they examined the benefits and effects of short-message service (SMS) interventions on medication adherence. The results of this systematic review indicated that text messaging interventions have improved patients' medication adherence rate (85%, 29.34). Included in the review, those who had problems with adherence, or those whom text messaging was most helpful had HIV, asthma, diabetes, schizophrenia and heart disease (73.5%). The period of intervention varied from 1 week to 14 months. The most common study design was randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (66%) carried out in the developed countries. This study demonstrated the potential of mobile phone text messaging for medication non-adherence problem solving.

  13. Theoretical approaches of online social network interventions and implications for behavioral change: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arguel, Amaël; Perez-Concha, Oscar; Li, Simon Y W; Lau, Annie Y S

    2018-02-01

    The aim of this review was to identify general theoretical frameworks used in online social network interventions for behavioral change. To address this research question, a PRISMA-compliant systematic review was conducted. A systematic review (PROSPERO registration number CRD42014007555) was conducted using 3 electronic databases (PsycINFO, Pubmed, and Embase). Four reviewers screened 1788 abstracts. 15 studies were selected according to the eligibility criteria. Randomized controlled trials and controlled studies were assessed using Cochrane Collaboration's "risk-of-bias" tool, and narrative synthesis. Five eligible articles used the social cognitive theory as a framework to develop interventions targeting behavioral change. Other theoretical frameworks were related to the dynamics of social networks, intention models, and community engagement theories. Only one of the studies selected in the review mentioned a well-known theory from the field of health psychology. Conclusions were that guidelines are lacking in the design of online social network interventions for behavioral change. Existing theories and models from health psychology that are traditionally used for in situ behavioral change should be considered when designing online social network interventions in a health care setting. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Whole dietary patterns to optimize cognitive function for military mission-readiness: a systematic review and recommendations for the field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teo, Lynn; Crawford, Cindy; Yehuda, Rachel; Jaghab, Danny; Bingham, John J; Gallon, Matthew D; O'Connell, Meghan L; Chittum, Holly K; Arzola, Sonya M; Berry, Kevin

    2017-06-01

    Optimizing cognitive performance, particularly during times of high stress, is a prerequisite to mission-readiness among military personnel. It has been of interest to determine whether such performance could be enhanced through diet. This systematic review assesses the quality of the evidence for whole dietary patterns across various outcomes related to cognitive function in healthy adult populations to develop research recommendations for the military. PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Library were searched. Peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials published in the English language were eligible. Fifteen included trials were assessed for methodological quality, and descriptive data were extracted. Of the 6 acceptable-quality studies, 1 demonstrated statistically nonsignificant results, whereas the other 5 showed conflicting results across the cognitive outcomes assessed. Due to the heterogeneity across the included studies, no recommendations could be reached concerning whether certain whole dietary patterns have an effect on cognitive outcomes in healthy populations. Specific recommendations for future research are offered. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Clozapine in borderline personality disorder: a review of the evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beri, Anand; Boydell, Jane

    2014-05-01

    Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental disorder that is difficult to treat. Possible targets for pharmacotherapy include affective symptoms, cognitive disturbances, and impulsive, self-injurious behaviors. Although many of the medications tested for treatment of BPD have been demonstrated to be useful, no clear pharmacologic treatment has emerged. Clozapine is one of the medications that has been evaluated for the treatment of severe BPD. The aim of this review is to summarize the evidence examining the effectiveness of clozapine in the treatment of BPD. A comprehensive search of the health science databases PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar was performed for studies describing the use of clozapine in the treatment of BPD. After the initial search, no randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of clozapine in BPD were identified. Therefore, case reports and case series were reviewed, with 12 articles selected for final review. This review suggests that clozapine may be a beneficial treatment option for BPD especially in controlling symptom severity, psychotic symptoms, impulsivity, self-mutilation, number of days on enhanced observation, use of restraint, and overall functioning.

  16. Modifiable Psychosocial Constructs Associated With Physical Activity Participation in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casey, Blathin; Coote, Susan; Shirazipour, Celina; Hannigan, Ailish; Motl, Robert; Martin Ginis, Kathleen; Latimer-Cheung, Amy

    2017-07-01

    To synthesize current knowledge of the modifiable psychosocial constructs associated with physical activity (PA) participation in people with multiple sclerosis. A search was conducted through October 2015 in 8 electronic databases: CINAHL, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Knowledge, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and PsycINFO. Cohort and intervention studies were included if they (1) included an objective or subjective measure of PA; (2) measured at least 1 modifiable psychosocial construct; and (3) reported bivariate correlations (or these could be extracted) between the PA and psychosocial construct measures. A total of 13,867 articles were screened for inclusion, and 26 were included in the final analysis. Meta-analyses of correlations were conducted using the Hedges-Olkin method. Where a meta-analysis was not possible, results were reported descriptively. Meta-analyses indicated a pooled correlation coefficient between (1) objective PA and self-efficacy (n=7) of r=.30 (Pgoal-setting (n=5) of r=.44 (Pgoal-setting. However, there is a need to explore the associations between other constructs outside those reported in this review. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Tools to assess living with a chronic illness: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambrosio, Leire; Portillo, Mari Carmen

    2018-05-16

    To analyse the currently available instruments to assess living with a chronic illness and related aspects. A review of the evidence was made using the databases: Medline, CINHAL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Embase and Cuiden. The criteria that limited the search were: the language, English and / or Spanish and studies carried out in an adult population. Years of article publication were not used as a limit. A total of 16 instruments were identified and analysed that apparently measured the concept of living with a chronic illness and/or related aspects. According to the name of the instrument, four seemed to evaluate the concept of living with a chronic illness while the rest of the instruments evaluated aspects intrinsically related to the concept of "living with", such as attributes or the meaning of living with a chronic illness. Different instruments were identified to evaluate daily living for the chronically ill patient, as well as related aspects. According to this review, further validation studies are required in other populations and/or contexts in order to achieve valid and reliable instruments that could be used in clinical practice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  18. Does patient coaching make a difference in patient-physician communication during specialist consultations? A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alders, Irèn; Smits, Carolien; Brand, Paul; van Dulmen, Sandra

    2017-05-01

    To systematically review the literature on the effectiveness of a patient coach intervention on patient - physician communication in specialists consultations. PubMed, Cochrane, PsycInfo, Cinahl and Embase were searched until November 2015. Included were papers describing interventions directed at adult outpatients in secondary care with a variety of somatic diseases. Outcomes had to be measured in communication effectivity from a patient's perspective. Seventeen publications met the inclusion criteria (involving 3787 patients), describing 13 unique interventions. Most interventions were single one-on-one sessions taking between 20 and 40min before consultation. Research quality in ten studies was high. These studies showed significant improvement on immediate, intermediate and long term patient - physician communication. We found limited evidence suggesting an improvement of patient - physician communication by having multiple patient coaching encounters during which questions are prepared and rehearsed and consultations are evaluated and reflected upon, sometimes supported by audio recording the consultation. The results of this review contribute to the (re-)design of an effective model for patient coaching, a profile and training approach of patient coaches. Future research should aim at determining which patients will benefit most from coaching interventions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents with Down syndrome-prevalence, determinants, consequences, and interventions: A literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertapelli, Fabio; Pitetti, Ken; Agiovlasitis, Stamatis; Guerra-Junior, Gil

    2016-10-01

    Children with Down syndrome (DS) are more likely to be overweight or obese than the general population of youth without DS. To review the prevalence of overweight and obesity and their determinants in youth with DS. The health consequences and the effectiveness of interventions were also examined. A search using MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, LILACS, and COCHRANE was conducted. From a total of 4280 studies, we included 45 original research articles published between 1988 and 2015. The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity varied between studies from 23% to 70%. Youth with DS had higher rates of overweight and obesity than youths without DS. Likely determinants of obesity included increased leptin, decreased resting energy expenditure, comorbidities, unfavorable diet, and low physical activity levels. Obesity was positively associated with obstructive sleep apnea, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and gait disorder. Interventions for obesity prevention and control were primarily based on exercise-based programs, and were insufficient to achieve weight or fat loss. Population-based research is needed to identify risk factors and support multi-factorial strategies for reducing overweight and obesity in children and adolescents with DS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Economic Models of Preventive Dentistry for Australian Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tonmukayakul, Utsana; Sia, Kah-Ling; Gold, Lisa; Hegde, Shalika; de Silva, Andrea M; Moodie, Marj

    2015-01-01

    To identify economic evaluation models and parameters that could be replicated or adapted to construct a generic model to assess cost-effectiveness of and prioritise a wide range of community-based oral disease prevention programmes in an Australian context. The literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, ERIC, PsycINFO, CINHAL (EBSCOhost), EMBASE (Ovid), CRD, DARE, NHSEED, HTA, all databases in the Cochrane library, Scopus and ScienceDirect databases from their inception to November 2012. Thirty-three articles met the criteria for inclusion in this review (7 were Australian studies, 26 articles were international). Existing models focused primarily on dental caries. Periodontal disease, another common oral health problem, was lacking. Among caries prevention studies, there was an absence of clear evidence showing continuous benefits from primary through to permanent dentition and the long-term effects of oral health promotion. No generic model was identified from previous studies that could be immediately adopted or adapted for our purposes of simulating and prioritising a diverse range of oral health interventions for Australian children and adolescents. Nevertheless, data sources specified in the existing Australian-based models will be useful for developing a generic model for such purposes.

  1. Web-Based and Mobile Suicide Prevention Interventions for Young People: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, Yael; Werner-Seidler, Aliza; Calear, Alison L.; Christensen, Helen

    2016-01-01

    Objective: Suicide is a significant public health issue, and is especially concerning in adolescents and young adults, who are over-represented both in attempts and completed suicide. Emerging technologies represent a promising new approach to deliver suicide prevention interventions to these populations. The current systematic review aims to identify online and mobile psychosocial suicide prevention interventions for young people, and evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. Method: PsycINFO, Medline, Embase and The Cochrane Library were electronically searched for all articles published between January, 2000 and May, 2015. Peer-reviewed journal articles reporting on interventions for young people aged 12–25 years with suicidality as a primary outcome were eligible for inclusion. No exclusions were placed on study design. Results: One study met inclusion criteria, and found significant reductions in the primary outcome of suicidal ideation, as well as depression and hopelessness. Two relevant protocol papers of studies currently underway were also identified. Conclusions: There is a paucity of current evidence for online and mobile interventions for suicide prevention in youth. More high quality empirical evidence is required to determine the effectiveness of these novel approaches to improving suicide outcomes in young people. PMID:27274742

  2. Are There Benefits from Teaching Yoga at Schools? A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials of Yoga-Based Interventions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira-Vorkapic, C.; Feitoza, J. M.; Marchioro, M.; Simões, J.; Telles, S.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction. Yoga is a holistic system of varied mind-body practices that can be used to improve mental and physical health and it has been utilized in a variety of contexts and situations. Educators and schools are looking to include yoga as a cost-effective, evidence-based component of urgently needed wellness programs for their students. Objectives. The primary goal of this study was to systematically examine the available literature for yoga interventions exclusively in school settings, exploring the evidence of yoga-based interventions on academic, cognitive, and psychosocial benefits. Methods. An extensive search was conducted for studies published between 1980 and October 31, 2014 (PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, ISI, and the Cochrane Library). Effect size analysis, through standardized mean difference and Hedges'g, allowed for the comparison between experimental conditions. Results and Conclusions. Nine randomized control trials met criteria for inclusion in this review. Effect size was found for mood indicators, tension and anxiety in the POMS scale, self-esteem, and memory when the yoga groups were compared to control. Future research requires greater standardization and suitability of yoga interventions for children. PMID:26491461

  3. Using patients' charts to assess medical trainees in the workplace: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Wassia, Heidi; Al-Wassia, Rolina; Shihata, Shadi; Park, Yoon Soo; Tekian, Ara

    2015-04-01

    The objective of this review is to summarize and critically appraise existing evidence on the use of chart stimulated recall (CSR) and case-based discussion (CBD) as an assessment tool for medical trainees. Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Educational Resources Information Centre (ERIC), Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for original articles on the use of CSR or CBD as an assessment method for trainees in all medical specialties. Four qualitative and three observational non-comparative studies were eligible for this review. The number of patient-chart encounters needed to achieve sufficient reliability varied across studies. None of the included studies evaluated the content validity of the tool. Both trainees and assessors expressed high level of satisfaction with the tool; however, inadequate training, different interpretation of the scoring scales and skills needed to give feedback were addressed as limitations for conducting the assessment. There is still no compelling evidence for the use of patient's chart to evaluate medical trainees in the workplace. A body of evidence that is valid, reliable, and documents the educational effect in support of the use of patients' charts to assess medical trainees is needed.

  4. Expert searching in health librarianship: a literature review to identify international issues and Australian concerns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lasserre, Kaye

    2012-03-01

    The traditional role of health librarians as expert searchers is under challenge. The purpose of this review is to establish health librarians' views, practices and educational processes on expert searching. The search strategy was developed in LISTA and then customised for ten other databases: ALISA, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. The search terms were (expert search* OR expert retriev* OR mediated search* OR information retriev*) AND librar*. The searches, completed in December 2010 and repeated in May 2011, were limited to English language publications from 2000 to 2011 (unless seminal works). Expert searching remains a key role for health librarians, especially for those supporting systematic reviews or employed as clinical librarians answering clinical questions. Although clients tend to be satisfied with searches carried out for them, improvements are required to effectively position the profession. Evidence-based guidelines, adherence to transparent standards, review of entry-level education requirements and a commitment to accredited, rigorous, ongoing professional development will ensure best practice. © 2012 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2012 Health Libraries Group.

  5. Physical Activity Interventions in Faith-Based Organizations: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tristão Parra, Maíra; Porfírio, Gustavo J M; Arredondo, Elva M; Atallah, Álvaro N

    2018-03-01

    To review and assess the effectiveness of physical activity interventions delivered in faith-based organizations. We searched the Cochrane Library, DoPHER, EMBASE, LILACS, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, WHO ICTRP, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases until January 2016, without restriction of language or publication date. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials investigating physical activity interventions for adults delivered in faith-based organizations. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed study methodological quality. We used relative risk and mean difference with 95% confidence interval to estimate the effect of the interventions on measures of physical activity, physical fitness, and health. The review included 18 studies. Study participants were predominantly female, and the majority of trials were conducted in the United States. Study heterogeneity did not allow us to conduct meta-analyses. Although interventions delivered in faith-based organizations increased physical activity and positively influenced measures of health and fitness in participants, the quality of the evidence was very low. Faith-based organizations are promising settings to promote physical activity, consequently addressing health disparities. However, high-quality randomized clinical trials are needed to adequately assess the effectiveness of interventions delivered in faith-based organizations.

  6. Mapping of the evidence from systematic reviews of the Cochrane Collaboration for decision-making within physiotherapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ane Helena Valle Versiani

    Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVEEvidence-based clinical practice emerged with the aim of guiding clinical issues in order to reduce the degree of uncertainty in decision-making. The Cochrane Collaboration has been developing systematic reviews on randomized controlled trials as high-quality intervention study subjects. Today, physiotherapy methods are widely required in treatments within many fields of healthcare. Therefore, it is extremely important to map out the situation regarding scientific evidence within physiotherapy. The aim of this study was to identify systematic reviews on physiotherapeutic interventions and investigate the scientific evidence and recommendations regarding whether further studies would be needed.TYPE OF STUDY AND SETTINGCross-sectional study conducted within the postgraduate program on Internal Medicine and Therapeutics and at the Brazilian Cochrane Center.METHODSSystematic reviews presenting physiotherapeutic interventions as the main investigation, in the Cochrane Reviews Group, edition 2/2009, were identified and classified.RESULTSOut of the 3,826 reviews, 207 (5.41% that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected. Only 0.5% of the reviews concluded that the intervention presented a positive effect and that further studies were not recommended; 45.9% found that there seemed to be a positive effect but recommended further research; and 46.9% found that the evidence was insufficient for clinical practice and suggested that further research should be conducted.CONCLUSIONOnly one systematic review (“Pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” indicated that the intervention tested could be used with certainty that it would be effective. Most of the systematic reviews recommended further studies with greater rigor of methodological quality.

  7. Therapies for Cognitive Deficits Associated With Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review of Objective Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morean, Diane F; O'Dwyer, Linda; Cherney, Leora R

    2015-10-01

    To systematically review evidence of treatments for cognitive impairments experienced by at least 20% of all women who undergo chemotherapy for breast cancer. Searches of 5 databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, PsycINFO, CINAHL), with no date or language restrictions, identified 1701 unique results. Search terms included breast cancer, chemotherapy, chemobrain, chemofog, and terms on cognition and language deficits. Included only peer-reviewed journal articles that described therapies for cognitive dysfunction in women undergoing (or who had undergone) chemotherapy for breast cancer and provided objective measurements of cognition or language. Data were extracted according to Cochrane recommendations, including characteristics of participants, interventions, outcomes, and studies. Quality assessment of all 12 eligible studies was performed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale and treatment fidelity criteria. Screening, data extraction, and quality assessment reliability were performed. Six articles described interventions for cognition that took place during cancer treatment; 6, afterward. Five interventions were medical (including a strength-training program), 2 were restorative, and 5 were cognitive. Medicinal treatments were ineffective; restorative and exercise treatments had mixed results; cognitive therapy had success in varying cognitive domains. The domains most tested and most successfully treated were verbal memory, attention, and processing speed. Cognitive therapy protocols delivered after chemotherapy and aimed at improving verbal memory, attention, and processing speed hold the most promise. Future research is needed to clarify whether computerized cognitive training can be effective in treating this population, and to identify objective assessment tools that are sensitive to this disorder. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Effects of cognitive therapy versus interpersonal psychotherapy in patients with major depressive disorder: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials with meta-analyses and trial sequential analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jakobsen, J C; Hansen, J L; Simonsen, S; Simonsen, E; Gluud, C

    2012-07-01

    Major depressive disorder afflicts an estimated 17% of individuals during their lifetime at tremendous suffering and cost. Cognitive therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy are treatment options, but their effects have only been limitedly compared in systematic reviews. Using Cochrane systematic review methodology we compared the benefits and harm of cognitive therapy versus interpersonal psychotherapy for major depressive disorder. Trials were identified by searching the Cochrane Library's CENTRAL, Medline via PubMed, EMBASE, Psychlit, PsycInfo, and Science Citation Index Expanded until February 2010. Continuous outcome measures were assessed by mean difference and dichotomous outcomes by odds ratio. We conducted trial sequential analysis to control for random errors. We included seven trials randomizing 741 participants. All trials had high risk of bias. Meta-analysis of the four trials reporting data at cessation of treatment on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression showed no significant difference between the two interventions [mean difference -1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) -2.35 to 0.32]. Meta-analysis of the five trials reporting data at cessation of treatment on the Beck Depression Inventory showed comparable results (mean difference -1.29, 95% CI -2.73 to 0.14). Trial sequential analysis indicated that more data are needed to definitively settle the question of a differential effect. None of the included trial reported on adverse events. Randomized trials with low risk of bias and low risk of random errors are needed, although the effects of cognitive therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy do not seem to differ significantly regarding depressive symptoms. Future trials should report on adverse events.

  9. Reducing Stigma in Media Professionals: Is there Room for Improvement? Results from a Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maiorano, Alessandra; Lasalvia, Antonio; Sampogna, Gaia; Pocai, Benedetta; Ruggeri, Mirella; Henderson, Claire

    2017-10-01

    The mass media may increase stigma against people with mental health problems by reinforcing common stereotypes. Media professionals thus represent a target group for antistigma interventions. This paper aims to review available literature on antistigma interventions for mass media professionals, seeking to clarify what kind of interventions have been found to be effective in reducing mental health stigma among mass media professionals. Six electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, Cochrane Reviews Library and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts) were systematically searched through March 2017 for studies addressing antistigma interventions on mass media professionals.  Results: A total of 27 studies on antistigma interventions targeted to media professionals were found. Reviewed articles were classified into 3 categories: media-monitoring projects/reporting guidelines ( n = 23), interventions for educating journalists ( n = 2), and interventions for educating journalism students ( n = 2). Overall, antistigma interventions for media professionals seem to have some effect in improving reporting style, thus providing a more balanced portrayal of people with mental health problems: the most promising interventions are contact-based educational approaches and the provision of guidelines by authoritative institutions. It should be useful to promote and disseminate contact-based educational interventions targeted to journalists and to include specific modules on mental health topics in the training curricula of journalism students. However, as research in the field suffers from several limitations, high-quality studies exploring the long-term effect of antistigma interventions for media professionals are needed.

  10. Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy on glycaemic control and psychological outcomes in adults with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchendu, C; Blake, H

    2017-03-01

    Diabetes is a chronic progressive condition presenting physical, social and psychological challenges that increase the risk of comorbid mental health problems. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective in treating a variety of psychological disorders, and may potentially improve glycaemic control and psychological outcomes in diabetes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to establish the effectiveness of CBT on glycaemic control and comorbid diabetes-related distress, depression, anxiety and quality of life in the short, medium and longer term among adults with diabetes. An electronic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and references in reviews. Twelve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified that evaluated the effectiveness of CBT on at least one of: glycaemic control, diabetes-related distress, anxiety, depression or quality of life in adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and Review Manager version 5.3 were used for risk of bias assessment and meta-analysis, respectively. CBT is effective in reducing short-term and medium-term glycaemic control, although no significant effect was found for long-term glycaemic control. CBT improved short- and medium-term anxiety and depression, and long-term depression. Mixed results were found for diabetes-related distress and quality of life. CBT is beneficial in improving depression for adults with diabetes. It may have benefits for improving glycaemic control and other aspects of psychological health, although the findings are inconclusive. © 2016 Diabetes UK.

  11. Effectiveness of brief interventions as part of the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model for reducing the nonmedical use of psychoactive substances: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Matthew M; Stevens, Adrienne; Galipeau, James; Pirie, Tyler; Garritty, Chantelle; Singh, Kavita; Yazdi, Fatemeh; Golfam, Mohammed; Pratt, Misty; Turner, Lucy; Porath-Waller, Amy; Arratoon, Cheryl; Haley, Nancy; Leslie, Karen; Reardon, Rhoda; Sproule, Beth; Grimshaw, Jeremy; Moher, David

    2014-05-24

    The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of brief interventions (BIs) as part of the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model for reducing the nonmedical use of psychoactive substances. Bibliographic databases (including MEDLINE, Embase, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PsycINFO to April 2012) and gray literature sources were searched. We included randomized controlled trials that opportunistically screened adolescents or adults and then provided a one-to-one, verbal BI to those at risk of substance-use harm. Of interest was the nonmedical use of psychoactive substances (for example, drugs prohibited by international law), excluding alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine. Interventions comprised four or fewer sessions and were compared with no/delayed intervention or provision of information only. Studies were assessed for bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results were synthesized narratively. Evidence was interpreted according to the GRADE framework. We identified 8,836 records. Of these, five studies met our inclusion criteria. Two studies compared BI with no BI, and three studies compared BI with information only. Studies varied in characteristics such as substances targeted, screening procedures, and BI administered. Outcomes were mostly reported by a single study, leading to limited or uncertain confidence in effect estimates. Insufficient evidence exists as to whether BIs, as part of SBIRT, are effective or ineffective for reducing the use of, or harms associated with nonmedical use of, psychoactive substances when these interventions are administered to nontreatment-seeking, screen-detected populations. Updating this review with emerging evidence will be important. CRD42012002414.

  12. Effectiveness of health education programs on exercise behavior among patients with heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Li-Xia; Ho, Shuk-Ching; Wong, Thomas K S

    2013-11-01

    Regular exercise has been shown to be beneficial to patients with heart disease. Previous studies have indicated that health education can effectively increase participants' physical activity. However, no systematic review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of health education programs on changing exercise behavior among patients with heart disease. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of health education programs on exercise behavior among heart disease patients. Potential studies were retrieved in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMbase, PsycINFO, the British Nursing Index and Archive, Science Direct, and ERIC via EBSCOhost. Meta-analysis was done using the random-effect model. Thirty-seven studies were identified. Only 12 studies delivered health education based on various theories/models. Twenty-eight studies were included in the meta-analyses. The results showed that health education had significantly positive effects on exercise adherence (risk ratio = 1.35 to 1.48), exercise duration (SMD = 0.25 to 0.69), exercise frequency (MD = 0.54 to 1.46 session/week), and exercise level (SMD = 0.25), while no significant effects were found on exercise energy expenditure and cognitive exercise behavior. Health education has overall positive effects on changing exercise behavior among heart disease patients. Few theoretical underpinning studies were conducted for changing exercise behavior among heart disease patients. The findings suggest that health education improves exercise behavior for heart disease patients. Health professionals should reinforce health education programs for them. © 2013 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  13. A systematic review of religious beliefs about major end-of-life issues in the five major world religions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakraborty, Rajshekhar; El-Jawahri, Areej R; Litzow, Mark R; Syrjala, Karen L; Parnes, Aric D; Hashmi, Shahrukh K

    2017-10-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the religious/spiritual beliefs of followers of the five major world religions about frequently encountered medical situations at the end of life (EoL). This was a systematic review of observational studies on the religious aspects of commonly encountered EoL situations. The databases used for retrieving studies were: Ovid MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Ovid PsycINFO, Ovid Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus. Observational studies, including surveys from healthcare providers or the general population, and case studies were included for review. Articles written from a purely theoretical or philosophical perspective were excluded. Our search strategy generated 968 references, 40 of which were included for review, while 5 studies were added from reference lists. Whenever possible, we organized the results into five categories that would be clinically meaningful for palliative care practices at the EoL: advanced directives, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, physical requirements (artificial nutrition, hydration, and pain management), autopsy practices, and other EoL religious considerations. A wide degree of heterogeneity was observed within religions, depending on the country of origin, level of education, and degree of intrinsic religiosity. Our review describes the religious practices pertaining to major EoL issues and explains the variations in EoL decision making by clinicians and patients based on their religious teachings and beliefs. Prospective studies with validated tools for religiosity should be performed in the future to assess the impact of religion on EoL care.

  14. Do asthmatics benefit from music therapy? A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sliwka, Agnieszka; Wloch, Tomasz; Tynor, Dariusz; Nowobilski, Roman

    2014-08-01

    To determine the effectiveness of music therapy in asthma. Searches for experimental and observational studies published between 01.01.92 and 31.12.13 were conducted through electronic databases: Medline/PubMed, Embase, SportDiscus, Cochrane Library, Teacher Reference Centre, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, PEDro and Scopus. The selection criteria included any method of music therapy applied to patients with asthma, with respect to asthma symptoms and lung function. Two reviewers screened the records independently. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool. Strength of recommendation was graded according to GRADE recommendation. The literature search identified 867 citations, from which 8 (three RCTs and five nRCTs) low and high risk of bias studies were included in the review. All RCTs used music listening as a form of complementary treatment. One RCT of the low risk of bias indicated positive effects on lung function in mild asthma. In two others, despite the decrease in asthma symptoms, music was not more effective than the control condition. In two nRCTs a decrease in asthma symptoms was reported as an effect of playing a brass or wind instrument; in two nRCTs the same effect was observed after music assisted vocal breathing exercises and singing. Mood improvement, decrease of depression and anxiety were also observed. The paucity, heterogeneity, and significant methodological limitations of available studies allow for only a weak recommendation for music therapy in asthma. This study highlights the need for further research of mixed methodology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Serious electronic games as behavioural change interventions in healthcare-associated infections and infection prevention and control: a scoping review of the literature and future directions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enrique Castro-Sánchez

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The uptake of improvement initiatives in infection prevention and control (IPC has often proven challenging. Innovative interventions such as ‘serious games’ have been proposed in other areas to educate and help clinicians adopt optimal behaviours. There is limited evidence about the application and evaluation of serious games in IPC. The purposes of the study were: a to synthesise research evidence on the use of serious games in IPC to support healthcare workers’ behaviour change and best practice learning; and b to identify gaps across the formulation and evaluation of serious games in IPC. Methods A scoping study was conducted using the methodological framework developed by Arksey and O’Malley. We interrogated electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase Classic + Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, Cochrane, Google Scholar in December 2015. Evidence from these studies was assessed against an analytic framework of intervention formulation and evaluation. Results Nine hundred sixty five unique papers were initially identified, 23 included for full-text review, and four finally selected. Studies focused on intervention inception and development rather than implementation. Expert involvement in game design was reported in 2/4 studies. Potential game users were not included in needs assessment and game development. Outcome variables such as fidelity or sustainability were scarcely reported. Conclusions The growing interest in serious games for health has not been coupled with adequate evaluation of processes, outcomes and contexts involved. Explanations about the mechanisms by which game components may facilitate behaviour change are lacking, further hindering adoption.

  16. The impact of clinicians' personality and their interpersonal behaviors on the quality of patient care: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boerebach, Benjamin C. M.; Scheepers, Renée A.; van der Leeuw, Renée M.; Heineman, Maas Jan; Arah, Onyebuchi A.; Lombarts, Kiki M. J. M. H.

    2014-01-01

    To review systematically the impact of clinicians' personality and observed interpersonal behaviors on the quality of their patient care. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO from inception through January 2014, using both free text words and subject headings, without language restriction.

  17. Systematic review of the clinical course, natural history, and prognosis for pediatric mild traumatic brain injury

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hung, Ryan; Carroll, Linda J; Cancelliere, Carol

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the best available evidence on prognosis after pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus (2001-2012), as well as reference lists of eligible articles, and relevant systematic reviews and meta...

  18. Practitioner Review: Psychological treatments for children and adolescents with conduct disorder problems - a systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bakker-Huvenaars, M.J.; Greven, C.U.; Buitelaar, J.K.; Glennon, J.C.

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy of nonpharmacological treatments for conduct disorder (CD) problems in children and adolescents, based on child, parent and teacher report. METHODS: PubMed, PsycINFO and EMBASE were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between January

  19. Systematic Review of Intervention Practices for Depression in the Workplace

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Furlan, Andrea D.; Gnam, William H.; Carnide, Nancy; Irvin, Emma; Amick, Benjamin C.; DeRango, Kelly; McMaster, Robert; Cullen, Kimberley; Slack, Tesha; Brouwer, Sandra; Bultmann, Ute; Benjamin, C.

    Design Systematic Review. Objective To determine which intervention approaches to manage depression in the workplace have been successful and yielded value for employers in developed economies. Data Sources We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Central, PsycINFO, and Business Source Premier up to

  20. Onset and Recurrence of Depression as Predictors of Cardiovascular Prognosis in Depressed Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients : A Systematic Review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zuidersma, Marij; Thombs, Brett D.; de Jonge, Peter

    2011-01-01

    Background: Depression after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is associated with worse cardiac outcomes. This systematic review evaluated whether depressed ACS patients are at differential risk depending on the recurrence and timing of onset of depressive episodes. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO

  1. Epidemiology of Eating Disorders : Incidence, Prevalence and Mortality Rates

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smink, Frederique R. E.; van Hoeken, Daphne; Hoek, Hans W.

    Eating disorders are relatively rare among the general population. This review discusses the literature on the incidence, prevalence and mortality rates of eating disorders. We searched online Medline/Pubmed, Embase and PsycINFO databases for articles published in English using several keyterms

  2. The effects of exercise on cognition in older adults with and without cognitive decline: A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Uffelen, J.G.Z. van; Chin A Paw, M.J.M.; Hopman-Rock, M.; Mechelen, W. van

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To systematically review the effect of physical exercise on cognition in older adults with and without cognitive decline. Data sources: Randomized controlled trials were identified by literature searches in PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, and AgeLine. Study selection: Papers were

  3. What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about interventions for autism spectrum disorders?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larissa Lyra

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs include autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder and pervasive developmental disorder. The manifestations of ASDs can have an important impact on learning and social functioning that may persist during adulthood. The aim here was to summarize the evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews on interventions for ASDs. DESIGN AND SETTING: Review of systematic reviews, conducted within the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. METHODS: We included and summarized the results from Cochrane systematic reviews on interventions for ASDs. RESULTS: Seventeen reviews were included. These found weak evidence of benefits from acupuncture, gluten and casein-free diets, early intensive behavioral interventions, music therapy, parent-mediated early interventions, social skill groups, Theory of Mind cognitive model, aripiprazole, risperidone, tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI; this last only for adults. No benefits were found for sound therapies, chelating agents, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, omega-3, secretin, vitamin B6/magnesium and SSRI for children. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture, gluten and casein-free diets, early intensive behavioral interventions, music therapy, parent-mediated early interventions, social skill groups and the Theory of Mind cognitive model seem to have benefits for patients with autism spectrum disorders (very low to low-quality evidence. Aripiprazole, risperidone, tricyclic antidepressants and SSRI (this last only for adults also showed some benefits, although associated with higher risk of adverse events. Experimental studies to confirm a link between probable therapies and the disease, and then high-quality long-term clinical trials, are needed.

  4. Analysis of the Cochrane Review: Topical Treatments for Scalp Psoriasis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;2:CD009687.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Catarina Soares Queirós

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Regardless the psoriasis subtype, up to 79% of people with this skin condition present scalp involvement, which is often the first site to show symptoms of the disease. In addition to being itchy, the red and scaly lesions are usually easy to see, and may be embarrassing. Topical therapy is usually the first line of treatment; however the wide array of available interventions can make the choice difficult, and may even lead to an inadequate treatment. The objective of this review was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical treatments for scalp psoriasis. A systematic review was performed according to the methodology recommended by Cochrane in order to evaluate the clinical severity of psoriasis, quality of life, and adverse events that led to treatment discontinuation. To evaluate this, 59 studies were included, with a total of 11 561 participants, and 15 comparisons were made between the various drugs and application vehicles tested. The principal conclusion is that corticosteroids of high or very high potency are more effective than vitamin D. The combination of a corticosteroid with vitamin D has only a marginal benefit over corticosteroid monotherapy, but is superior to vitamin D alone. Given the similar safety profile and only marginal benefit of the combination of corticosteroid with vitamin D over the corticosteroid alone, topical corticosteroid monotherapy appears to be fully acceptable for short-term therapy of scalp psoriasis.

  5. Social Media for the Dissemination of Cochrane Child Health Evidence: Evaluation Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dyson, Michele P; Newton, Amanda S; Shave, Kassi; Featherstone, Robin M; Thomson, Denise; Wingert, Aireen; Fernandes, Ricardo M; Hartling, Lisa

    2017-09-01

    Health care providers value ready access to reliable synthesized information to support point-of-care decision making. Web-based communities, facilitated by the adoption of social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, are increasingly being used for knowledge dissemination, bridging the gap between knowledge generation and synthesis and knowledge implementation. Our objective was to implement and evaluate a structured social media strategy, using multiple platforms, to disseminate Cochrane Child Health evidence to health care providers caring for children. Our social media strategy had three components: daily "tweets" using the Cochrane Child Health Twitter account, weekly WordPress blog posts, and a monthly journal club on Twitter ("tweet chat"). Each tweet, blog, and journal club shared Cochrane evidence on a child health topic. We evaluated the strategy through (1) Twitter and blog site analytics, (2) traceable link (Bitly) statistics, (3) Altmetric.com scores for promoted evidence, and (4) participant feedback. We also tracked the resources required to write the blog, tweet content, and manage the strategy. The 22-week social media strategy ran between November 2014 and April 2015. We created 25 blog posts, sent 585 tweets, and hosted 3 tweet chats. Monthly blog visits and views and Twitter account followers increased over time. During the study period, the blog received 2555 visitors and 3967 page views from a geographically diverse audience of health care providers, academics, and health care organizations. In total, 183 traceable Bitly links received 3463 clicks, and the Twitter account gained 469 new followers. The most visited and viewed blog posts included gastrointestinal topics (lactose avoidance), research on respiratory conditions (honey for cough and treatments for asthma), and maternal newborn care (skin-to-skin contact). On Twitter, popular topics were related to public health (vaccination) and pain management. We collected Altmetric

  6. Developing a Guideline for Reporting and Evaluating Grounded Theory Research Studies (GUREGT)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berthelsen, Connie Bøttcher; Grimshaw-Aagaard, Søsserr Lone Smilla; Hansen, Carrinna

    2018-01-01

    theory research studies. The study was conducted in three phases. Phase 1: A structured literature review in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Libraries, PsycInfo and SCOPUS to identify recommendations for reporting and evaluating grounded theory. Phase 2: A selective review of the methodological grounded theory...

  7. Use of information communication technology and stress, burnout, and mental health in older, middle-aged, and younger workers - results from a systematic review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berg-Beckhoff, Gabriele; Nielsen, Grace; Ladekjær Larsen, Eva

    2018-01-01

    through the following bibliographic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Psycinfo, and the Cochrane Library. Inclusion criteria were occupational settings and content relevant to our research question. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Two interventional, 4 cohorts, and 29 cross...

  8. A meta-analysis of the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy for clinically relevant mental and physical health problems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A-Tjak, J.G.L.; Davis, M.L.; Morina, N.; Powers, M.B.; Smits, J.A.J.; Emmelkamp, P.M.G.

    2015-01-01

    Background: The current study presents the results of a meta-analysis of 39 randomized controlled trials on the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), including 1,821 patients with mental disorders or somatic health problems. Methods: We searched PsycINFO, MEDLINE and the Cochrane

  9. The current state of Indigenous and Aboriginal women with diabetes in pregnancy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Porter, Cynthia; Skinner, Timothy; Ellis, Isabelle

    2012-01-01

    To undertake a systematic review of diabetes in pregnancy (DIP), determining prevalence and impact on maternal and child health outcomes for Indigenous and Aboriginal women. Method: Electronic searches of MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, ERIC, DARE, CDSR, PsycINFO, Austhealth and HealthInfoNet were under...

  10. Health-related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents with Psoriasis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Randa, Hilde; Todberg, Tanja; Skov, Lone

    2017-01-01

    moderating influences of demographic and clinical variables. Searches were conducted by 2 independent researchers in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus for papers published between 1995 (the date the first dermatology-specific HRQOL-instrument for children was introduced) and 2016. Eligible studies...

  11. Cognitive Impairment in Euthymic Pediatric Bipolar Disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Elias, Liana R.; Miskowiak, Kamilla W.; Vale, Antônio M. O.

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating neurocognition in euthymic youths with bipolar disorder (BD) compared to healthy controls (HCs). METHOD: A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases from inc...

  12. Stressful Life Events in Children With Functional Defecation Disorders

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Philips, Elise M.; Peeters, Babette; Teeuw, Arianne H.; Leenders, Arnold G. E.; Boluyt, Nicole; Brilleslijper-Kater, Sonja N.; Benninga, Marc A.

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of stressful life events including (sexual) abuse in children with functional defecation disorders by performing a systematic review. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO for cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies investigating the

  13. Depression and obesity: A meta-analysis of community based studies.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Wit, L.M.; van Straten, A.; Luppino, F; Penninx, B.W.J.H.; Zitman, F; Cuijpers, P.

    2010-01-01

    To examine the nature of the association between depression and obesity and to determine possible underlying (demographic) factors, we conducted a meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies in the general population. We searched in major bibliographical databases (PubMed, Embase and PsycInfo) for

  14. Measurement properties of performance-based measures to assess physical function in hip and knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dobson, F.; Hinman, R.S.; Leverstein-van Hall, M.A.; Terwee, C.B.; Roos, E.M.; Bennell, K.L.

    2012-01-01

    Objectives: To systematically review the measurement properties of performance-based measures to assess physical function in people with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Electronic searches were performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO up to the end of June 2012. Two reviewers

  15. What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about the clinical effectiveness of screening and diagnostic tests for cancer?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André Tito Pereira Bueno

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The purpose of screening tests for cancer is to detect it at an early stage in order to increase the chances of treatment. However, their unrestrained use may lead to unnecessary examinations, overdiagnosis and higher costs. It is thus necessary to evaluate their clinical effects in terms of benefits and harm. DESIGN AND SETTING: Review of Cochrane systematic reviews, carried out in the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. METHODS: Cochrane reviews on the clinical effectiveness of cancer screening procedures were included. Study titles and abstracts were independently assessed by two authors. Conflicts were resolved by another two authors. Findings were summarized and discussed. RESULTS: Seventeen reviews were selected: fifteen on screening for specific cancers (bladder, breast, colorectal, hepatic, lung, nasopharyngeal, esophageal, oral, prostate, testicular and uterine and two others on cancer in general. The quality of evidence of the findings varied among the reviews. Only two reviews resulted in high-quality evidence: screening using low-dose computed tomography scans for high-risk individuals seems to reduce lung cancer mortality; and screening using flexible sigmoidoscopy and fecal occult blood tests seems to reduce colorectal cancer mortality. CONCLUSION: The evidence found through Cochrane reviews did not support most of the commonly used screening tests for cancer. It is recommended that patients should be informed of the possibilities of false positives and false negatives before they undergo the tests. Further studies to fully assess the effectiveness of cancer screening tests and adverse outcomes are required.

  16. The efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis at placement of dental implants: a Cochrane systematic review of randomised controlled clinical trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esposito, Marco; Grusovin, Maria Gabriella; Coulthard, Paul; Oliver, Richard; Worthington, Helen V

    To assess the beneficial or harmful effects of systemic prophylactic antibiotics at dental implant placement versus no antibiotic/placebo administration and, if antibiotics are of benefit, to find which type, dosage and duration is the most effective. The Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched and several journals were handsearched with no language restriction up to January 2008. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with a follow up of at least 3 months comparing the administration of various prophylactic antibiotic regimens versus no antibiotics to patients undergoing dental implant placement were eligible. Screening of studies, quality assessment and data extraction were conducted in duplicate. Missing information was requested. Outcome measures were: prosthesis and implant failures, postoperative infections and adverse events (gastrointestinal, hypersensitivity, etc.). Two RCTs were identified: one comparing 2 g of preoperative amoxicillin versus placebo (316 patients) and the other comparing 2 g of preoperative amoxicillin + 500 mg four times a day for 2 days versus no antibiotics (80 patients). The meta-analyses of the two trials showed a statistically significant higher number of patients experiencing implant failures in the group not receiving antibiotics: RR = 0.22 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.86). The number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one patient having an implant failure is 25 (95% CI 13 to 100), based on a patient implant failure rate of 6% in patients not receiving antibiotics. The other outcomes were not statistically significant, and only two minor adverse events were recorded, one of which was in the placebo group. There is some evidence suggesting that 2 g of amoxicillin given 1 hour preoperatively significantly reduce failures of dental implants placed in ordinary conditions. It remains unclear whether postoperative antibiotics are beneficial, and which is the most effective antibiotic. It might be

  17. The cognitive effects of opioids in cancer: a systematic review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kurita, Geana Paula; Lundorff, Lena; Pimenta, Cibele Andrucioli de Mattos

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: In order to better understand the effects of opioids on the cognitive function in cancer pain patients, a literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CINAHL and Lilacs databases. Ten controlled trials were selected and classified according to the study design...

  18. Psychosocial correlates of oral hygiene behaviour in people aged 9 to 19 : a systematic review with meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scheerman, J.F.M.; van Loveren, C.; van Meijel, B.; Dusseldorp, E.; Wartewig, E.; Verrips, G.H.W.; Ket, J.C.F.; van Empelen, P.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: This systematic and meta-analytic review aimed to quantify the association of psychosocial correlates with oral hygiene behaviour among 9- to 19-year olds. Methods: A systematic search up to August 2015 was carried out using the following databases: PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, CINAHL and

  19. Quality of working life issues of employees with a chronic physical disease: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Jong, Merel; de Boer, Angela G. E. M.; Tamminga, Sietske J.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.

    2015-01-01

    To assess issues that contribute to the Quality of Working Life (QWL) of employees with a chronic physical disease. A systematic literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed, PsycINFO and EMBASE. Experiences and perceptions during the working life of employees with a chronic physical

  20. [Comparison of application of Cochran-Armitage trend test and linear regression analysis for rate trend analysis in epidemiology study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, D Z; Wang, C; Shen, C F; Zhang, Y; Zhang, H; Song, G D; Xue, X D; Xu, Z L; Zhang, S; Jiang, G H

    2017-05-10

    We described the time trend of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) from 1999 to 2013 in Tianjin incidence rate with Cochran-Armitage trend (CAT) test and linear regression analysis, and the results were compared. Based on actual population, CAT test had much stronger statistical power than linear regression analysis for both overall incidence trend and age specific incidence trend (Cochran-Armitage trend P valuelinear regression P value). The statistical power of CAT test decreased, while the result of linear regression analysis remained the same when population size was reduced by 100 times and AMI incidence rate remained unchanged. The two statistical methods have their advantages and disadvantages. It is necessary to choose statistical method according the fitting degree of data, or comprehensively analyze the results of two methods.

  1. An Iterated GMM Procedure for Estimating the Campbell-Cochrane Habit Formation Model, with an Application to Danish Stock and Bond Returns

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Engsted, Tom; Møller, Stig Vinther

    2010-01-01

    We suggest an iterated GMM approach to estimate and test the consumption based habit persistence model of Campbell and Cochrane, and we apply the approach on annual and quarterly Danish stock and bond returns. For comparative purposes we also estimate and test the standard constant relative risk...... covering more than 80 years there is absolutely no evidence of superior performance of the Campbell-Cochrane model. For the shorter and more recent quarterly data over a 20-30 year period, there is some evidence of counter-cyclical time-variation in the degree of risk-aversion, in accordance...

  2. An iterated GMM procedure for estimating the Campbell-Cochrane habit formation model, with an application to Danish stock and bond returns

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Engsted, Tom; Møller, Stig V.

    We suggest an iterated GMM approach to estimate and test the consumption based habit persistence model of Campbell and Cochrane (1999), and we apply the approach on annual and quarterly Danish stock and bond returns. For comparative purposes we also estimate and test the standard CRRA model...... than 80 years there is absolutely no evidence of superior performance of the Campbell-Cochrane model. For the shorter and more recent quarterly data over a 20-30 year period, there is some evidence of counter-cyclical time-variation in the degree of risk-aversion, in accordance with the Campbell...

  3. Searching for religion and mental health studies required health, social science, and grey literature databases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Judy M; Cottrell, David J; Mir, Ghazala

    2014-07-01

    To determine the optimal databases to search for studies of faith-sensitive interventions for treating depression. We examined 23 health, social science, religious, and grey literature databases searched for an evidence synthesis. Databases were prioritized by yield of (1) search results, (2) potentially relevant references identified during screening, (3) included references contained in the synthesis, and (4) included references that were available in the database. We assessed the impact of databases beyond MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO by their ability to supply studies identifying new themes and issues. We identified pragmatic workload factors that influence database selection. PsycINFO was the best performing database within all priority lists. ArabPsyNet, CINAHL, Dissertations and Theses, EMBASE, Global Health, Health Management Information Consortium, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Sociological Abstracts were essential for our searches to retrieve the included references. Citation tracking activities and the personal library of one of the research teams made significant contributions of unique, relevant references. Religion studies databases (Am Theo Lib Assoc, FRANCIS) did not provide unique, relevant references. Literature searches for reviews and evidence syntheses of religion and health studies should include social science, grey literature, non-Western databases, personal libraries, and citation tracking activities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Correlations between lower urinary tract symptoms, erectile dysfunction, and cardiovascular diseases : Are there differences between male populations from primary healthcare and urology clinics? A review of the current knowledge

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bouwman, Inge I.; Van der Heide, Wouter K.; Van der Meer, Klaas; Nijman, Rien

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the correlation between lower urinary tract symptoms, erectile dysfunction, and cardiovascular diseases in different male populations. Methods: Data sources: PubMed (Medline), clinical evidence, Embase, Cochrane reviews, and articles from reference lists. Selection criteria:

  5. Hospital- and community-based interventions enhancing (re) employment for people with spinal cord injury : a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roels, E. H.; Aertgeerts, B.; Ramaekers, D.; Peers, K.

    Study design: Systematic Review. Objectives: To investigate the effect of interventions enhancing (re) employment following spinal cord injury (SCI). Setting: Studies from multiple countries were included. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), CINAHL,

  6. A Systematic Review of Outcomes Following Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty and Stenting in the Treatment of Transplant Renal Artery Stenosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ngo, A. T.; Markar, S. R.; de Lijster, M. S.; Duncan, N.; Taube, D.; Hamady, M. S.

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate outcomes following treatment of transplant renal artery stenosis by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stent insertion. A literature search was performed using Pubmed, MEDLINE, Embase, Wiley Interscience and the Cochrane Library databases. Outcome measures were glomerular

  7. A systematic review of the cost-effectiveness of worksite physical activity and/or nutrition programs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dongen, J.M. van; Proper, K.I.; Wier, M.F. van; Beek, A.J. van der; Bongers, P.M.; Mechelen, W. van; Tulder, M.W. van

    2012-01-01

    Objective The aim of this study was to appraise and summarize the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of worksite physical activity and/or nutrition programs. Methods We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, SportDiscus, PsycInfo, NIOSHTIC-2, NHSEED, HTA, and Econlit for studies published up to 14 January 2011.

  8. Is puberty a risk factor for back pain in the young? a systematic critical literature review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lardon, A.; Leboeuf-Yde, C.; Le Scanff, C.

    2014-01-01

    the increasing stages of puberty and the subsequent prevalence of back pain? 4) Is there a temporal link between puberty and back pain? DESIGN: A systematic critical literature review. METHODS: Systematic searches were made in March 2014 in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and PsycINFO including longitudinal or cross...

  9. Adherence to Self-Care Interventions for Depression or Anxiety: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simco, Russell; McCusker, Jane; Sewitch, Maida

    2014-01-01

    Objective: The objective of this study was to synthesise and describe adherence to intervention in published studies of supported self-care for depression or anxiety, and to identify participant characteristics associated with higher adherence. Methods: We searched the databases EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PSYCINFO for the period from January…

  10. Factors that Promote or Hinder Young Disabled People in Work Participation: A Systematic Review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Achterberg, T. J.; Wind, H.; de Boer, A. G. E. M.; Frings-Dresen, M. H. W.

    2009-01-01

    Introduction The aim of this systematic review was to study factors which promote or hinder young disabled people entering the labor market. Methods We systematically searched PubMed (by means of MESH and text words), EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and CINAHL for studies regarding (1) disabled

  11. Prospective risk of stillbirth and neonatal complications in twin pregnancies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cheong-See, Fiona; Schuit, Ewoud; Arroyo-Manzano, David

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To determine the risks of stillbirth and neonatal complications by gestational age in uncomplicated monochorionic and dichorionic twin pregnancies. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases (until December 2015). REVIEW METHODS: ...

  12. Surgery versus endoscopic cauterization in patients with third or fourth branchial pouch sinuses : A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Derks, Laura S M; Veenstra, Hidde J.; Oomen, Karin P Q; Speleman, Lucienne; Stegeman, Inge

    2016-01-01

    Objectives To systematically review the current literature on treatment of third and fourth branchial pouch sinuses with endoscopic cauterization, including chemocauterization and electrocauterization, in comparison to surgical treatment. Data Sources PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Review

  13. Comparative effectiveness and safety of xiyanping with ribavirin for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Pharmacotherapy Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, ... Methods: Searches included PubMed, Embase, Medline, Cochrane Library, ... Index Medicus, JournalSeek, Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, ... principle andrographolide, which is a primary labdane diterpenoid. .... Zhaoqing, (2015).

  14. Bækkenbundstræning til gravide og barslende kvinder--en gennemgang af et Cochrane-review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brostrøm, Søren; Due, Ulla; Lose, Gunnar

    2010-01-01

    Urinary and anal incontinence are prevalent in pregnant and parturient women. Pelvic floor muscle training is frequently employed for prevention and treatment. A recent Cochrane review is discussed. Fifteen studies with a total of 6,181 women were included. Pregnant women without urinary...... incontinence experienced a reduction of the risk of developing urinary incontinence in later pregnancy or post partum. Peripartum patients with urinary and anal incontinence experienced a reduction of their symptoms following training....

  15. Bækkenbundstræning til gravide og barslende kvinder--en gennemgang af et Cochrane-review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brostrøm, Søren; Due, Ulla; Lose, G.

    2010-01-01

    Urinary and anal incontinence are prevalent in pregnant and parturient women. Pelvic floor muscle training is frequently employed for prevention and treatment. A recent Cochrane review is discussed. Fifteen studies with a total of 6,181 women were included. Pregnant women without urinary...... incontinence experienced a reduction of the risk of developing urinary incontinence in later pregnancy or post partum. Peripartum patients with urinary and anal incontinence experienced a reduction of their symptoms following training...

  16. Economic assessment of preeclampsia : Screening, diagnosis, treatment options, and long term outcomes - A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zakiyah, Neily; Van Asselt, Antoinette D.; Baker, Philip N.; Postma, Maarten J.

    OBJECTIVES: Provide a comprehensive overview of the existing evidence on the health economics of screening, diagnosis, and treatment options in preeclampsia. METHODS: A systematic literature search was undertaken using three electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane) to identify all English

  17. The Placebo Response in Pediatric Abdominal Pain-Related Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoekman, Daniël R.; Zeevenhooven, Judith; van Etten-Jamaludin, Faridi S.; Douwes Dekker, Iuke; Benninga, Marc A.; Tabbers, Merit M.; Vlieger, Arine M.

    2017-01-01

    To investigate the magnitude and determinants of the placebo response in studies with pediatric abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL were searched for systematic reviews and randomized

  18. Radioembolization : Is Prophylactic Embolization of Hepaticoenteric Arteries Necessary? A Systematic Review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Borggreve, Alicia S; Landman, Anadeijda J E M C; Vissers, Coco M J; De Jong, Charlotte D; Lam, Marnix G E H; Monninkhof, Evelyn M; Prince, Jip F

    2016-01-01

    PURPOSE: To study the effectiveness of prophylactic embolization of hepaticoenteric arteries to prevent gastrointestinal complications during radioembolization. METHODS: A PubMed, Embase and Cochrane literature search was performed. We included studies assessing both a group of patients with and

  19. Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Mental Health Problems: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuijpers, Pim; Donker, Tara; Weissman, Myrna M; Ravitz, Paula; Cristea, Ioana A

    2016-07-01

    Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) has been developed for the treatment of depression but has been examined for several other mental disorders. A comprehensive meta-analysis of all randomized trials examining the effects of IPT for all mental health problems was conducted. Searches in PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, and Cochrane were conducted to identify all trials examining IPT for any mental health problem. Ninety studies with 11,434 participants were included. IPT for acute-phase depression had moderate-to-large effects compared with control groups (g=0.60; 95% CI=0.45-0.75). No significant difference was found with other therapies (differential g=0.06) and pharmacotherapy (g=-0.13). Combined treatment was more effective than IPT alone (g=0.24). IPT in subthreshold depression significantly prevented the onset of major depression, and maintenance IPT significantly reduced relapse. IPT had significant effects on eating disorders, but the effects are probably slightly smaller than those of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in the acute phase of treatment. In anxiety disorders, IPT had large effects compared with control groups, and there is no evidence that IPT was less effective than CBT. There was risk of bias as defined by the Cochrane Collaboration in the majority of studies. There was little indication that the presence of bias influenced outcome. IPT is effective in the acute treatment of depression and may be effective in the prevention of new depressive disorders and in preventing relapse. IPT may also be effective in the treatment of eating disorders and anxiety disorders and has shown promising effects in some other mental health disorders.

  20. Family intervention for caregivers of people with recent-onset psychosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Chak Fai; Chien, Wai Tong; Bressington, Daniel Thomas

    2017-10-27

    We aimed to systematically review the evidence of the effectiveness of family interventions for caregivers of people with recent-onset psychosis compared with usual psychiatric care. A secondary objective was to directly compare the effects of different types of family interventions. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), CINAHL Complete and EBSCOhost were searched to identify relevant randomized controlled trials. Trial data were extracted following the procedures described in the Cochrane Handbook of systematic reviews. Random-effects models were used to pool the intervention effects. Twelve studies including 1644 participants were included in this review. With the exception of a high risk of performance bias inherent to the nature of the psychosocial interventions, the studies had an overall low or unclear risk of bias, suggesting that sources of bias are unlikely to lower confidence in the estimate of intervention effects. Meta-analyses were conducted for 4 different participant outcomes reported in 9 studies. Compared with usual psychiatric care, family intervention was more effective in reducing care burden over all follow-up periods. Family intervention was also superior to usual care with regards to caregiving experience in the short term and improved utilization of formal support and family functioning over longer-term follow up. Mutual support is more effective than psychoeducation in improving family functioning when measured 1 to 2 years after the intervention but had equivalent effects on utilization of formal support services. This review provides evidence that family intervention is effective for caregivers of recent-onset psychosis, especially for care burden where the positive effects are enhanced over time. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  1. Theory-based self-management educational interventions on patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Fang-Fang; Suhonen, Riitta; Koskinen, Sanna; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

    2017-04-01

    To synthesize the effects of theory-based self-management educational interventions on patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in randomized controlled trials. Type 2 diabetes is a common chronic disease causing complications that put a heavy burden on society and reduce the quality of life of patients. Good self-management of diabetes can prevent complications and improve the quality of life of T2DM patients. Systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials following Cochrane methods. A literature search was carried out in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PSYCINFO, and Web of Science databases (1980-April 2015). The risk of bias of these eligible studies was assessed independently by two authors using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool. The Publication bias of the main outcomes was examined. Statistical heterogeneity and random-effects model were used for meta-analysis. Twenty studies with 5802 participants met the inclusion criteria. The interventions in the studies were based on one or more theories which mostly belong to mid-range theories. The pooled main outcomes by random-effects model showed significant improvements in HbA1c, self-efficacy, and diabetes knowledge, but not in BMI. As for quality of life, no conclusions can be drawn as the pooled outcome became the opposite with reduced heterogeneity after one study was excluded. No significant publication bias was found in the main outcomes. To get theory-based interventions to produce more effects, the role of patients should be more involved and stronger and the education team should be trained beyond the primary preparation for the self-management education program. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. What domains of clinical function should be assessed after sport-related concussion? A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feddermann-Demont, Nina; Echemendia, Ruben J; Schneider, Kathryn J; Solomon, Gary S; Hayden, K Alix; Turner, Michael; Dvořák, Jiří; Straumann, Dominik; Tarnutzer, Alexander A

    2017-06-01

    Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a clinical diagnosis made after a sport-related head trauma. Inconsistency exists regarding appropriate methods for assessing SRC, which focus largely on symptom-scores, neurocognitive functioning and postural stability. Systematic literature review. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane-DSR, Cochrane CRCT, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus (accessed July 9, 2016). Original (prospective) studies reporting on postinjury assessment in a clinical setting and evaluation of diagnostic tools within 2 weeks after an SRC. Forty-six studies covering 3284 athletes were included out of 2170 articles. Only the prospective studies were considered for final analysis (n=33; 2416 athletes). Concussion diagnosis was typically made on the sideline by an (certified) athletic trainer (55.0%), mainly on the basis of results from a symptom-based questionnaire. Clinical domains affected included cognitive, vestibular and headache/migraine. Headache, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and dizziness were the symptoms most frequently reported. Neurocognitive testing was used in 30/33 studies (90.9%), whereas balance was assessed in 9/33 studies (27.3%). The overall quality of the studies was considered low. The absence of an objective, gold standard criterion makes the accurate diagnosis of SRC challenging. Current approaches tend to emphasise cognition, symptom assessment and postural stability with less of a focus on other domains of functioning. We propose that the clinical assessment of SRC should be symptom based and interdisciplinary. Whenever possible, the SRC assessment should incorporate neurological, vestibular, ocular motor, visual, neurocognitive, psychological and cervical aspects. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  3. Exit interviews to reduce turnover amongst healthcare professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webster, Joan; Flint, Anndrea

    2014-08-19

    Exit interviews are widely used in healthcare organisations to identify reasons for staff attrition, yet their usefulness in limiting turnover is unclear. To determine the effectiveness of various exit interview strategies in decreasing turnover rates amongst healthcare professionals. We searched the Cochrane EPOC Group Specialised Register; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Issue 11, 2012; MEDLINE, Ovid (1950- ); EMBASE, Ovid (1947- ); CINAHL, EbscoHost (1980- ), and PsycINFO, OVID (1806-) between October 31 and November 6, 2012. We also screened the reference lists of included studies and relevant reviews; and searched trial registries for planned and on-going studies. We did not restrict searches by language or publication date. Randomised controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, controlled before-after studies and interrupted time series studies comparing turnover rates between healthcare professionals who had undergone one form of exit interview with another form of exit interview or with no interview. Two review authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. The original search identified 1560 citations, of which we considered 19 potentially relevant. The two authors independently reviewed the abstracts of these studies and retrieved the full texts of eight studies. We excluded all eight following independent assessment; they were either interviews, commentaries on how to do an exit interview or descriptive studies about reasons for leaving. We found no studies that matched our inclusion criteria. For this first update, we screened 2220 citations and identified no new studies. Evidence about the effectiveness of exit interviews to reduce turnover is currently not available. However, exit interviews may provide useful information about the work environment which, in turn, may be useful in the development of interventions to reduce turnover.

  4. Virtual reality therapy for adults post-stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis exploring virtual environments and commercial games in therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lohse, Keith R; Hilderman, Courtney G E; Cheung, Katharine L; Tatla, Sandy; Van der Loos, H F Machiel

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this analysis was to systematically review the evidence for virtual reality (VR) therapy in an adult post-stroke population in both custom built virtual environments (VE) and commercially available gaming systems (CG). MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, PSYCInfo, DARE, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were systematically searched from the earliest available date until April 4, 2013. Controlled trials that compared VR to conventional therapy were included. Population criteria included adults (>18) post-stroke, excluding children, cerebral palsy, and other neurological disorders. Included studies were reported in English. Quality of studies was assessed with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale (PEDro). Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. For body function outcomes, there was a significant benefit of VR therapy compared to conventional therapy controls, G = 0.48, 95% CI = [0.27, 0.70], and no significant difference between VE and CG interventions (P = 0.38). For activity outcomes, there was a significant benefit of VR therapy, G = 0.58, 95% CI = [0.32, 0.85], and no significant difference between VE and CG interventions (P = 0.66). For participation outcomes, the overall effect size was G = 0.56, 95% CI = [0.02, 1.10]. All participation outcomes came from VE studies. VR rehabilitation moderately improves outcomes compared to conventional therapy in adults post-stroke. Current CG interventions have been too few and too small to assess potential benefits of CG. Future research in this area should aim to clearly define conventional therapy, report on participation measures, consider motivational components of therapy, and investigate commercially available systems in larger RCTs. Prospero CRD42013004338.

  5. Yoga for breast cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cramer Holger

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many breast cancer patients and survivors use yoga to cope with their disease. The aim of this review was to systematically assess and meta-analyze the evidence for effects of yoga on health-related quality of life and psychological health in breast cancer patients and survivors. Methods MEDLINE, PsycInfo, EMBASE, CAMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were screened through February 2012. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs comparing yoga to controls were analyzed when they assessed health-related quality of life or psychological health in breast cancer patients or survivors. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Standardized mean differences (SMD and 95% confidence intervals (CI were calculated. Results Twelve RCTs with a total of 742 participants were included. Seven RCTs compared yoga to no treatment; 3 RCTs compared yoga to supportive therapy; 1 RCT compared yoga to health education; and 1 RCT compared a combination of physiotherapy and yoga to physiotherapy alone. Evidence was found for short-term effects on global health-related quality of life (SMD = 0.62 [95% CI: 0.04 to 1.21]; P = 0.04, functional (SMD = 0.30 [95% CI: 0.03 to 0.57, social (SMD = 0.29 [95% CI: 0.08 to 0.50]; P  Conclusions This systematic review found evidence for short-term effects of yoga in improving psychological health in breast cancer patients. The short-term effects on health-related quality of life could not be clearly distinguished from bias. Yoga can be recommended as an intervention to improve psychological health during breast cancer treatment.

  6. Increased risk for abnormal depression scores in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dokras, Anuja; Clifton, Shari; Futterweit, Walter; Wild, Robert

    2011-01-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and depression both have a high prevalence in reproductive-aged women. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of abnormal depression scores in women who meet currently recognized definitions of PCOS compared with women in a well-defined control group. The search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE Classic plus EMBASE, PsycINFO, Current Contents-Clinical Medicine and Current Contents-Life Sciences and Web of Science. Cochrane software Review Manager 5.0.24 was used to construct forest plots comparing risk of abnormal depression scores in those in the PCOS and control groups. Studies with well-defined criteria of women with PCOS and control groups of women without PCOS, with demographic information including age and body mass index (BMI), were included. Of 752 screened articles, 17 met the selection criteria for systematic review and 10 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Data were abstracted independently by three reviewers. All studies were cross-sectional and most used the Rotterdam criteria for the diagnosis of PCOS (n=10). The odds ratio (OR) for abnormal depression scores was 4.03 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.96-5.5, Pwomen with PCOS (n=522) compared with those in the control groups (n=475). A subanalysis showed that the odds for abnormal depression scores was independent of BMI (OR 4.09, 95% CI 2.62-6.41). Several validated tools were used to screen for depression; the common tool used was the Beck Depression Inventory. The results of our study suggest the need to screen all women with PCOS for depression using validated screening tools. Women with PCOS are at an increased risk for abnormal depression scores independent of BMI.

  7. "Research protocol: a synthesis of qualitative studies on the process of adaptation to dependency in elderly persons and their families"

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Background Dealing with dependency in the elderly and their families leads us to explore the life experience of those involved together with the processes of adaptation to this condition. A number of original studies have been published which, following a qualitative methodology, have dealt with both dimensions. Methods/Design Objectives: 1) To present a synthesis of the qualitative evidence available on the process of adaptation to dependency in elderly persons and their families; 2) to conduct an in-depth study into the experiences and strategies developed by both to optimise their living conditions; 3) to enable standards of action/intervention to be developed in the caregiving environment. A synthesis of qualitative studies is projected with an extensive and inclusive bibliography search strategy. The primary search will focus on the major databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, PSICODOC, Cochrane Library, JBI, EMBASE, LILACS, CUIDEN, CUIDEN qualitative, CUIDATGE, British Nursing Index, SSCI). The secondary search will be conducted in articles taken from the references to studies identified in the articles and reports and the manual search in congresses and foundation papers. Article quality will be assessed by the guide proposed by Sandelowski & Barroso and data extraction done using the QARI data extraction form proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence-Based Practice. The synthesis of the findings will be based on the principles and procedures of grounded theory: coding, identification and relationship between categories, and synthesis using constant comparison as a strategy. Discussion This synthesis of qualitative evidence will enable us to detect health needs as perceived by the receivers in their own interaction contexts. PMID:20738846

  8. The effectiveness of information and communication technology-based psychological interventions for paediatric chronic pain: protocol for a systematic review, meta-analysis and intervention content analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Traynor, Angeline; Morrissey, Eimear; Egan, Jonathan; McGuire, Brian E

    2016-10-18

    Resource and geographic barriers are the commonly cited constraints preventing the uptake of psychological treatment for chronic pain management. For adults, there is some evidence to support the use of information and communication technology (ICT) as a mode of treatment delivery. However, mixed findings have been reported for the effectiveness and acceptability of psychological interventions delivered using information and communication technology for children and adolescents. This is a protocol for a review that aims to (i) evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions delivered using information and communication technology for children and adolescents with chronic pain and (ii) identify the intervention components and usability factors in technology-based treatments associated with behaviour change. We will conduct a systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions for paediatric chronic pain delivered using ICT. We plan to directly compare ICT-based, psychological interventions with active control, treatment as usual or waiting list control conditions. This systematic review will be reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidance. Published and unpublished randomised controlled trials will be included and the literature search will comprise Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library on Wiley, including CENTRAL and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Grey literature including theses, dissertations, technical and research reports will also be examined. Two review authors will independently conduct study selection, relevant data extraction and assessment of methodological quality. Risk of bias in included studies will be assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool criteria. Two qualified coders will independently code behaviour change techniques according to the behaviour change taxonomy (v1) of 93 hierarchically

  9. Physical activity in advanced cancer patients: a systematic review protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowe, Sonya S; Tan, Maria; Faily, Joan; Watanabe, Sharon M; Courneya, Kerry S

    2016-03-11

    Progressive, incurable cancer is associated with increased fatigue, increased muscle weakness, and reduced physical functioning, all of which negatively impact quality of life. Physical activity has demonstrated benefits on cancer-related fatigue and physical functioning in early-stage cancer patients; however, its impact on these outcomes in end-stage cancer has not been established. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the potential benefits, harms, and effects of physical activity interventions on quality of life outcomes in advanced cancer patients. A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature on physical activity in advanced cancer patients will be undertaken. Empirical quantitative studies will be considered for inclusion if they present interventional or observational data on physical activity in advanced cancer patients. Searches will be conducted in the following electronic databases: CINAHL; CIRRIE Database of International Rehabilitation Research; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR); Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE); Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); EMBASE; MEDLINE; PEDro: the Physiotherapy Evidence Database; PQDT; PsycInfo; PubMed; REHABDATA; Scopus; SPORTDiscus; and Web of Science, to identify relevant studies of interest. Additional strategies to identify relevant studies will include citation searches and evaluation of reference lists of included articles. Titles, abstracts, and keywords of identified studies from the search strategies will be screened for inclusion criteria. Two independent reviewers will conduct quality appraisal using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies (EPHPP) and the Cochrane risk of bias tool. A descriptive summary of included studies will describe the study designs, participant and activity characteristics, and objective and patient-reported outcomes. This systematic review will summarize the current

  10. Interventions for postoperative pain in children: An overview of systematic reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boric, Krste; Dosenovic, Svjetlana; Jelicic Kadic, Antonia; Batinic, Marijan; Cavar, Marija; Urlic, Marjan; Markovina, Nikolina; Puljak, Livia

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to conduct an overview of systematic reviews that summarizes the results about efficacy and safety from randomized controlled trials involving the various strategies used for postoperative pain management in children. We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, Database of Reviews of Effect, Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO from the earliest date to January 24, 2016. This overview included 45 systematic reviews that evaluated interventions for postoperative pain in children. Out of 45 systematic reviews that investigated various interventions for postoperative pain in children, 19 systematic reviews (42%) presented conclusive evidence of efficacy. Positive conclusive evidence was reported in 18 systematic reviews (40%) for the efficacy of diclofenac, ketamine, caudal analgesia, dexmedetomidine, music therapy, corticosteroid, epidural analgesia, paracetamol, and/or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and transversus abdominis plane block. Only one systematic review reported conclusive evidence of equal efficacy that involved a comparison of dexmedetomidine vs morphine and fentanyl. Safety of interventions was reported as conclusive in 14 systematic reviews (31%), with positive conclusive evidence for dexmedetomidine, corticosteroid, epidural analgesia, transversus abdominis plane block, and clonidine. Seven systematic reviews reported equal conclusive safety for epidural infusion, diclofenac intravenous vs ketamine added to opioid analgesia, bupivacaine, ketamine, paracetamol, and dexmedetomidine vs intravenous infusions of various opioid analgesics, oral suspension and suppository of diclofenac, only opioid, normal saline, no treatment, placebo, and midazolam. Negative conclusive statement for safety was reported in one systematic review for caudal analgesia vs noncaudal regional analgesia. More than half of systematic reviews included in this overview were rated as having medium methodological quality. Of 45 included

  11. Statins use and risk of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parsaik, Ajay K; Singh, Balwinder; Murad, M Hassan; Singh, Kuljit; Mascarenhas, Soniya S; Williams, Mark D; Lapid, Maria I; Richardson, Jarrett W; West, Colin P; Rummans, Teresa A

    2014-05-01

    Statin use has been associated with depression; however studies of the association between statin use and depression have yielded mixed results. To determine whether statin use is associated with depression and to evaluate the evidence supporting this association. Ovid MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus were searched through December 28, 2012. We included studies that evaluated exposure to statins, reported the development of depression, and relative risks or odds ratios (ORs) or provided data for their estimation. Two reviewers screened 981 abstracts independently using a standardized form, reviewed full text of 59 selected articles, and included 7 studies in this metaanalysis. Study design, statin exposure, development of depression, and study quality were extracted by 2 independent reviewers. A pooled OR with 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated using the random-effects model and heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q test and the I(2) statistic. Seven observational studies (4 cohort, 2 nested case-control, and 1 cross-sectional) from 5 countries enrolling 9187 patients were included. Statin users were 32% less likely to develop depression than nonusers (adjusted OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.52-0.89). Modest heterogeneity was observed between the studies (I(2)=55%, P=0.01), which could be accounted for by one study, exclusion of which removed the heterogeneity (P=0.40, I(2)=2%) and further strengthened the antidepressant effect of statin (adjusted OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43-0.93). Heterogeneity could not be explained by study design or study population. The quality of supporting evidence was fair. This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that statin use is associated with lower risk for depression. However, higher-quality studies are needed to confirm the magnitude of this association. Copyright © 2013

  12. Design and Formative Evaluation of the Policy Liaison Initiative: A Long-Term Knowledge Translation Strategy to Encourage and Support the Use of Cochrane Systematic Reviews for Informing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brennan, Sue E.; Cumpston, Miranda; Misso, Marie L.; McDonald, Steve; Murphy, Matthew J.; Green, Sally E.

    2016-01-01

    The Policy Liaison Initiative (PLI) is a long-term knowledge translation initiative designed to support the use of Cochrane systematic reviews in health policy. A joint initiative between the Australasian Cochrane Centre and Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, the PLI includes: 1) a community of practice for evidence-informed…

  13. Constructing a Validity Argument for the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS): A Systematic Review of Validity Evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatala, Rose; Cook, David A.; Brydges, Ryan; Hawkins, Richard

    2015-01-01

    In order to construct and evaluate the validity argument for the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS), based on Kane's framework, we conducted a systematic review. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, Web of Science, Scopus, and selected reference lists through February 2013. Working in duplicate, we selected…

  14. Treatment of periodontitis improves the atherosclerotic profile : a systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Teeuw, Wijnand J.; Slot, Dagmar E.; Susanto, Hendri; Gerdes, Victor E. A.; Abbas, Frank; D'Aiuto, Francesco; Kastelein, John J. P.; Loos, Bruno G.

    AimSystematic review and meta-analyses to study the robustness of observations that treatment of periodontitis improves the atherosclerotic profile. Material and MethodsLiterature was searched in Medline-PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL and EMBASE, based on controlled periodontal intervention trials,

  15. The reliability and validity of cervical auscultation in the diagnosis of dysphagia : A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lagarde, Marloes L J; Kamalski, DMA; Van Den Engel-Hoek, Lenie

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To systematically review the available evidence for the reliability and validity of cervical auscultation in diagnosing the several aspects of dysphagia in adults and children suffering from dysphagia. Data sources: Medline (PubMed), Embase and the Cochrane Library databases. Review

  16. Treatment of periodontitis improves the atherosclerotic profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Teeuw, W.J.; Slot, D.E.; Susanto, H.; Gerdes, V.E.A.; Abbas, F.; D'Aiuto, F.; Kastelein, J.J.P.; Loos, B.G.

    2014-01-01

    Aim Systematic review and meta-analyses to study the robustness of observations that treatment of periodontitis improves the atherosclerotic profile. Material and Methods Literature was searched in Medline-PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL and EMBASE, based on controlled periodontal intervention trials,

  17. Treatment of periodontitis improves the atherosclerotic profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Teeuw, Wijnand J.; Slot, Dagmar E.; Susanto, Hendri; Gerdes, Victor E. A.; Abbas, Frank; D'Aiuto, Francesco; Kastelein, John J. P.; Loos, Bruno G.

    2014-01-01

    AimSystematic review and meta-analyses to study the robustness of observations that treatment of periodontitis improves the atherosclerotic profile. Material and MethodsLiterature was searched in Medline-PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL and EMBASE, based on controlled periodontal intervention trials,

  18. Associations between characteristics of the nurse work environment and five nurse-sensitive patient outcomes in hospitals : A systematic review of literature

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stalpers, Dewi; de Brouwer, Brigitte J M; Kaljouw, Marian J.; Schuurmans, Marieke J.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To systematically review the literature on relationships between characteristics of the nurse work environment and five nurse-sensitive patient outcomes in hospitals. Data sources: The search was performed in Medline (PubMed), Cochrane, Embase, and CINAHL. Review methods: Included were

  19. Effects of Nonpharmacological Interventions for Dizziness in Older People

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kendall, Julie C; Hartvigsen, Jan; Azari, Michael F

    2016-01-01

    people. DATA SOURCES: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, CINAHL, AMED, Index to Chiropractic Literature, PsychINFO and MANTIS were searched from inception to May 2014. STUDY SELECTION: Two investigators independently screened controlled trials with dizzy participants...

  20. Chronic subdural hematoma : a systematic review and meta-analysis of surgical procedures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liu, Weiming; Bakker, Nicolaas A.; Groen, Rob J. M.

    Object. In this paper the authors systematically evaluate the results of different surgical procedures for chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). Methods. The MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and other databases were scrutinized according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting

  1. Behavioral Treatments of Chronic Tension-Type Headache in Adults : Are They Beneficial ?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verhagen, Arianne P.; Damen, Leonie; Berger, Marjolein Y.; Passchier, Jan; Koes, Bart W.

    2009-01-01

    To assess the efficacy of behavioral treatments in patients with tension headache. Medline, Cinahl, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library were searched from inception to October 2007 and reference lists were checked. We selected randomized trials evaluating behavioral treatments (e.g., relaxation,

  2. Preventive occupational health interventions in the meat processing industry in upper-middle and high-income countries : a systematic review on their effectiveness

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Holland, Berry J.; Soer, Remko; de Boer, Michiel R.; Reneman, Michiel F.; Brouwer, Sandra

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of occupational health interventions in the meat processing industry on work and health-related outcomes. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed. PubMed, Embase, and The Cochrane Library were searched. Studies were included when they

  3. Meta-analysis : Acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Manheimer, Eric; Linde, Klaus; Lao, Lixing; Bouter, Lex M.; Berman, Brian M.

    2007-01-01

    Background: Knee osteoarthritis is a major cause of pain and functional limitation. Purpose: To evaluate the effects of acupuncture for treating knee osteoarthritis. Data Sources: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases to January 2007. No language restrictions

  4. Economic assessment of preeclampsia : Screening, diagnosis, treatment options, and long term outcomes, a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zakiyah, N.; Van Asselt, A.; Baker, P.; Postma, M.J.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives: To provide a comprehensive overview of the existing evidence on the health economics of screening, diagnosis, and treatment options in preeclampsia. Methods: A systematic literature search was undertaken using three electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane) to identify all English

  5. Treating anterior open bite

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ren, Yijin

    2007-01-01

    DATA SOURCE: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, Embase, LILACS (Latin American & Caribbean Health Sciences Literature) , Brazilian Bibliography of Odontology and SciELO. Ten Chinese journals were searched by hand and the bibliographies of papers were retrieved. STUDY

  6. Liver metastases: Sulphur hexafluoride-enhanced ultrasonography for lesion detection: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cabassa, Paolo; Bipat, Shandra; Longaretti, Laura; Morone, Mario; Maroldi, Roberto

    2010-01-01

    This is a systematic review to evaluate the accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) performed with "SonoVue" (sulphur hexafluoride) in the detection of hepatic metastases. The MEDLINE, EMBASE and COCHRANE Databases were searched, regardless of language, for relevant articles published

  7. Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Anxiety and Depressive Disorders after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scholten, Annemieke C.; Haagsma, Juanita A.; Cnossen, Maryse C.; Olff, Miranda; van Beeck, Ed F.; Polinder, Suzanne

    2016-01-01

    This review examined pre- and post-injury prevalence of, and risk factors for, anxiety disorders and depressive disorders after traumatic brain injury (TBI), based on evidence from structured diagnostic interviews. A systematic literature search was conducted in EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central,

  8. Associations between characteristics of the nurse work environment and five nurse-sensitive patient outcomes in hospitals: a systematic review of literature

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stalpers, D.; Brouwer, B.J.M. de; Kaljouw, M.J.; Schuurmans, M.J.

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the literature on relationships between characteristics of the nurse work environment and five nurse-sensitive patient outcomes in hospitals. DATA SOURCES: The search was performed in Medline (PubMed), Cochrane, Embase, and CINAHL. REVIEW METHODS: Included were

  9. Clinical diagnostic evaluation for scaphoid fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mallee, Wouter H.; Henny, Erik P.; van Dijk, C. Niek; Kamminga, Sjoerd P.; van Enst, Wynanda A.; Kloen, Peter

    2014-01-01

    To provide an overview of available clinical evaluation tests for scaphoid fractures and to compare their diagnostic accuracies. PWe performed a systematic review of all studies assessing diagnostic characteristics of clinical evaluation in scaphoid fractures by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane,

  10. Preventive occupational health interventions in the meat processing industry in upper-middle and high-income countries: a systematic review on their effectiveness

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Holland, B.J.; Soer, R.; de Boer, M.R.; Reneman, M.F.; Brouwer, S.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of occupational health interventions in the meat processing industry on work and health-related outcomes. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed. PubMed, Embase, and The Cochrane Library were searched. Studies were included when they

  11. Economic evaluations of occupational health interventions from a company's perspective: A systematic review of methods to estimate the cost of health-related productivity loss

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Uegaki, K.; Bruijne, M.C. de; Beek, A.J. van der; Mechelen, W. van; Tulder, M.W. van

    2011-01-01

    Objectives: To investigate the methods used to estimate the indirect costs of health-related productivity in economic evaluations from a company's perspective. Methods: The primary literature search was conducted in Medline and Embase. Supplemental searches were conducted in the Cochrane NHS

  12. Surgically facilitated orthodontic treatment : A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoogeveen, Eelke J.; Jansma, Johan; Ren, Yijin

    INTRODUCTION: Corticotomy and dental distraction have been proposed as effective and safe methods to shorten orthodontic treatment duration in adolescent and adult patients. A systematic review was performed to evaluate the evidence supporting these claims. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane

  13. Simultaneous initiation (coinitiation) of pharmacotherapy with triiodothyronine and a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor for major depressive disorder: a quantitative synthesis of double-blind studies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Papakostas, George I.; Cooper-Kazaz, Rena; Appelhof, Bente C.; Posternak, Michael A.; Johnson, Daniel P.; Klibanski, Anne; Lerer, Bernard; Fava, Maurizio

    2009-01-01

    To examine the efficacy and overall tolerability of the simultaneous initiation of treatment (coinitiation) with triiodothyronine (T3) and a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) for major depressive disorder (MDD). Sources of date were Medline/Pubmed, EMBASE, the Cochrane database, and

  14. Cytomegalovirus in inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Romkens, T.E.; Bulte, G.J.; Nissen, L.H.; Drenth, J.P.

    2016-01-01

    AIM: To identify definitions of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and intestinal disease, in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), to determine the prevalence associated with these definitions. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and interrogated PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane for literature on

  15. Efficacy of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: a systematic literature review informing the 2013 update of the EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nam, Jackie L.; Ramiro, Sofia; Gaujoux-Viala, Cecile; Takase, Kaoru; Leon-Garcia, Mario; Emery, Paul; Gossec, Laure; Landewe, Robert; Smolen, Josef S.; Buch, Maya H.

    2014-01-01

    To update the evidence for the efficacy of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to inform the European League Against Rheumatism(EULAR) Task Force treatment recommendations. Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched for

  16. Non-pharmacological interventions to promote the sleep of patients after cardiac surgery: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado, Fernanda de Souza; Souza, Regina Claudia da Silva; Poveda, Vanessa Brito; Costa, Ana Lucia Siqueira

    2017-09-12

    to analyze evidence available in the literature concerning non-pharmacological interventions that are effective to treat altered sleep patterns among patients who underwent cardiac surgery. systematic review conducted in the National Library of Medicine-National Institutes of Health, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Scopus, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and PsycINFO databases, and also grey literature. ten controlled, randomized clinical trials were included in this review. Non-pharmacological interventions were grouped into three main categories, namely: relaxation techniques, devices or equipment to minimize sleep interruptions and/or induce sleep, and educational strategies. Significant improvement was found in the scores assessing sleep quality among studies testing interventions such as earplugs, sleeping masks, muscle relaxation, posture and relaxation training, white noise, and educational strategies. In regard to the studies' methodological quality, high quality studies as established by Jadad scoring were not found. significant improvement was found among the scores assessing sleep in the studies testing interventions such as earplugs, sleeping masks, muscle relaxation, posture and relaxation training, white noise and music, and educational strategies. analisar as evidências disponíveis, na literatura, sobre as intervenções não farmacológicas, efetivas para o tratamento da alteração do padrão do sono em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia cardíaca. revisão sistemática realizada por meio de busca nas bases de dados National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, Scopus, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature e PsycINFO, e na literatura cinzenta. dez ensaios clínicos controlados e randomizados

  17. Unexplained Absences and Risk of Death and Injury Among Nursing Home Residents: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woolford, Marta H; Weller, Carolina; Ibrahim, Joseph E

    2017-04-01

    Unexplained absence of nursing home (NH) residents is one of the most challenging issues related to the care of older people. The aim of this review was to examine the death and injury outcomes of unexplained absence of NH residents. We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AgeLine, and Cochrane Library to identify qualitative and quantitative studies published in the English language. Data on death and injury were collated, and aggregate proportions were calculated where possible. Nine studies were identified; most (n = 6) were conducted in the United States. Persons with dementia formed the study population in all studies. There were 1440 individual unexplained absences reported across the 9 studies. We calculated a rate of 82 deaths and 61 injuries per 1000 incidents of unexplained absence. Extreme temperatures were the most common cause of death. Most individuals left by foot, and were found within a 1-mile radius of place last seen in green vegetation and waterways. This review provides valuable insight into death and injury outcomes. Further studies are recommended to improve understanding and prevent adverse outcomes. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Dysphagia is a common and serious problem for adults with mental illness: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aldridge, Kristy J; Taylor, Nicholas F

    2012-03-01

    Adults with mental illness may experience a higher incidence of dysphagia and choking due to factors such as medication side effects and behavioural abnormalities. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of dysphagia and the most effective interventions for this population. Studies published up to August 2010 were sought via a comprehensive electronic database search (CINAHL, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase). Studies reporting dysphagia frequency or dysphagia intervention outcomes in adults with mental illness were included. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility and quality, and the results were synthesised descriptively. Ten studies were identified, each describing dysphagia frequency or death due to choking asphyxiation. No studies evaluating intervention effectiveness were identified. Study quality was limited by subjective assessment of outcomes. Six studies presented dysphagia frequencies ranging from 9 to 42% in varying subgroups. Four studies presented the frequency of choking asphyxiation death, including a large survey that concluded that adults with organic mental illness were 43 times more likely to die of this cause than the general population. Dysphagia is a common and significant cause of morbidity and mortality in adults with mental illness and our review found that there is a lack of studies evaluating the effectiveness of intervention techniques.

  19. Chinese herbal medicine and depression: the research evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, Lee; Pilkington, Karen

    2013-01-01

    Background. Alternative approaches for managing depression are often sought and herbal mixtures are widely used in China. The aim of this paper was to provide an overall picture of the current evidence by analysing published systematic reviews and presenting a supplementary systematic review of trials in Western databases. Methods. Searches were conducted using AMED, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, and trial registers. Results were screened and selected trials were evaluated by two reviewers working independently. Systematic reviews were identified and assessed using key criteria. Results. Five systematic reviews were located addressing the Chinese literature, adjunctive use of Chinese herbs, and the formulae Chaihu-Shugan-San, Xiao Yao San, and Free and Easy Wanderer Plus. The supplementary review located 8 trials, 3 of which were not included in previous reviews. Positive results were reported: no significant differences from medication, greater effect than medication or placebo, reduced adverse event rates when combined or compared with antidepressants. However, limitations in methodology and reporting were revealed. Conclusions. Despite promising results, particularly for Xiao Yao San and its modifications, the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine in depression could not be fully substantiated based on current evidence. Further well-designed, well-reported trials that reflect practice may be worth pursuing.

  20. A review of factors affecting patient satisfaction with nurse led triage in emergency departments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rehman, Salma Abdul; Ali, Parveen Azam

    2016-11-01

    To determine the factors that affect patient satisfaction with nurse-led-triage in EDs using a systematic review. Nurses' involvement in the triage services provided in the Emergency Department has been an integral part of practice for several decades in some countries. Although studies exploring patient satisfaction with nurse-led ED triage exist, no systematic review of this evidence is available. MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycInfo, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Joanna Briggs Library and Google Scholar were searched (January 1980-June 2013). Eighteen studies that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Factors that affect patient satisfaction with nurse-led-triage include nurses' abilities to provide patient centred care, communication skills, nurses' caring abilities, concern for the patient and competence in diagnosing and treating the health problem. Other factors include availability and visibility of nurses, provision of appropriate health related information in a jargon-free language, nurses' ability to answer questions, and an ability to provide patients with an opportunity to ask questions. There is continued scope for nurse-led-triage services in the ED. Patients are generally satisfied with the service provided by nurses in EDs and report a willingness to see the same professional again in the future if needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. A systematic review highlights a knowledge gap regarding the effectiveness of health-related training programs in journalology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galipeau, James; Moher, David; Campbell, Craig; Hendry, Paul; Cameron, D William; Palepu, Anita; Hébert, Paul C

    2015-03-01

    To investigate whether training in writing for scholarly publication, journal editing, or manuscript peer review effectively improves educational outcomes related to the quality of health research reporting. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, ERIC, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library for comparative studies of formalized, a priori-developed training programs in writing for scholarly publication, journal editing, or manuscript peer review. Comparators included the following: (1) before and after administration of a training program, (2) between two or more training programs, or (3) between a training program and any other (or no) intervention(s). Outcomes included any measure of effectiveness of training. Eighteen reports of 17 studies were included. Twelve studies focused on writing for publication, five on peer review, and none fit our criteria for journal editing. Included studies were generally small and inconclusive regarding the effects of training of authors, peer reviewers, and editors on educational outcomes related to improving the quality of health research. Studies were also of questionable validity and susceptible to misinterpretation because of their risk of bias. This review highlights the gaps in our knowledge of how to enhance and ensure the scientific quality of research output for authors, peer reviewers, and journal editors. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Effectiveness of teaching strategies on the development of critical thinking in undergraduate nursing students: a meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larissa Bertacchini de Oliveira

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies used for development of critical thinking (CT in undergraduate nursing students. METHOD Systematic review with meta-analysis based on the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute . Searches were conducted in the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, LILACS, Cochrane CENTRAL, PsycINFO, ERIC, and a database of theses from four continents. The initial selection and evaluation of studies and assessment of methodological quality was performed by two reviewers independently. RESULTS Twelve randomized clinical trials were included in the study. In the meta-analysis of the four studies included that evaluated the strategy of problem-based learning (PBL, compared to lectures, the effectiveness of PBL was demonstrated with statistical significance (SMD = 0.21 and 95% CI = 0.01 to 0.42; p = 0.0434 for the development of CT in undergraduate nursing students, and the studies were homogeneous (chi-square = 6.10, p = 0.106. CONCLUSION The effectiveness of PBL was demonstrated in the increase of overall CT scores. Further studies need to be conducted in order to develop, implement and evaluate teaching strategies that are guided in high methodological rigor, and supported in theoretical models of teaching and learning.

  3. eHealth Technologies as an intervention to improve adherence to topical antipsoriatics: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svendsen, Mathias Tiedemann; Andersen, Flemming; Andersen, Klaus Ejner

    2018-03-01

    Topical antipsoriatics are recommended first-line treatment of psoriasis, but rates of adherence are low. Patient support by use of electronic health (eHealth) services is suggested to improve medical adherence. To review randomised controlled trials (RCTs) testing eHealth interventions designed to improve adherence to topical antipsoriatics and to review applications for smartphones (apps) incorporating the word psoriasis. Literature review: Medline, Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched using search terms for eHealth, psoriasis and topical antipsoriatics. General analysis of apps: The operating systems (OS) for smartphones, iOS, Google Play, Microsoft Store, Symbian OS and Blackberry OS were searched for apps containing the word psoriasis. Literature review: Only one RCT was included, reporting on psoriasis patients' Internet reporting their status of psoriasis over a 12-month period. The rate of adherence was measured by Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS ® ). An improvement in medical adherence and reduction of severity of psoriasis were reported. General analysis of apps: A total 184 apps contained the word psoriasis. There is a critical need for high-quality RCTs testing if the ubiquitous eHealth technologies, for example, some of the numerous apps, can improve psoriasis patients' rates of adherence to topical antipsoriatics.

  4. Acupuncture for chronic prostatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Tianzhong; Cheng, Ying; Jin, Yuhao; Xu, Na; Guo, Taipin

    2018-04-01

    Chronic prostatitis (CP) is a prevalent genitourinary condition. Considering its safety profile, acupuncture can be an option treating CP symptoms. The aim of this review is to undertake a systematic review to estimate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture on CP. We will search all randomized controlled trials for CP in August 2018 in the databases of MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EMBASE, Springer, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan fang, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), PsycInfo, Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and other available resources. Languages are limited as English and Chinese. Search terms used are will "acupuncture," and "chronic prostatitis," "non-bacterial prostatitis," "abacterial prostatitis." And duplicates will be screened. The primary outcomes consisted of improvement rate and pain relief evaluated by The National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) index. Secondary outcomes include the recurrence rate and side effects, such as pneumothorax, discomforts, and infection. This study will demonstrate an evidence-based review of acupuncture for chronic prostatitis. The study will provide clear evidence to assess the effectiveness and side effects of acupuncture for chronic prostatitis. There is no requirement of ethical approval and it will be in print or disseminated by electronic copies. CRD42018088834.

  5. Effective return-to-work interventions after acquired brain injury: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donker-Cools, Birgit H P M; Daams, Joost G; Wind, Haije; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

    2016-01-01

    To gather knowledge about effective return-to-work (RTW) interventions for patients with acquired brain injury (ABI). A database search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library using keywords and Medical Subject Headings. Studies were included if they met inclusion criteria: adult patients with non-progressive ABI, working pre-injury and an intervention principally designed to improve RTW as an outcome. The methodological quality of included studies was determined and evidence was assessed qualitatively. Twelve studies were included, of which five were randomized controlled trials and seven were cohort studies. Nine studies had sufficient methodological quality. There is strong evidence that work-directed interventions in combination with education/coaching are effective regarding RTW and there are indicative findings for the effectiveness of work-directed interventions in combination with skills training and education/coaching. Reported components of the most effective interventions were tailored approach, early intervention, involvement of patient and employer, work or workplace accommodations, work practice and training of social and work-related skills, including coping and emotional support. Effective RTW interventions for patients with ABI are a combination of work-directed interventions, coaching/education and/or skills training. These interventions have the potential to facilitate sustained RTW for patients with ABI.

  6. Dietary mobile apps and their effect on nutritional indicators in chronic renal disease: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Janice; Porter, Judi

    2015-05-10

    Dietary apps for mobile technology are becoming increasingly available and can assist in recording food and fluid intake for nutrition assessment or monitoring. Patients with chronic renal disease, particularly those on dialysis, are required to make significant dietary changes. This study systematically reviews the current literature to assess whether dietary mobile apps improve dietary intake and clinical outcomes in the renal population, specifically those with Chronic Kidney Disease levels 3-5, including dialysis. A systematic search of Medline Complete, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library was performed and supplemented by manual searches of citation and reference lists. Of the 712 studies considered, five were eligible for inclusion in this review. The quality of each included study was assessed using a Quality Criteria Checklist for Primary Research. Among five studies (two RCTs and three case studies/reports), none found significant changes in nutrient intake, biochemical markers or intradialytic weight gain, through the use of dietary mobile apps. The included studies show potential for clinical benefits of mobile app interventions in a renal population. However there is a need for additional rigorous trials to demonstrate if there is a clinical benefit to mobile phone app interventions in this population. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  7. A behavioural approach in the development of work-related interventions for cancer survivors: an exploratory review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duijts, S F A; Bleiker, E M A; Paalman, C H; van der Beek, A J

    2017-09-01

    The application of behavioural change models and theories has not been studied, and behavioural determinants have not been considered, in the context of cancer and work. The aim of this study is to assess the relevance of a behavioural approach in the development of work-related interventions for cancer survivors. Two search strategies were conducted to identify studies on (1) lifestyle interventions (exercise, smoking, alcohol intake and diet), based on behavioural models and theories, in cancer survivors; (2) behavioural determinants regarding work. Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL and the Cochrane Controlled Trial Register were searched (2000-2015). Studies were assessed on their eligibility, and findings were listed and categorised. Thirty-four studies exploring lifestyle interventions in cancer survivors were retrieved. The behavioural change models and theories most regularly used were the Transtheoretical Model and Social Cognitive Theory. Furthermore, 26 studies on the role of behavioural determinants regarding work were found. The most frequently considered determinants were self-efficacy, social norms, workers' expectations towards work or recovery, attitude, motivation and meaning of work. The results indicate the significance of behavioural change models and theories and of behavioural determinants in related research areas, which encourages a behavioural approach in the development of work-related interventions for cancer survivors. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. A Systematic Review of Psychosocial Interventions to Cancer Caregivers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fang Fu

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To systematically review the effect of psychosocial interventions on improving QoL, depression and anxiety of cancer caregivers.Methods: We conducted a systematic review of psychosocial interventions among adult cancer caregivers published from 2011 to 2016. PsycINFO, PubMed, Proquest, Cochrane Library, Embase, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI and EBSCO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI and WANFANG were searched. Inclusion criteria were: randomized controlled trails (RCTs; psychosocial intervention to cancer caregivers; psychosocial health indicators including quality of life, depression or anxiety.Results: 21 studies out of 4,666 identified abstracts met inclusion criteria, including 19 RCTs. The intervention modes fell into the following nine categories: family connect intervention, self-determination theory-based intervention (SDT, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT, emotion-focused therapy (EFT, comprehensive health enhancement support system (CHESS, FOCUS programme, existential behavioral therapy (EBT, telephone interpersonal counseling (TIP-C, problem-solving intervention (COPE.Conclusion: paired-intervention targeting self-care and interpersonal connections of caregivers and symptom management of patients is effective in improving quality of life and alleviating depression of cancer caregivers while music therapy is helpful for reducing anxiety of cancer caregivers.

  9. Literature review on monitoring technologies and their outcomes in independently living elderly people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peetoom, Kirsten K B; Lexis, Monique A S; Joore, Manuela; Dirksen, Carmen D; De Witte, Luc P

    2015-07-01

    To obtain insight into what kind of monitoring technologies exist to monitor activity in-home, what the characteristics and aims of applying these technologies are, what kind of research has been conducted on their effects and what kind of outcomes are reported. A systematic document search was conducted within the scientific databases Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO and Cinahl, complemented by Google Scholar. Documents were included in this review if they reported on monitoring technologies that detect activities of daily living (ADL) or significant events, e.g. falls, of elderly people in-home, with the aim of prolonging independent living. Five main types of monitoring technologies were identified: PIR motion sensors, body-worn sensors, pressure sensors, video monitoring and sound recognition. In addition, multicomponent technologies and smart home technologies were identified. Research into the use of monitoring technologies is widespread, but in its infancy, consisting mainly of small-scale studies and including few longitudinal studies. Monitoring technology is a promising field, with applications to the long-term care of elderly persons. However, monitoring technologies have to be brought to the next level, with longitudinal studies that evaluate their (cost-) effectiveness to demonstrate the potential to prolong independent living of elderly persons. [Box: see text].

  10. Comparative Efficacy and Acceptability of Anti-Diabetic Agents for Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Bing; Rosenblat, Joshua D; Brietzke, Elisa; Park, Caroline; Lee, Yena; Musial, Natalie; Pan, Zihang; Mansur, Rodrigo B; McIntyre, Roger S

    2018-05-23

    The current meta-analysis compares the efficacy (i.e., pro-cognitive effects) and acceptability of anti-diabetic agents for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO were searched from inception to January 15, 2018 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing anti-diabetic agents with placebo and/or another active anti-diabetic agent for the treatment of AD or MCI. Nineteen eligible studies (n = 4,855) evaluating the effects of six different anti-diabetic drugs (i.e., intranasal insulin, pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, metformin, sitagliptin and liraglutide) were included. The results of 29 pairwise comparisons indicated that cognition was significantly improved in subjects treated with anti-diabetic agents compared to placebo. Pioglitazone 15-30 mg demonstrated the greatest efficacy compared to placebo in network meta-analysis. No significant differences in acceptability were identified when comparing agents with each other and with placebo. The current findings indicate a pro-cognitive class effect of anti-diabetic agents in AD/MCI. Other anti-diabetic agents should also be investigated in future studies. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018085967). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  11. Effectiveness of strategies incorporating training and support of traditional birth attendants on perinatal and maternal mortality: meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Amie; Gallos, Ioannis D; Plana, Nieves; Lissauer, David; Khan, Khalid S; Zamora, Javier; MacArthur, Christine; Coomarasamy, Arri

    2011-12-01

    To assess the effectiveness of strategies incorporating training and support of traditional birth attendants on the outcomes of perinatal, neonatal, and maternal death in developing countries. Systematic review with meta-analysis. Medline, Embase, the Allied and Complementary Medicine database, British Nursing Index, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, BioMed Central, PsycINFO, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature database, African Index Medicus, Web of Science, Reproductive Health Library, and Science Citation Index (from inception to April 2011), without language restrictions. Search terms were "birth attend*", "traditional midwife", "lay birth attendant", "dais", and "comadronas". Review methods We selected randomised and non-randomised controlled studies with outcomes of perinatal, neonatal, and maternal mortality. Two independent reviewers undertook data extraction. We pooled relative risks separately for the randomised and non-randomised controlled studies, using a random effects model. We identified six cluster randomised controlled trials (n=138 549) and seven non-randomised controlled studies (n=72 225) that investigated strategies incorporating training and support of traditional birth attendants. All six randomised controlled trials found a reduction in adverse perinatal outcomes; our meta-analysis showed significant reductions in perinatal death (relative risk 0.76, 95% confidence interval 0.64 to 0.88, Ptraditional birth attendants.

  12. Prevalence and profile of musculoskeletal injuries in ballet dancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Toby O; Davies, Leigh; de Medici, Akbar; Hakim, Allan; Haddad, Fares; Macgregor, Alex

    2016-05-01

    To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and anatomical regions which are most frequently injured in ballet dancers. Published (AMED, CiNAHL, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, psycINFO, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library) and grey literature databases (OpenGrey, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Current Controlled Trials and the UK National Research Register Archive) were searched from their inception to 25th May 2015 for papers presenting data on injury prevalence in ballet dancers. Two reviewers independently identified all eligible papers, data extracted and critically appraised studies. Study appraisal was conducted using the CASP appraisal tool. Pooled prevalence data with 95% confidence intervals were estimated to determine period prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and anatomical regions affected. Nineteen studies were eligible, reporting 7332 injuries in 2617 ballet dancers. The evidence was moderate in quality. Period prevalence of musculoskeletal injury was 280% (95% CI: 217-343%). The most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders included: hamstring strain (51%), ankle tendinopathy (19%) and generalized low back pain (14%). No papers explored musculoskeletal disorders in retired ballet dancers. Whilst we have identified which regions and what musculoskeletal disorders are commonly seen ballet dancers. The long-term injury impact of musculoskeletal disorders in retired ballet dancers remains unknown. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Avoiding Surgical Skill Decay: A Systematic Review on the Spacing of Training Sessions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cecilio-Fernandes, Dario; Cnossen, Fokie; Jaarsma, Debbie A D C; Tio, René A

    Spreading training sessions over time instead of training in just 1 session leads to an improvement of long-term retention for factual knowledge. However, it is not clear whether this would also apply to surgical skills. Thus, we performed a systematic review to find out whether spacing training sessions would also improve long-term retention of surgical skills. We searched the Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, Eric, and Web of Science online databases. We only included articles that were randomized trials with a sample of medical trainees acquiring surgical motor skills in which the spacing effect was reported. The quality and bias of the articles were assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias assessment tool. With respect to the spacing effect, 1955 articles were retrieved. After removing duplicates and articles that did not meet the inclusion criteria, 11 articles remained. The overall quality of the experiments was "moderate." Trainees in the spaced condition scored higher in a retention test than students in the massed condition. Our systematic review showed evidence that spacing training sessions improves long-term surgical skills retention when compared to massed practice. However, the optimal gap between the re-study sessions is unclear. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Key elements of high-quality practice organisation in primary health care: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crossland, Lisa; Janamian, Tina; Jackson, Claire L

    2014-08-04

    To identify elements that are integral to high-quality practice and determine considerations relating to high-quality practice organisation in primary care. A narrative systematic review of published and grey literature. Electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Emerald Insight, PsycInfo, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service website, Google Scholar) were searched in November 2013 and used to identify articles published in English from 2002 to 2013. Reference lists of included articles were searched for relevant unpublished articles and reports. Data were configured at the study level to allow for the inclusion of findings from a broad range of study types. Ten elements were most often included in the existing organisational assessment tools. A further three elements were identified from an inductive thematic analysis of descriptive articles, and were noted as important considerations in effective quality improvement in primary care settings. Although there are some validated tools available to primary care that identify and build quality, most are single-strategy approaches developed outside health care settings. There are currently no validated organisational improvement tools, designed specifically for primary health care, which combine all elements of practice improvement and whose use does not require extensive external facilitation.

  15. Systematic review of prevention and management strategies for the consequences of gender-based violence in refugee settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asgary, Ramin; Emery, Eleanor; Wong, Marcia

    2013-06-01

    Uncertainties continue regarding effective strategies to prevent and address the consequences of gender-based violence (GBV) among refugees. The databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Anthropology Plus, EMBASE, DARE, Google Scholar, MSF Field Research, UNHCR and the regional and global indices of the WHO Global Health Library were searched twice within a 6-month period (April and September 2011) for English-language clinical, public health, basic and social science studies evaluating strategies to prevent and manage health sequelae of GBV among refugees before September 2011. Studies not primarily about prevention and treatment, and not describing population, health outcome and interventions, were excluded. The literature search for the prevention and management arms produced 1212 and 1106 results, respectively. After reviewing the titles and abstracts, 29 and 27 articles were selected for review in their entirety, none of which met the inclusion criteria. Multiple panels of expert recommendations and guidelines were not supported by primary data on actual displaced populations. There is a dire need for research that evaluates the efficacy and effectiveness of various responses to GBV to ultimately allow a transition from largely theoretical and expertise driven to a more evidence-based field. We recommend strategies to improve data collection and to overcome barriers in primary data driven research.

  16. The association of human papillomavirus vaccination with sexual behaviours and human papillomavirus knowledge: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coles, Victoria A H; Patel, Ajay S; Allen, Felicity L; Keeping, Sam T; Carroll, Stuart M

    2015-10-01

    Since the 2008 introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme for adolescent girls in the UK, parents and other groups have expressed fears that immunisation condones sexual activity, promotes promiscuity and encourages risky sexual behaviour. This study aimed to explore whether HPV vaccination programmes have increased knowledge surrounding HPV and associated disease and whether uptake has influenced sexual behaviour. MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO electronic databases were interrogated. Studies of behaviour, attitudes and knowledge associated with HPV vaccination (or vaccination intent) in subjects of any age and gender in programmes reflective of UK practice were included in the review (n = 58). The evidence regarding the association of HPV vaccination with high-risk sexual behaviour was varied, primarily due to the heterogeneous nature of the included studies. Young females typically exhibited better knowledge than males, and vaccinated respondents (or those with vaccination intent) had higher levels of knowledge than the unvaccinated. However, knowledge surrounding HPV and genital warts was generally poor. This review highlights the need to provide effective education regarding the HPV vaccine and HPV-associated disease to adolescents of vaccination age, nurses, teachers, parents and guardians to ultimately allow informed decisions to be made regarding receipt of the HPV vaccine. © The Author(s) 2015.

  17. Text mining applications in psychiatry: a systematic literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbe, Adeline; Grouin, Cyril; Zweigenbaum, Pierre; Falissard, Bruno

    2016-06-01

    The expansion of biomedical literature is creating the need for efficient tools to keep pace with increasing volumes of information. Text mining (TM) approaches are becoming essential to facilitate the automated extraction of useful biomedical information from unstructured text. We reviewed the applications of TM in psychiatry, and explored its advantages and limitations. A systematic review of the literature was carried out using the CINAHL, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Cochrane databases. In this review, 1103 papers were screened, and 38 were included as applications of TM in psychiatric research. Using TM and content analysis, we identified four major areas of application: (1) Psychopathology (i.e. observational studies focusing on mental illnesses) (2) the Patient perspective (i.e. patients' thoughts and opinions), (3) Medical records (i.e. safety issues, quality of care and description of treatments), and (4) Medical literature (i.e. identification of new scientific information in the literature). The information sources were qualitative studies, Internet postings, medical records and biomedical literature. Our work demonstrates that TM can contribute to complex research tasks in psychiatry. We discuss the benefits, limits, and further applications of this tool in the future. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Association between childhood allergic diseases, educational attainment and occupational status in later life: systematic review protocol

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Kobyletzki, Laura Beate; Beckman, Linda; Smeeth, Liam; McKee, Martin; Abuabara, Katrina; Langan, Sinead

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Childhood allergic diseases may prevent affected children from achieving their academic potential. Potential mechanisms include absence from school due to illness and medical appointments. Experience of symptoms in classes or leisure time, and stigma associated with visible signs and symptoms, including skin disease, requirements for medication during school time or the need for specific diets, may also contribute to reduced educational attainment. Studies have investigated the association between specific allergic diseases and educational attainment. The aim of this study is to systematically review the literature on allergic diseases, educational attainment and occupational status, and if possible, calculate meta-analytic summary estimates for the associations. Methods Systematic electronic searches in Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO and education Resources Information Center (ERIC); hand search in reference lists of included papers and conference reports; search for unpublished studies in clinical trial registers and the New York Academy of Medicine Grey Literature Report; data extraction; and study quality assessment (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale) will be performed. Analysis Data will be summarised descriptively, and meta-analysis including meta-regression to explore sources of heterogeneities will be performed if possible. Ethics and dissemination Dissemination in a peer-reviewed, open-access, international scientific journal is planned. PROSPERO registration number CRD42017058036. PMID:29025838

  19. Sex Differences in the Prevalence of Oppositional Defiant Disorder During Middle Childhood: a Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demmer, David H; Hooley, Merrilyn; Sheen, Jade; McGillivray, Jane A; Lum, Jarrad A G

    2017-02-01

    This review provides a meta-analysed male:female prevalence ratio of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) during middle childhood in non-referred children. It also analyses sex differences in prevalence across cultures and over time. A systematic search for studies via the following sources was conducted: PsycInfo, Web of Knowledge, Medline Complete, Scopus, EMBASE, InfoRMIT, Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Collection, Cochrane Library, PubMed and ProQuest Health. The studies presented in two previous systematic reviews were also added to the search results. Inclusion/exclusion criteria were then applied and final studies were appraised for their methodological quality. Nineteen independent effect sizes met full inclusion criteria (aggregated sample N = 44,107). Overall, the prevalence of ODD was significantly higher in boys than girls (RR = 1.59, 95 % CI [1.36, 1.86], p  0.05). Sex differences in prevalence were significant in studies published prior to and post the year 2000 (RR = 1.57, 95 % CI [1.22, 2.02], p  0.05). The sex differences in ODD prevalence are discussed within the context of (i) predominant theories of sex differences in externalising behaviours, and (ii) departure from the sex-differences pattern found for other disruptive behavioural disorders.

  20. Modifiable workplace risk factors contributing to workplace absence across health conditions: A stakeholder-centered best-evidence synthesis of systematic reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Marc; Wagner, Shannon; Schultz, Izabela Z; Murray, Eleanor; Bradley, Susan M; Hsu, Vernita; McGuire, Lisa; Schulz, Werner

    2013-01-01

    A challenge facing stakeholders is the identification and translation of relevant high quality research to inform policy and practice. This study engaged academic and community stakeholders in conducting a best evidence-synthesis to enhance knowledge use. To identify modifiable workplace disability risk and protective factors across common health conditions impacting work-related absence. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINHAL, The Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, BusinessSourceComplete, and ABI/Inform from 2000 to 2011. Systematic reviews that employed quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods of work-focused population were considered for inclusion. Two or more independent reviewers reviewed titles only, titles and abstracts, and/or full articles when assessing eligibility for inclusion. Selected articles underwent methodological screening. The search strategy, expert input and grey literature identified 2,467 unique records from which 142 full text articles underwent comprehensive review. Twenty-seven systematic reviews met eligibility criteria. Modifiable work factors found to have consistent evidence across two or more health conditions included lack of social support, increased physical demands at work, job strain, lack of supervisory support, increased psychological demands, low job satisfaction, low worker control of job, and poor leadership quality. The active engagement of stakeholders led to greater understanding of relevance of the study findings for community stakeholders and appreciation of the mutual benefits of collaboration.

  1. Effects of healthcare professional delivered early feeding interventions on feeding practices and dietary intake: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matvienko-Sikar, Karen; Toomey, Elaine; Delaney, Lisa; Harrington, Janas; Byrne, Molly; Kearney, Patricia M

    2018-04-01

    Childhood obesity is a global public health challenge. Parental feeding practices, such as responsive feeding, are implicated in the etiology of childhood obesity. This systematic review aimed to examine of effects of healthcare professional-delivered early feeding interventions, on parental feeding practices, dietary intake, and weight outcomes for children up to 2 years. The role of responsive feeding interventions was also specifically examined. Databases searched included: CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Maternity and Infant Care. participants are parents of children ≤2 years; intervention includes focus on early child feeding to prevent overweight and obesity; intervention delivered by healthcare professionals. Sixteen papers, representing 10 trials, met inclusion criteria for review. Six interventions included responsive feeding components. Interventions demonstrated inconsistent effects on feeding practices, dietary intake, and weight outcomes. Findings suggest some reductions in pressure to eat and infant consumption of non-core beverages. Responsive feeding based interventions demonstrate greater improvements in feeding approaches, and weight outcomes. The findings of this review highlight the importance of incorporating responsive feeding in healthcare professional delivered early feeding interventions to prevent childhood obesity. Observed inconsistencies across trials may be explained by methodological limitations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Patient-Related Determinants of Glycaemic Control in People with Type 2 Diabetes in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alramadan, Mohammed J; Afroz, Afsana; Hussain, Sultana Monira; Batais, Mohammed Ali; Almigbal, Turky H; Al-Humrani, Hassan Ahmad; Albaloshi, Ahmed; Romero, Lorena; Magliano, Dianna J; Billah, Baki

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this systematic review is to assess patient-related factors affecting glycaemic control among people with type 2 diabetes in the Arabian Gulf Council countries. MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched from their date of inception to May 2016. Two researchers independently identified eligible studies and assessed the risk of bias. A total of 13 studies met the inclusion criteria. One study was population based, six recruited participants from multiple centres, and the remaining were single centred. The majority of the studies were of low to moderate quality. Factors associated with poor glycaemic control include longer duration of diabetes, low level of education, poor compliance to diet and medication, poor attitude towards the disease, poor self-management behaviour, anxiety, depression, renal impairment, hypertension, and dyslipidaemia. Healthcare providers should be aware of these factors and provide appropriate education and care especially for those who have poor glycaemic control. Innovative educational programs should be implemented in the healthcare systems to improve patient compliance and practices. A variation in the results of the included studies was observed, and some potentially important risk factors such as dietary habits, physical activity, family support, and cognitive function were not adequately addressed. Further research is needed in this area.

  3. Effects of non-pharmacological interventions on inflammatory biomarker expression in patients with fibromyalgia: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanada, Kenji; Díez, Marta Alda; Valero, Montserrat Salas; Pérez-Yus, María Cruz; Demarzo, Marcelo M P; García-Toro, Mauro; García-Campayo, Javier

    2015-09-26

    Fibromyalgia (FM) is a prevalent disorder. However, few studies have evaluated the effect of treatment interventions on biomarker expression. The aim of this review was to explore the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions on inflammatory biomarker expression, specifically cytokines, neuropeptides and C-reactive protein (CRP), in FM patients. A literature search using PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO and the Cochrane library was performed from January 1990 to March 2015. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs published in English, French or Spanish were eligible. Twelve articles with a total of 536 participants were included. After exercise, multidisciplinary, or dietary interventions in FM patients, interleukin (IL) expression appeared reduced, specifically serum IL-8 and IL-6 (spontaneous, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced, or serum). Furthermore, the changes to insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels might indicate a beneficial role for fatigue in obese FM patients. In contrast, evidence of changes in neuropeptide and CRP levels seemed inconsistent. Despite minimal evidence, our findings indicate that exercise interventions might act as an anti-inflammatory treatment in FM patients and ameliorate inflammatory status, especially for pro-inflammatory cytokines. Additional RCTs focused on the changes to inflammatory biomarker expression after non-pharmacological interventions in FM patients are needed.

  4. Systematic Review of Inspiratory Muscle Training After Cerebrovascular Accident.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín-Valero, Rocío; De La Casa Almeida, Maria; Casuso-Holgado, Maria Jesus; Heredia-Madrazo, Alfonso

    2015-11-01

    This systematic review examines levels of evidence and recommendation grades of various therapeutic interventions of inspiratory muscle training in people who have had a stroke. Benefits from different levels of force and resistance in respiratory muscles are shown in this population. This review was conducted following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) directives and was completed in November 2014. The search limits were studies published in English between 2004 and 2014. Relevant studies were searched for in MEDLINE, PEDro, OAIster, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Knowledge, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, DOAJ, Cochrane, Embase, Academic Search Complete, Fuente Académica, and MedicLatina. Initially, 20 articles were identified. After analyzing all primary documents, 14 studies were excluded. Only 6 studies were relevant to this review. Three different types of interventions were found (maximum inspiratory training, controlled training, and nonintervention) in 3 different groups. One specific study compared 3 inspiratory muscle training groups with a group of breathing exercises (diaphragmatic exercises with pursed lips) and a control group. Future long-term studies with larger sample sizes are needed. It is necessary to apply respiratory muscle training as a service of the national health system and to consider its inclusion in the conventional neurological program. Copyright © 2015 by Daedalus Enterprises.

  5. Psychological treatment of depression and anxiety in patients with co-morbid personality disorder: A scoping study of trial evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    French, L R M; Turner, K M; Dawson, S; Moran, P

    2017-05-01

    It is unclear what the best psychological treatment is for depression and anxiety in people with co-morbid personality disorder. Trials of different psychological treatment options for this patient group have been conducted, but this evidence has not previously been systematically reviewed or critically appraised. We set out to conduct a scoping review in order to describe which psychological therapies appear most effective in treating depression and/or anxiety in patients with co-morbid personality disorder. PsycINFO, Cochrane library trials, Medline and Embase databases were searched for studies involving randomized, controlled, experimental, parallel-arm comparisons, examining any well-defined, psychotherapeutic intervention for adults, in an outpatient setting, with a clearly defined diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety, and co-morbid personality disorder. A total of 1662 papers were identified. Fifteen met criteria for inclusion and were reviewed. There was weak evidence to support the use of cognitive behavioural therapy as a psychological treatment for depression in patients with co-morbid personality disorder. However, the literature is characterized by considerable methodological heterogeneity, and further research is needed before there is sufficient evidence to indicate which psychological treatment would be most effective in treating anxiety and/or depression in this patient group. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Ashamed and Afraid: A Scoping Review of the Role of Shame in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanya Saraiya

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Despite considerable progress in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD, a large percentage of individuals remain symptomatic following gold-standard therapies. One route to improving care is examining affective disturbances that involve other emotions beyond fear and threat. A growing body of research has implicated shame in PTSD’s development and course, although to date no review of this specific literature exists. This scoping review investigated the link between shame and PTSD and sought to identify research gaps. Methods: A systematic database search of PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL was conducted to find original quantitative research related to shame and PTSD. Results: Forty-seven studies met inclusion criteria. Review found substantial support for an association between shame and PTSD as well as preliminary evidence suggesting its utility as a treatment target. Several design limitations and under-investigated areas were recognized, including the need for a multimodal assessment of shame and more longitudinal and treatment-focused research. Conclusion: This review provides crucial synthesis of research to date, highlighting the prominence of shame in PTSD, and its likely relevance in successful treatment outcomes. The present review serves as a guide to future work into this critical area of study.

  7. Frailty as a Predictor of Future Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kojima, Gotaro

    2015-12-01

    Although multiple longitudinal studies have investigated frailty as a predictor of future falls, the results were mixed. Thus far, no systematic review or meta-analysis on this topic has been conducted. To review the evidence of frailty as a predictor of future falls among community-dwelling older people. Systematic review of literature and meta-analysis were performed using 6 electronic databases (Embase, Scopus, MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library) searching for studies that prospectively examined risk of future fall risk according to frailty among community-dwelling older people published from 2010 to April 2015 with no language restrictions. Of 2245 studies identified through the systematic review, 11 studies incorporating 68,723 individuals were included in the meta-analysis. Among 7 studies reporting odds ratios (ORs), frailty and prefrailty were significantly associated with higher risk of future falls (pooled OR = 1.84, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.43-2.38, P dwelling older people despite various criteria used to define frailty. The future fall risk according to frailty seemed to be higher in men than in women. Copyright © 2015 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Using Cochran's Z Statistic to Test the Kernel-Smoothed Item Response Function Differences between Focal and Reference Groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Yinggan; Gierl, Mark J.; Cui, Ying

    2010-01-01

    This study combined the kernel smoothing procedure and a nonparametric differential item functioning statistic--Cochran's Z--to statistically test the difference between the kernel-smoothed item response functions for reference and focal groups. Simulation studies were conducted to investigate the Type I error and power of the proposed…

  9. Intervention for replacing missing teeth: Different types of implants - evidence summary of updated Cochrane review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balendra Pratap Singh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Around 1300 different types of dental implants are available worldwide and the implant manufacturers are resorting to aggressive marketing strategies; claiming their implants to provide a superior outcome. The clinician is left with a constant dilemma on which implant to choose for better clinical outcome and welfare of the patient. Moreover, in India, economical consideration is a concern too. The dentist has to select an implant that provides a good result and is economical. Cochrane systematic reviews provide the gold standard evidence for intervention, diagnosis, etc., and follow a strict quality control. A Cochrane systematic review was done to shed light on whether the different implant surface modifications, shapes or materials significantly influence clinical outcomes. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs till January 17, 2014 were searched and out of the 81 trials, only 27 met the inclusion criteria. This evidence summary from the review concludes that based on the available literature; there is no evidence of any one type of implant being superior to another. There is weak evidence showing roughened dental implants are more prone to bone loss due to periimplantitis. This review indicated that there is a need for well-designed RCTs, with long-term follow-up and low bias. Moreover, none of the included studies was from India, which also points out the need for improving the quality of RCTs conducted in India.

  10. A review of the reporting of web searching to identify studies for Cochrane systematic reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briscoe, Simon

    2018-03-01

    The literature searches that are used to identify studies for inclusion in a systematic review should be comprehensively reported. This ensures that the literature searches are transparent and reproducible, which is important for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a systematic review and re-running the literature searches when conducting an update review. Web searching using search engines and the websites of topically relevant organisations is sometimes used as a supplementary literature search method. Previous research has shown that the reporting of web searching in systematic reviews often lacks important details and is thus not transparent or reproducible. Useful details to report about web searching include the name of the search engine or website, the URL, the date searched, the search strategy, and the number of results. This study reviews the reporting of web searching to identify studies for Cochrane systematic reviews published in the 6-month period August 2016 to January 2017 (n = 423). Of these reviews, 61 reviews reported using web searching using a search engine or website as a literature search method. In the majority of reviews, the reporting of web searching was found to lack essential detail for ensuring transparency and reproducibility, such as the search terms. Recommendations are made on how to improve the reporting of web searching in Cochrane systematic reviews. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. New Search Strategies Successfully Optimize Retrieval of Clinically Sound Treatment Studies in EMBASE. A review of: Wong, Sharon S‐L, Nancy L. Wilczynski, and R. Brian Haynes. “Developing Optimal Search Strategies for Detecting Clinically Sound Treatment Studies in EMBASE.” Journal of the Medical Library Association 94.1 (Jan. 2006: 41‐47. 14 May 2007 http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1324770.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Loy

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective – To develop and test the sensitivity and specificity, precision andaccuracy of search strategies to retrieve clinically sound treatment studies in the EMBASE database.Design – Analytical study.Setting – Methodologically sound studies of treatment from 55 journals indexed in EMBASE for the year 2000.Subjects – EMBASE and hand searches performed at the Health Information Research Unit of McMaster University, Ontario, Canada.Methods – The authors compare the results of EMBASE searches using their search strategies with the “gold standard” of articles retrieved by hand search. Research assistants initially hand searched each issue of 55 selected journals published in 2000 to identify articles detailing studies on healthcare treatment of humans. Subject coverage of the journals was wide ranging and included obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, oncology, neurology, surgery and general practice. Studies were then assessed to ensure they met the qualifying criteria: random allocation of participants to groups, outcome assessment of at least 80% of participants who began the study, and analysis consistent with study design. Initially, 3850 articles on treatment were identified, of which 1256 (32.6% were methodologically sound. To construct a comprehensive set of search terms, input was sought from librarians and researchers in the US and Canada. This initially produced a list of 5385 terms, of which 4843 were unique and 3524 produced hits. Individual search terms with sensitivity greater then 25% and specificity greater then 75% were incorporated into search strategies for use within the OVID interface for the EMBASE database to retrieve articles meeting the same criteria. These strategies were developed using all 27,769 articles published in the 55 journals in 2000. This all inclusive approach was used to test the search strategies’ ability to identify high quality treatment articles from a larger pool of material

  12. Group Interventions to Promote Mental Health in Health Professional Education: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lo, Kristin; Waterland, Jamie; Todd, Paula; Gupta, Tanvi; Bearman, Margaret; Hassed, Craig; Keating, Jennifer L.

    2018-01-01

    Effects of interventions for improving mental health of health professional students has not been established. This review analysed interventions to support mental health of health professional students and their effects. The full holdings of Medline, PsycINFO, EBM Reviews, Cinahl Plus, ERIC and EMBASE were searched until 15th April 2016.…

  13. Saskatchewan Residents’ Use of The Cochrane Library

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorothy Anne Forbes

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available There is strong evidence of failure to translate research findings into the health care decision-making process of consumers, practitioners and policy makers (Grimshaw, 2007. Recognizing that The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews contained in The Cochrane Library (the Library are the “gold standard” of systematic reviews, Saskatchewan’s Health Quality Council provided funding for a provincial license and an evaluation study. In July 2004, Saskatchewan became the first province in Canada to provide all residents with access to the Library. The primary aim of the study was to enhance and evaluate the use of the Library over three years. Since September 2004, over 46 training sessions have been conducted on searching the Library online databases. Attendees at the workshops were informed of the evaluation study and invited to participate. Those who consented to participate were telephoned following the workshops and audio-taped interviews were conducted. Usage of the Library was also tracked using data available from Wiley InterScience. Three month (n=94, six month (n=71, nine month (n=79, and 12 month (n=72 telephone interviews were conducted. Most participants were librarians (n=31.5%, followed by nurses (16.3%, therapists (7.6%, library support staff (5.4%, pharmacists (4.3%, physicians (3.3%, and others (30.5. Most were between 40 to 65 years of age (71.6% and female (92.4%. Most respondents had accessed the Library at the three-month (65.2% and six-month (64.2% follow-up interviews. However, this percent fell to 45.2% at the nine-month and 27.4% at the twelve-month interview. MeSH searches were more frequent than standard keyword searches and HTML full text retrievals were more common than PDF versions. It is assumed that HTML versions were scanned for particular information whereas PDF versions were selected when the person wished to save and read the whole review. Librarians, practitioners and consumers are more likely to be

  14. Efficacy and safety assessment of the addition of bevacizumab to adjuvant therapy agents in cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ahmadizar, Fariba; Onland-Moret, N. Charlotte; De Boer, Anthonius; Liu, Geoffrey; Maitland-Van Der Zee, Anke H.

    2015-01-01

    Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab in the adjuvant cancer therapy setting within different subset of patients. Methods & Design/Results: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane and Clinical trials.gov databases were searched for English language studies of randomized controlled trials

  15. External cephalic version-related risks: a meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grootscholten, K.; Kok, M.; Oei, S.G.; Mol, B.W.J.; Post, van der J.A.

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the literature on external cephalic version–related complications and to assess if the outcome of a version attempt is related to complications. DATA SOURCES: In March 2007 we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.

  16. External Cephalic Version-Related Risks A Meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grootscholten, Kim; Kok, Marjolein; Oei, S. Guid; Mol, Ben W. J.; van der Post, Joris A.

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the literature on external cephalic version-related complications and to assess if the outcome of a version attempt is related to complications. DATA SOURCES: In March 2007 we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.

  17. Use of insulin and insulin analogs and risk of cancer - systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karlstad, Oystein; Linde, Jakob Starup; Vestergaard, Peter

    2013-01-01

    -control studies examining risk of cancer associated with insulin use in patients with diabetes. DATA SOURCES: Systematic literature search in 5 databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA (PICOS): POPULATION: diabetes patients. EXPOSURE: Users of any...

  18. Multidisciplinary team training in a simulation setting for acute abstetric emergencies : a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Merién, A.E.R.; Ven, van de J.; Mol, B.W.J.; Houterman, S.; Oei, S.G.

    2010-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review of the literature on the effectiveness of multidisciplinary teamwork training in a simulation setting for the reduction of medical adverse outcomes in obstetric emergency situations. DATA SOURCES: We searched Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from

  19. Multidisciplinary Team Training in a Simulation Setting for Acute Obstetric Emergencies A Systematic Review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Merién, A. E. R.; van de Ven, J.; Mol, B. W.; Houterman, S.; Oei, S. G.

    2010-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review of the literature on the effectiveness of multidisciplinary teamwork training in a simulation setting for the reduction of medical adverse outcomes in obstetric emergency situations. DATA SOURCES: We searched Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from

  20. Surgical Treatment of Chronic Retrocalcaneal Bursitis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wiegerinck, Johannes I.; Kok, Aimee C.; van Dijk, C. Niek

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to analyze the results of surgical treatments for chronic retrocalcaneal bursitis (RB). Methods: Medline, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), Embase, and the Cochrane Library (1945 to December 2010) were systematically

  1. Laparoscopic peritoneal lavage for perforated colonic diverticulitis: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Toorenvliet, Boudewijn R.; Swank, Hilko; Schoones, Jan W.; Hamming, Jaap F.; Bemelman, Willem A.

    2010-01-01

    Aim This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy, morbidity and mortality of laparoscopic peritoneal lavage for patients with perforated diverticulitis. Method We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and CINAHL databases, Google Scholar and five major publisher

  2. Effect of training and lifting equipment for preventing back pain in lifting and handling: systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Martimo, Kari-Pekka; Verbeek, Jos; Karppinen, Jaro; Furlan, Andrea D.; Takala, Esa-Pekka; Kuijer, P. Paul F. M.; Jauhiainen, Merja; Viikari-Juntura, Eira

    2008-01-01

    To determine whether advice and training on working techniques and lifting equipment prevent back pain in jobs that involve heavy lifting. Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, Cochrane Back Group's specialised register, CINAHL, Nioshtic, CISdoc, Science Citation Index, and PsychLIT were searched up to

  3. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of prophylactic tranexamic acid treatment in major benign uterine surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Topsoee, Märta F; Settnes, Annette; Ottesen, Bent

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The value of tranexamic acid (TA) treatment as bleeding prophylaxis in major uterine surgery is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the antihemorrhagic effect of prophylactic TA treatment in major benign uterine surgery. SEARCH STRATEGY: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science...

  4. A literature-based meta-analysis of clinical risk factors for development of radiation induced pneumonitis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vogelius, Ivan R; Bentzen, Søren M

    2012-01-01

    of symptomatic radiation pneumonitis (RP). Material and methods. A systematic review of English language articles in the Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane controlled trials registers. Studies with the mesh term "radiation pneumonitis" or the search term "radiation pneumonitis" were included. Additional studies were...

  5. Den kirurgiske hospitalspatients ernæringsrisici – en litteraturgennemgang

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Toppenberg, Maria Dietz; Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth

    2012-01-01

    prevents malnutrition and reduces mortality. Aim: To identify nutritional risks for the older surgical hospitalized patient who are medicated.Method: The literature searched was through: PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, Clinical Nutrition, Scopus and Embase in the period 2001-2011. Results: The findings suggest...

  6. The incidence of complications associated with lip and/or tongue piercings: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hennequin-Hoenderdos, N.L.; Slot, D.E.; Van der Weijden, G.A.

    2016-01-01

    Objective: This review determines the incidence of complications associated with lip and/or tongue piercings based on a systematic evaluation of the available literature. Material and Methods: MEDLINE–PubMed, Cochrane-CENTRAL and EMBASE databases were comprehensively searched through June 2014 to

  7. Limited evidence for the effect of sodium fluoride on deterioration of hearing loss in patients with otosclerosis: a systematic review of the literature

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hentschel, M.A.; Huizinga, P.; van der Velden, D.L.; Wegner, I.; Bittermann, A.J.N.; van der Heijden, G.J.M.; Grolman, W.

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To determine the protective effect of sodium fluoride on the deterioration of hearing loss in adult patients with otosclerosis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and CINAHL. STUDY SELECTION: A systematic literature search was conducted. Studies reporting original study

  8. Radiation-induced hypothyroidism in head and neck cancer patients : A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boomsma, Marjolein J.; Bijl, Hendrik P.; Langendijk, Johannes A.

    Purpose: To review literature on the relationship between the dose distribution in the thyroid gland and the incidence of radiation-induced hypothyroidism in adults. Material and Methods: Articles were identified through a search in MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. Approximately 2449

  9. Epidemiology of pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders: a meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Korterink, Judith J.; Diederen, Kay; Benninga, Marc A.; Tabbers, Merit M.

    2015-01-01

    We aimed to review the literature regarding epidemiology of functional abdominal pain disorders in children and to assess its geographic, gender and age distribution including associated risk factors of developing functional abdominal pain. The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsychInfo

  10. Effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions in improving emotional and functional status in hearing or visually impaired older adults : a systematic review with meta-analyses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roets-Merken, Lieve M.; Draskovic, Irena; Zuidema, Sytse U.; van Erp, Willemijn S.; Graff, Maud J. L.; Kempen, Gertrudis I. J. M.; Vernooij-Dassen, Myrra J. F. J.

    Objective: To assess the effectiveness of non-equipment based rehabilitation interventions for older adults with an age-related hearing or visual impairment. Data sources: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsychInfo, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Review methods: Two

  11. Maxillary Sinus Membrane Elevation With Simultaneous Installation of Implants Without the Use of a Graft Material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Starch-Jensen, Thomas; Schou, Søren

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To compare implant treatment outcome after maxillary sinus membrane elevation with simultaneous installation of implants with or without the use of graft material applying the lateral window technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase search in combin...

  12. Zinc intake and plasma/serum zinc concentration: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Warthon-Medina, M.; Dullemeijer, C.; Skinner, A.L.; Moran, V.H.

    2011-01-01

    A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to investigate how Zn intake influences plasma/serum Zn concentrations. We used protocols developed by EURRECA to perform a literature search for papers published up until February 2010 through MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane

  13. Panel 1 : Epidemiology and Diagnosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Homøe, Preben; Kværner, Kari; Casey, Janet R; Damoiseaux, Roger A M J; van Dongen, Thijs M A; Gunasekera, Hasantha; Jensen, Ramon G; Kvestad, Ellen; Morris, Peter S; Weinreich, Heather M

    Objective To create a literature review between 2011 and June 1, 2015, on advances in otitis media (OM) epidemiology and diagnosis (including relevant audiology studies). Data Sources Electronic search engines (PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library) with a predefined search strategy. Review Methods

  14. Role of corticosteroids in Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery--a systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pundir, Vishal; Pundir, Jyotsna; Lancaster, Gillian; Baer, Simon; Kirkland, Paul; Cornet, Marjolein; Lourijsen, E. S.; Georgalas, Christos; Fokkens, W. J.

    2016-01-01

    The aim of our study is to systematically review the existing evidence on the role of corticosteroids in patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). Systematic search of MEDLINE (1950- 2014), EMBASE (1980-2014), metaRegister, Cochrane Library and ISI conference proceedings was

  15. Clinical outcomes of self-expandable stent placement for benign esophageal diseases: A pooled analysis of the literature

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Halsema, Emo E.; van Hooft, Jeanin E.

    2015-01-01

    AIM: To analyze the outcomes of self-expandable stent placement for benign esophageal strictures and benign esophageal leaks in the literature. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched for relevant articles published between January 2000 and July 2014. Eight prospective

  16. Panel 1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Homøe, Preben; Kværner, Kari; Casey, Janet R

    2017-01-01

    Objective To create a literature review between 2011 and June 1, 2015, on advances in otitis media (OM) epidemiology and diagnosis (including relevant audiology studies). Data Sources Electronic search engines (PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library) with a predefined search strategy. Review Methods...

  17. How can we increase the involvement of primary health care in the treatment of tobacco dependence? A meta-analysis.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Anderson, P.D.; Jané Llopis, E.

    2004-01-01

    AIMS: A systematic review of studies testing the effectiveness of educational and practice base strategies to increase the involvement of primary health-care practitioners in the treatment of tobacco dependence. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library (1966-2001). Selection

  18. Nurse-led case management for ambulatory complex patients in general health care: A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Latour-Delfgaauw, C.H.M.; van der Windt, D.A.W.M.; de Jonge, P.; Riphagen, II; Vos, R.; Huyse, F.J.; Stalman, W.A.B.

    2007-01-01

    Objective: The aim of this study was to summarize the available literature on the effectiveness of ambulatory nurse-led case management for complex patients in general health care. Method: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and Cinahl. We included randomized

  19. Multinational evidence-based recommendations on how to investigate and follow-up undifferentiated peripheral inflammatory arthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Machado, P; Castrejon, I; Katchamart, W

    2011-01-01

    rounds of discussions and modified Delphi votes. In the first round 10 clinical questions were selected. A bibliographic team systematically searched Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library and ACR/EULAR 2007-2008 meeting abstracts. Relevant articles were reviewed for quality assessment, data extraction...

  20. Treatment strategies for women with WHO group II anovulation: systematic review and network meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wang, Rui; Kim, Bobae V.; van Wely, Madelon; Johnson, Neil P.; Costello, Michael F.; Zhang, Hanwang; Ng, Ernest Hung Yu; Legro, Richard S.; Bhattacharya, Siladitya; Norman, Robert J.; Mol, Ben Willem J.

    2017-01-01

    To compare the effectiveness of alternative first line treatment options for women with WHO group II anovulation wishing to conceive. Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, and Embase, up to 11 April 2016. Randomised controlled trials

  1. Fecal microbiota transplantation as novel therapy in gastroenterology: A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rossen, N.G.; MacDonald, J.K.; Vries, de E.M.; Haens, D' G.R.; Vos, de W.M.; Zoetendal, E.G.; Ponsioen, C.Y.

    2015-01-01

    AIM: To study the clinical efficacy and safety of Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). We systematically reviewed FMT used as clinical therapy. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and Conference proceedings from inception to July, 2013. Treatment effect of FMT was

  2. Fecal microbiota transplantation as novel therapy in gastroenterology: A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rossen, Noortje G.; Macdonald, John K.; de Vries, Elisabeth M.; D'Haens, Geert R.; de Vos, Willem M.; Zoetendal, Erwin G.; Ponsioen, Cyriel Y.

    2015-01-01

    To study the clinical efficacy and safety of Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). We systematically reviewed FMT used as clinical therapy. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and Conference proceedings from inception to July, 2013. Treatment effect of FMT was calculated as the

  3. Population-level interventions in government jurisdictions for dietary sodium reduction: a Cochrane Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barberio, Amanda M; Sumar, Nureen; Trieu, Kathy; Lorenzetti, Diane L; Tarasuk, Valerie; Webster, Jacqui; Campbell, Norman R C; McLaren, Lindsay

    2017-10-01

    Worldwide, excessive salt consumption is common and is a leading cause of high blood pressure. Our objectives were to assess the overall and differential impact (by social and economic indicators) of population-level interventions for dietary sodium reduction in government jurisdictions worldwide. This is a Cochrane systematic review. We searched nine peer-reviewed databases, seven grey literature resources and contacted national programme leaders. We appraised studies using an adapted version of the Cochrane risk of bias tool. To assess impact, we computed the mean change in salt intake (g/day) from before to after intervention. Fifteen initiatives met the inclusion criteria and 10 provided sufficient data for quantitative analysis of impact. Of these, five showed a mean decrease in salt intake from before to after intervention including: China, Finland (Kuopio area), France, Ireland and the UK. When the sample was constrained to the seven initiatives that were multicomponent and incorporated activities of a structural nature (e.g. procurement policy), most (4/7) showed a mean decrease in salt intake. A reduction in salt intake was more apparent among men than women. There was insufficient information to assess differential impact by other social and economic axes. Although many initiatives had methodological strengths, all scored as having a high risk of bias reflecting the observational design. Study heterogeneity was high, reflecting different contexts and initiative characteristics. Population-level dietary sodium reduction initiatives have the potential to reduce dietary salt intake, especially if they are multicomponent and incorporate intervention activities of a structural nature. It is important to consider data infrastructure to permit monitoring of these initiatives. © The Author 2017; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

  4. Lower vs. higher fluid volumes in sepsis-protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meyhoff, T S; Møller, M H; Hjortrup, P B

    2017-01-01

    sequential analysis of randomised clinical trials comparing different strategies to obtain separation in fluid volumes or balances during resuscitation of adult patients with sepsis. We will systematically search the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index, BIOSIS and Epistemonikos...... for relevant literature. We will follow the recommendations by the Cochrane Collaboration and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. The risk of systematic errors (bias) and random errors will be assessed, and the overall quality of evidence will be evaluated...

  5. Physical activity and enhanced fitness to improve cognitive function in older people without known cognitive impairment, A Cochrane Review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Drs. Maaike Angevaren; A. Aleman; Prof. Dr. Luc L.E.M.J. Vanhees; Geert Aufdemkampe; H.J.J. Verhaar

    2008-01-01

    Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD005381. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005381.pub2. Background: Physical activity is beneficial for healthy ageing. It may also help maintain good cognitive function in older age. Aerobic activity improves cardiovascular fitness, but it is

  6. Dietary supplement use and colorectal cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heine-Bröring, R.C.; Winkels, R.M.; Renkema, J.M.S.; Kragt, L.; Orten-Luiten, van A.C.B.; Tigchelaar, E.F.; Chan, D.S.M.; Norat, T.; Kampman, E.

    2015-01-01

    Use of dietary supplements is rising in countries where colorectal cancer is prevalent. We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies on dietary supplement use and colorectal cancer risk. We identified relevant studies in Medline, Embase and Cochrane up

  7. Maternal SSRI exposure increases the risk of autistic offspring

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andalib, S; Emamhadi, M R; Yousefzadeh-Chabok, S

    2017-01-01

    , childhood, children, neurodevelopment were identified using databases PubMed and PMC, MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar. Cochran's Q statistic-value (Q), degree of freedom (df), and I(2) indices (variation in odds ratio [OR] attributable to heterogeneity) were calculated to analyze the risk...

  8. FTO genotype and weight loss

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Livingstone, Katherine M; Celis-Morales, Carlos; Papandonatos, George D

    2016-01-01

    : Ovid Medline, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane from inception to November 2015. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR STUDY SELECTION: Randomised controlled trials in overweight or obese adults reporting reduction in body mass index, body weight, or waist circumference by FTO genotype (rs9939609 or a proxy) after...

  9. The role of total cell-free DNA in predicting outcomes among trauma patients in the intensive care unit

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gögenur, Mikail; Burcharth, Jakob; Gögenur, Ismail

    2017-01-01

    searched Pubmed, Embase, Scopus and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials and reference lists of relevant articles for studies that assessed the prognostic value of cell-free DNA detection in trauma patients in the intensive care unit. Outcomes of interest included survival, posttraumatic...

  10. Kosten en financiële baten van videocommunicatie in de zorg thuis: een systematisch review.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mistiaen, P.; Peeters, J.; Francke, A.

    2011-01-01

    AIM: To get insight into the balance between costs and financial benefits of video communication in home care. METHOD: In a systematic review four databases (PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE LIBRARY, CINAHL) were searched for studies on video communication for people living at home. Studies were exclusively

  11. Prediction models for successful external cephalic version: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Velzel, Joost; de Hundt, Marcella; Mulder, Frederique M.; Molkenboer, Jan F. M.; van der Post, Joris A. M.; Mol, Ben W.; Kok, Marjolein

    2015-01-01

    To provide an overview of existing prediction models for successful ECV, and to assess their quality, development and performance. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library to identify all articles reporting on prediction models for successful ECV published from inception to January 2015.

  12. Prevalence and prognosis of acutely ill patients with organ failure at arrival to hospital

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Peter Bank; Hrobjartsson, Asbjorn; Nielsen, Daniel Lykke

    2017-01-01

    undifferentiated patients, at arrival to hospital. The result of the review will assist physicians working in an ED, when assessing patients' risk of organ failure and their associated prognosis. METHODS: The information sources used are electronic databases, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and CINAHL...

  13. Neurofeedback Treatment and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reiter, Karen; Andersen, Søren Bo; Lohmann, Jessica Mariana Carlsson

    2016-01-01

    on effectiveness and preferred protocol when using neurofeedback treatment on PTSD, a systematic search of PubMed, PsychInfo, Embase, and Cochrane databases was undertaken. Five studies were included in this review. Neurofeedback had a statistically significant effect in three studies. Neurobiological changes were...

  14. Routine blood tests as predictors of mortality in hip fracture patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laulund, Anne S; Lauritzen, Jes B; Duus, Benn R

    2012-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the evidence for the association between different biochemical markers at admission and mortality through a meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed-, Embase-, Cochran Library and the Web of Knowledge were searched for cohort studies. STUDY SELECTION...

  15. The prevalence of oral and peri-oral piercings in young adults: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hennequin-Hoenderdos, N.L.; Slot, D.E.; van der Weijden, G.A.

    2012-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of oral and/or peri-oral piercings in young adults based on a systematic review of the available literature. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The MEDLINE-PubMed, Cochrane-CENTRAL and EMBASE databases were comprehensively searched through April 2012 to identify appropriate

  16. Hormone therapy in ovarian granulosa cell tumors: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Meurs, Hannah S.; van Lonkhuijzen, Luc R. C. W.; Limpens, Jacqueline; van der Velden, Jacobus; Buist, Marrije R.

    2014-01-01

    This systematic review assessed the effectiveness of hormone therapy (HT) in patients with a granulosa cell tumor (GCT) of the ovary. Medline (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), prospective trial registers and PubMed (as supplied by publisher-subset)

  17. Efficacy of conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, glucocorticoids and tofacitinib: a systematic literature review informing the 2013 update of the EULAR recommendations for management of rheumatoid arthritis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gaujoux-Viala, Cécile; Nam, Jackie; Ramiro, Sofia; Landewé, Robert; Buch, Maya H.; Smolen, Josef S.; Gossec, Laure

    2014-01-01

    To update a previous systematic review assessing the efficacy of conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Two systematic reviews of the literature using PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane library were performed from 2009 until January 2013 to

  18. Association between gastroesophageal reflux and pathologic apneas in infants: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smits, Marije J.; van Wijk, Michiel P.; Langendam, Miranda W.; Benninga, Marc A.; Tabbers, Merit M.

    2014-01-01

    In infants, apneas can be centrally mediated, obstructive or both and have been proposed to be gastroesophageal reflux (GER) induced. Evidence for this possible association has never been systematically reviewed. To perform a systematic review using PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases to determine

  19. Economic evaluations of Internet interventions for mental health: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Donker, T.; Blankers, M; Hedman, E.; Petrie, K.; Christensen, H.

    2015-01-01

    Internet interventions are assumed to be cost-effective. However, it is unclear how strong this evidence is, and what the quality of this evidence is. Method. A comprehensive literature search (1990-2014) in Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, NHS Economic

  20. Rygning--en risikofaktor for udvikling af reumatoid artritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Anne Friesgaard; Lindegaard, Hanne Merete; Junker, Peter

    2008-01-01

    Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disabling inflammatory joint disease of unknown aetiology. Genetic and environmental factors are implicated in its pathogenesis. We performed a literature search on MEDLINE, the Cochrane database and EMBASE on the interaction between smoking and RA. It is co...

  1. OARSI guidelines for the non-surgical management of knee osteoarthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    McAlindon, T E; Bannuru, R R; Sullivan, M C

    2014-01-01

    International (OARSI) evidence team at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, USA. Medline, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were initially searched in first quarter 2012 and last searched in March 2013. Included evidence was assessed for quality using...

  2. The effect of cochlear implantation on tinnitus in patients with bilateral hearing loss : A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ramakers, Geerte G J; van Zon, Alice; Stegeman, Inge; Grolman, Wilko

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To present an overview of the effect of cochlear implantation on tinnitus in adults with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Embase databases were searched for articles from database inception up to January 13, 2015. METHODS: A

  3. Hyperbaric oxygen for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stoekenbroek, R. M.; Santema, T. B.; Legemate, D. A.; Ubbink, D. T.; van den Brink, A.; Koelemay, M. J. W.

    2014-01-01

    A systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to assess the additional value of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in promoting the healing of diabetic foot ulcers and preventing amputations was performed. MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched to identify RCTs in patients

  4. Proposal of success criteria for strabismus surgery in patients with Graves' orbitopathy based on a systematic literature review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jellema, Hinke Marijke; Braaksma-Besselink, Yvette; Limpens, Jacqueline; von Arx, Georg; Wiersinga, Wilmar M.; Mourits, Maarten P.

    2015-01-01

    Proposal of success criteria for strabismus surgery for patients with Graves' orbitopathy (GO) based on a systematic review of the literature. We performed a systematic search of OVID MEDLINE, OVID Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and the publisher subset of

  5. The effectiveness of exercise-based telemedicine on pain, physical activity and quality of life in the treatment of chronic pain: A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Adamse, Corine; Dekker-van Weering, Marit G. H.; van Etten-Jamaludin, Faridi S.; Stuiver, Martijn M.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction The aim of this study was to systematically review the evidence on the effectiveness of exercise-based telemedicine in chronic pain. Methods We searched the Cochrane, PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PEDRO databases from 2000 to 2015 for randomised controlled trials, comparing

  6. External Fixation versus two-stage Open Reduction Internal Fixation of distal intra-articular Tibia fractures; a Systematic Review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ladeby Erichsen, Julie; Jensen, Carsten; Damborg, Frank Lindhøj

    Internal Fixation (ORIF) or External Fixation (EF). Method : A search was conducted using PUBMED, Embase, Cochrane Central, Open Grey, Orthopaedic Proceedings and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Studies with level of evidence I-IV comparing EF with two-stage ORIF of DIATF in patients...

  7. Effect of spontaneous pushing versus Valsalva pushing in the second stage of labour on mother and fetus: a systematic review of randomised trials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Prins, M. [=Marianne; Boxem, J.; Lucas, C.; Hutton, E.

    2011-01-01

    To critically evaluate any benefit or harm for the mother and her baby of Valsalva pushing versus spontaneous pushing in the second stage of labour. Electronic databases from MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched (last search May

  8. Effect of clomiphene citrate on endometrial thickness, ovulation, pregnancy and live birth in anovulatory women: systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gadalla, M. A.; Huang, S.; Wang, R.; Norman, R. J.; Abdullah, S. A.; El Saman, A. M.; Ismail, A. M.; van Wely, M.; Mol, B. W. J.

    2018-01-01

    To compare the impact of clomiphene citrate (CC) vs other drug regimens on mid-cycle endometrial thickness (EMT), ovulation, pregnancy and live birth rates in women with World Health Organization (WHO) group II ovulatory disorders. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, The Cochrane

  9. Analysis of the Cochrane Review: Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Treatment of Dementia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;4:CD009002.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Cordeiro Sousa

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Dietary supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish and plant sources is commonly prescribed as a nonfarmacological alternative to improve brain functions and slow down the progression of dementia. This use is mostly based on findings of preclinical studies which established the role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the development and integrity of the brain, as well as epidemiological research that found evidence of malnutrition in patients with dementia. This Cochrane systematic review included three randomized, placebo-controlled trials at low risk of bias, in which omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were administered to people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease in the form of supplements. Of the main results of this systematic review we highlight the lack of convincing evidence for the efficacy of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation in the treatment of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as the low frequency of reported adverse events, with a comparable overall frequency between omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the placebo groups. The effects on other populations with dementia remain unclear. This paper aims to summarize and discuss the main results and conclusions of this systematic review, as well as its implications for the daily clinical practice.

  10. Online and mobile technologies for self-management in bipolar disorder: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gliddon, Emma; Barnes, Steven J; Murray, Greg; Michalak, Erin E

    2017-09-01

    Internet (eHealth) and smartphone-based (mHealth) approaches to self-management for bipolar disorder are increasingly common. Evidence-based self-management strategies are available for bipolar disorder and provide a useful framework for reviewing existing eHealth/mHealth programs to determine whether these strategies are supported by current technologies. This review assesses which self-management strategies are most supported by technology. Based on 3 previous studies, 7 categories of self-management strategies related to bipolar disorder were identified, followed by a systematic literature review to identify existing eHealth and mHealth programs for this disorder. Searches were conducted by using PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for relevant peer-reviewed articles published January 2005 to May 2015. eHealth and mHealth programs were summarized and reviewed to identify which of the 7 self-management strategy categories were supported by eHealth or mHealth programs. From 1,654 publications, 15 papers were identified for inclusion. From these, 9 eHealth programs and 2 mHealth programs were identified. The most commonly supported self-management strategy categories were "ongoing monitoring," "maintaining hope," "education," and "planning for and taking action"; the least commonly supported categories were "relaxation" and "maintaining a healthy lifestyle." eHealth programs appear to provide more comprehensive coverage of self-management strategies compared with mHealth programs. Both eHealth and mHealth programs present a wide range of self-management strategies for bipolar disorder, although individuals seeking comprehensive interventions might be best served by eHealth programs, while those seeking more condensed and direct interventions might prefer mHealth programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  11. Uit de Cochrane Library: met postmenopauzale hormonale substitutietherapie geen bescherming tegen hart-vaatziekte, wel meer kans op veneuze trombo-embolie

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hamerlynck, J. V. Th H.; Middeldorp, S.; Scholten, R. J. P. M.

    2006-01-01

    Observational studies in the early nineteen-nineties have strongly suggested that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has benefits for reducing cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women. A recent Cochrane systematic review assessed the effects of HRT in primary and secondary prevention of

  12. Langtidseffekt af vægtreducerende behandlinghos patienter med hypertension--en gennemgang af et Cochrane-review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsbad, Sten

    2011-01-01

    In eight studies included in the present Cochrane review the effects of orlistat or sibutramine versus placebo on mortality, cardiovascular mortality and adverse events were investigated in obese people with hypertension. No studies with rimonabant fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The weight loss...... was larger in the groups treated with orlistat or sibutramine compared with placebo therapy. Orlistat reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure more than placebo, while blood pressure increased during treatment with sibutramine. The studies were too small and of too short duration to allow an evaluation...

  13. Cochrane review: behavioural and cognitive-behavioural group-based parenting programmes for early-onset conduct problems in children aged 3 to 12 years (Review).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furlong, Mairead; McGilloway, Sinead; Bywater, Tracey; Hutchings, Judy; Smith, Susan M; Donnelly, Michael

    2013-03-07

    Early-onset child conduct problems are common and costly. A large number of studies and some previous reviews have focused on behavioural and cognitive-behavioural group-based parenting interventions, but methodological limitations are commonplace and evidence for the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these programmes has been unclear. To assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of behavioural and cognitive-behavioural group-based parenting programmes for improving child conduct problems, parental mental health and parenting skills. We searched the following databases between 23 and 31 January 2011: CENTRAL (2011, Issue 1), MEDLINE (1950 to current), EMBASE (1980 to current), CINAHL (1982 to current), PsycINFO (1872 to current), Social Science Citation Index (1956 to current), ASSIA (1987 to current), ERIC (1966 to current), Sociological Abstracts (1963 to current), Academic Search Premier (1970 to current), Econlit (1969 to current), PEDE (1980 to current), Dissertations and Theses Abstracts (1980 to present), NHS EED (searched 31 January 2011), HEED (searched 31 January 2011), DARE (searched 31 January 2011), HTA (searched 31 January 2011), mRCT (searched 29 January 2011). We searched the following parent training websites on 31 January 2011: Triple P Library, Incredible Years Library and Parent Management Training. We also searched the reference lists of studies and reviews. We included studies if: (1) they involved randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-randomised controlled trials of behavioural and cognitive-behavioural group-based parenting interventions for parents of children aged 3 to 12 years with conduct problems, and (2) incorporated an intervention group versus a waiting list, no treatment or standard treatment control group. We only included studies that used at least one standardised instrument to measure child conduct problems. Two authors independently assessed the risk of bias in the trials and the methodological quality of

  14. Positron emission tomography in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fischer, B M; Mortensen, J; Højgaard, L

    2001-01-01

    positron emission tomography (PET) and gamma-camera PET in the diagnostic investigation of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A systematic literature search was carried out in the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. We identified 55 original works on the diagnostic...

  15. Mode of delivery after successful external cephalic version: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Hundt, Marcella; Velzel, Joost; de Groot, Christianne J.; Mol, Ben W.; Kok, Marjolein

    2014-01-01

    To assess the mode of delivery in women after a successful external cephalic version by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Cochrane Library for studies reporting on the

  16. Reproducibility of Automated Voice Range Profiles, a Systematic Literature Review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Printz, Trine; Rosenberg, Tine; Godballe, Christian

    2018-01-01

    literature on test-retest accuracy of the automated voice range profile assessment. Study design: Systematic review. Data sources: PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, ComDisDome, Embase, and CINAHL (EBSCO). Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search of six databases from 1983 to 2016. The following...

  17. Troponin elevations after non-cardiac, non-vascular surgery are predictive of major adverse cardiac events and mortality

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ekeloef, S; Alamili, M; Devereaux, P J

    2016-01-01

    -analysis was conducted in January 2016 according to the Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Both interventional and observational studies measuring troponin within the first 4 days after surgery were eligible. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane...

  18. Investigation of echogenic surface enhancements for improved needle visualization in ultrasonography: A PRISMA systematic review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hovgesen, Caroline Harder; Wilhjelm, Jens E.; Vilmann, Peter

    : A systematic search was performed in five databases: Cochrane Library, Embase (through Ovid), MEDLINE (through PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to April 12th, 2017. Each search was based on the search terms: ultrasound, needle, visualization, and comparison, with related synonyms and spelling...

  19. Can fecal microbiota transplantation cure irritable bowel syndrome?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Halkjær, Sofie Ingdam; Boolsen, Anders Watt; Günther, Stig

    2017-01-01

    AIM: To verify the utility of treatment with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHODS: We searched EMBASE, Cochrane Library and PubMed in March, 2017. The reviewed literature was based on two systematic searches in each of the databases. The Me...

  20. Costs and financial benefits of video communication compared to usual care at home: a systematic review.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Peeters, J.M.; Mistiaen, P.; Francke, A.L.

    2011-01-01

    We conducted a systematic review of video communication in home care to provide insight into the ratio between the costs and financial benefits (i.e. cost savings). Four databases (PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE LIBRARY, CINAHL) were searched for studies on video communication for patients living at home

  1. Magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of disease activity in Crohn's disease: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Horsthuis, Karin; Bipat, Shandra; Stokkers, Pieter C. F.; Stoker, Jaap

    2009-01-01

    To systematically review the evidence on the accuracy of MRI for grading disease activity in Crohn's disease (CD). The MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane databases were searched for studies on the accuracy of MRI in grading CD compared to a predefined reference standard. Two independent observers

  2. Body weight-supported gait training for restoration of walking in people with an incomplete spinal cord injury: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wessels, Monique; Lucas, Cees; Eriks, Inge; de Groot, Sonja

    2010-01-01

    To evaluate the effect of body weight-supported gait training on restoration of walking, activities of daily living, and quality of life in persons with an incomplete spinal cord injury by a systematic review of the literature. Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PEDro, DocOnline were searched and

  3. Non-operative versus operative treatment for blunt pancreatic trauma in children

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haugaard, Michael V; Wettergren, André; Hillingsø, Jens Georg

    2014-01-01

    METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Injuries Group's Specialised Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 5, 2013), MEDLINE (OvidSP), EMBASE (OvidSP), ISI Web of Science (SCI-EXPANDED and CPCI-S) and ZETOC. In addition, we searched bibliographies of relevant articles, conference...... or language of publication. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used relevant search strategies to obtain the titles and abstracts of studies that were relevant for the review. Two review authors independently assessed trial eligibility. MAIN RESULTS: The search found 83 relevant references. We excluded all...

  4. Stress ulcer prophylaxis versus placebo or no prophylaxis in adult hospitalised acutely ill patients-protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marker, Søren; Perner, Anders; Wetterslev, Jørn

    2017-01-01

    or no prophylaxis as control interventions. The participants will be adult hospitalised acutely ill patients with high risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. We will systematically search the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index, BIOSIS and Epistemonikos for relevant literature. We will follow...... the recommendations by the Cochrane Collaboration and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. The risk of systematic errors (bias) and random errors will be assessed, and the overall quality of evidence will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment...

  5. A Systematic Review of Attention Biases in Opioid, Cannabis, Stimulant Use Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Melvyn; Ying, Jiangbo; Wing, Tracey; Song, Guo; Fung, Daniel S S; Smith, Helen

    2018-06-01

    Background : Opiates, cannabis, and amphetamines are highly abused, and use of these substances are prevalent disorders. Psychological interventions are crucial given that they help individuals maintain abstinence following a lapse or relapse into substance use. Advances in experimental psychology have suggested that automatic attention biases might be responsible for relapse. Prior reviews have provided evidence for the presence of these biases in addictive disorders and the effectiveness of bias modification. However, the prior studies are limited, as they failed to include trials involving participants with these prevalent addictive disorders or have failed to adopt a systematic approach in evidence synthesis. Objectives : The primary aim of this current systematic review is to synthesise the current evidence for attention biases amongst opioid use, cannabis use, and stimulant use disorders. The secondary aim is to determine the efficacy of attention bias modification interventions and other addictions related outcomes. Methods : A search was conducted from November 2017 to January 2018 on PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Science Direct, Cochrane Central, and Scopus. The selection process of the articles was in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. A qualitative synthesis was undertaken. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Results : Six randomised trials were identified. The evidence synthesized from these trials have provided strong evidence that attentional biases are present in opioid and stimulant use disorders. Evidence synthesis for other secondary outcome measures could not be performed given the heterogeneity in the measures reported and the limited number of trials. The risk of bias assessment for the included trials revealed a high risk of selection and attrition bias. Conclusions : This review demonstrates the potential need for interventions targeting attention

  6. Are interventions for low-income groups effective in changing healthy eating, physical activity and smoking behaviours? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bull, Eleanor R; Dombrowski, Stephan U; McCleary, Nicola; Johnston, Marie

    2014-11-28

    To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effectiveness of behavioural interventions targeting diet, physical activity or smoking in low-income adults. Systematic review with random effects meta-analyses. Studies before 2006 were identified from a previously published systematic review (searching 1995-2006) with similar but broader inclusion criteria (including non-randomised controlled trials (RCTs)). Studies from 2006 to 2014 were identified from eight electronic databases using a similar search strategy. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ASSIA, CINAHL, Cochrane Controlled Trials, Cochrane Systematic Review and DARE. RCTs and cluster RCTs published from 1995 to 2014; interventions targeting dietary, physical activity and smoking; low-income adults; reporting of behavioural outcomes. Dietary, physical activity and smoking cessation behaviours. 35 studies containing 45 interventions with 17,000 participants met inclusion criteria. At postintervention, effects were positive but small for diet (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.22, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.29), physical activity (SMD 0.21, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.36) and smoking (relative risk (RR) of 1.59, 95% CI 1.34 to 1.89). Studies reporting follow-up results suggested that effects were maintained over time for diet (SMD 0.16, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.25) but not physical activity (SMD 0.17, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.37) or smoking (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.34). Behaviour change interventions for low-income groups had small positive effects on healthy eating, physical activity and smoking. Further work is needed to improve the effectiveness of behaviour change interventions for deprived populations. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  7. Effectiveness of behavioural change techniques in physiotherapy interventions to promote physical activity adherence in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review protocol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willett, Matthew; Duda, Joan; Gautrey, Charlotte; Fenton, Sally; Greig, Carolyn; Rushton, Alison

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative articular disease, the highest cause of individual level disability and a significant socioeconomic burden to healthcare services. Patient education and physical activity (PA) prescription are recommended components of interventions in several healthcare guidelines and are commonly provided by physiotherapists. However, these interventions lack long-term clinical effectiveness. Patient adherence to PA prescription requires patients to modify their PA behaviour and appears critical in maintaining symptomatic improvements. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of behavioural change techniques (BCTs) used in physiotherapy interventions to improve PA adherence. Methods and analysis Medline, Cochrane and PEDro registers of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycInfo databases, and key grey literature sources will be rigorously searched for randomised controlled trials that compared a physiotherapy intervention incorporating BCTs with other therapies, placebo interventions, usual care or no-treatment. Two independent researchers will conduct literature searches, assess trial eligibility, extract data, conduct risk of bias assessment (using Cochrane risk of bias tool), classify BCTs and evaluate the quality of the body of literature following Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines. Narrative synthesis of key outcomes will be presented and meta-analysis will be performed if included trials are clinically homogenous, based on their intervention and comparator groups and outcome measures. This review will be reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Ethics and dissemination Research ethics approval is not required. This review will help inform clinicians and researchers on the most effective behavioural change techniques used in physiotherapy interventions to enhance adherence to PA

  8. WITHDRAWN: Hypnosis for children undergoing dental treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Harasi, Sharifa; Ashley, Paul F; Moles, David R; Parekh, Susan; Walters, Val

    2017-06-20

    Managing children is a challenge that many dentists face. Many non-pharmacological techniques have been developed to manage anxiety and behavioural problems in children, such us: 'tell, show & do', positive reinforcement, modelling and hypnosis. The use of hypnosis is generally an overlooked area, hence the need for this review. This systematic review attempted to answer the question: What is the effectiveness of hypnosis (with or without sedation) for behaviour management of children who are receiving dental care in order to allow successful completion of treatment?Null hypothesis: Hypnosis has no effect on the outcome of dental treatment of children. We searched the Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), and PsycINFO. Electronic and manual searches were performed using controlled vocabulary and free text terms with no language restrictions. Date of last search: 11th June 2010. All children and adolescents aged up to 16 years of age. Children having any dental treatment, such as: simple restorative treatment with or without local anaesthetic, simple extractions or management of dental trauma. Information regarding methods, participants, interventions, outcome measures and results were independently extracted, in duplicate, by two review authors. Authors of trials were contacted for details of randomisation and withdrawals and a quality assessment was carried out. The methodological quality of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed using the criteria described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions 5.0.2. Only three RCTs (with 69 participants) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Statistical analysis and meta-analysis were not possible due to insufficient number of studies. Although there are a considerable number of anecdotal accounts indicating the benefits of using hypnosis in paediatric dentistry, on the basis of the three studies meeting the inclusion criteria for this review there

  9. Impact of Chronic Pain on Treatment Prognosis for Patients with Opioid Use Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brittany B. Dennis

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background While a number of pharmacological interventions exist for the treatment of opioid use disorder, evidence evaluating the effect of pain on substance use behavior, attrition rate, and physical or mental health among these therapies has not been well established. We aim to evaluate these effects using evidence gathered from a systematic review of studies evaluating chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP in patients with opioid use disorder. Methods We searched the Medline, EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, ProQuest Dissertations and theses Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Portal, and National Institutes for Health Clinical Trials Registry databases to identify articles evaluating the impact of pain on addiction treatment outcomes for patients maintained on opioid agonist therapy. Results Upon screening 3,540 articles, 14 studies with a combined sample of 3,128 patients fulfilled the review inclusion criteria. Results from the meta-analysis suggest that pain has no effect on illicit opioid consumption [pooled odds ratio (pOR: 0.70, 95%CI 0.41–1.17; I 2 = 0.0] but a protective effect for reducing illicit non-opioid substance use (pOR: 0.57, 95%CI 0.41–0.79; I 2 = 0.0. Studies evaluating illicit opioid consumption using other measures demonstrate pain to increase the risk for opioid abuse. Pain is significantly associated with the presence of psychiatric disorders (pOR: 2.18; 95%CI 1.6, 2.9; I 2 = 0.0%. Conclusion CNCP may increase risk for continued opioid abuse and poor psychiatric functioning. Qualitative synthesis of the findings suggests that major methodological differences in the design and measurement of pain and treatment response outcomes are likely impacting the effect estimates.

  10. Virtual reality therapy for adults post-stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis exploring virtual environments and commercial games in therapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keith R Lohse

    Full Text Available The objective of this analysis was to systematically review the evidence for virtual reality (VR therapy in an adult post-stroke population in both custom built virtual environments (VE and commercially available gaming systems (CG.MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, PSYCInfo, DARE, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were systematically searched from the earliest available date until April 4, 2013. Controlled trials that compared VR to conventional therapy were included. Population criteria included adults (>18 post-stroke, excluding children, cerebral palsy, and other neurological disorders. Included studies were reported in English. Quality of studies was assessed with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale (PEDro.Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. For body function outcomes, there was a significant benefit of VR therapy compared to conventional therapy controls, G = 0.48, 95% CI = [0.27, 0.70], and no significant difference between VE and CG interventions (P = 0.38. For activity outcomes, there was a significant benefit of VR therapy, G = 0.58, 95% CI = [0.32, 0.85], and no significant difference between VE and CG interventions (P = 0.66. For participation outcomes, the overall effect size was G = 0.56, 95% CI = [0.02, 1.10]. All participation outcomes came from VE studies.VR rehabilitation moderately improves outcomes compared to conventional therapy in adults post-stroke. Current CG interventions have been too few and too small to assess potential benefits of CG. Future research in this area should aim to clearly define conventional therapy, report on participation measures, consider motivational components of therapy, and investigate commercially available systems in larger RCTs.Prospero CRD42013004338.

  11. Financial incentive policies at workplace cafeterias for preventing obesity--a systematic review and meta-analysis (Protocol).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawada, Kimi; Ota, Erika; Shahrook, Sadequa; Mori, Rintaro

    2014-10-28

    Various studies are currently investigating ways to prevent lifestyle-related diseases and obesity among workers through interventions using incentive strategies, including price discounts for low-fat snacks and sugar-free beverages at workplace cafeterias or vending machines, and the provision of a free salad bar in cafeterias. Rather than assessing individual or group interventions, we will focus on the effectiveness of nutrition education programs at the population level, which primarily incorporate financial incentive strategies to prevent obesity. This paper describes the protocol of a systematic review that will examine the effectiveness of financial incentive programs at company cafeterias in improving dietary habits, nutrient intake, and obesity prevention. We will conduct searches in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO. Interventions will be assessed using data from randomized control trials (RCTs) and cluster RCTs. However, if few such trials exist, we will include quasi-RCTs. We will exclude controlled before-and-after studies and crossover RCTs. We will assess food-based interventions that include financial incentive strategies (discount strategies or social marketing) for workplace cafeterias, vending machines, and kiosks. Two authors will independently review studies for inclusion and will resolve differences by discussion and, if required, through consultation with a third author. We will assess the risk of bias of included studies according to the Cochrane Collaboration's "risk of bias" tool. The purpose of this paper is to outline the study protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis that will investigate the effectiveness of population-level, incentive-focused interventions at the workplace cafeteria that aim to promote and prevent obesity. This review will give an important overview of the available evidence about the effectiveness of incentive-based environmental interventions to

  12. Posttraumatic stress disorder related to postpartum haemorrhage: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaat, Tjitske R; van Steijn, Minouk E; de Haan-Jebbink, Jiska M; Olff, Miranda; Stramrood, Claire A I; van Pampus, Mariëlle G

    2018-06-01

    In some cases childbirth leads to negative psychological responses such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a common and major complication of childbirth, which occasionally requires emergency hysterectomy in severe cases. Patients often describe these complications as a traumatic experience. It is unknown whether PPH is a risk factor for developing PTSD. In this systematic review we summarize the current knowledge about the association between PPH with or without emergency hysterectomy and posttraumatic stress symptoms or PTSD. If PPH is a risk factor for PTSD, this will allow adequate preventive measures with the aim to reduce the long-term effects and socioeconomic problems associated with PTSD. To conduct this review MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO databases were searched for publications between January 1986 and October 2017. Manuscripts evaluating the association between PPH and peripartum emergency hysterectomy and PTSD or posttraumatic stress symptoms were included. Fifty-two articles met the criteria for full-text review. Seven articles were included in this review. Five studies focused on the association between PPH and PTSD and two studies evaluated the association between emergency hysterectomy and PTSD. Three studies found no association between PPH and PTSD. Two studies reported a higher risk of developing PTSD or posttraumatic stress symptoms after PPH. Two studies reported a higher risk of developing PTSD after emergency hysterectomy. Meta-analysis was not possible due to the heterogeneity of these studies. Based on the results of these studies there may be an association between PPH and PTSD. Secondly, it seems likely that an association exists between emergency postpartum hysterectomy and PTSD, but the strength of this conclusion is limited by the small amount of studies included. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B

  13. Internet interventions for adult illicit substance users: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boumparis, Nikolaos; Karyotaki, Eirini; Schaub, Michael P; Cuijpers, Pim; Riper, Heleen

    2017-09-01

    Research has shown that internet interventions can be effective for dependent users of various substances. However, less is known about the effects of these interventions on users of opioids, cocaine and amphetamines than for other substances. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of internet interventions in decreasing the usage of these types of substances. We conducted a systematic literature search in the databases of PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase and the Cochrane Library to identify randomized controlled trials examining the effectiveness of internet interventions compared with control conditions in reducing the use of opioids, cocaine and amphetamines. No setting restrictions were applied. The risk of bias of the included studies was examined according to the Cochrane Risk of Bias assessment tool. The primary outcome was substance use reduction assessed through toxicology screening, self-report or both at post-treatment and at the follow-up assessment. Seventeen studies with 2836 adult illicit substance users were included. The risk of bias varied across the included studies. Internet interventions decreased significantly opioid [four studies, n = 606, g = 0.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.20-0.53, P internet intervention for stimulant users was small and non-significant (four studies, n = 481, P = 0.164). Overall, internet interventions decreased substance significantly use at post-treatment (17 studies, n = 2836, g = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.23-0.39, P Internet interventions demonstrate small but significant effects in decreasing substance use among various target populations at post-treatment and at the follow-up assessment. However, given the small number of available studies for certain substances, the findings should be interpreted with caution. © 2017 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

  14. Dropout Prevalence and Associated Factors in Randomized Clinical Trials of Adolescents Treated for Depression: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohden, Adriane Isabel; Benchaya, Mariana Canellas; Camargo, Roger Santos; Moreira, Taís de Campos; Barros, Helena M T; Ferigolo, Maristela

    2017-05-01

    Depression currently affects 350 million people, and its prevalence among adolescents is 4% to 8%. Adolescents who abandon antidepressant treatment or drop out of clinical trials are less likely to recover or experience a remission of symptoms because they are not being followed up by a medical team. The objective of this study was to analyze the dropout rates of randomized clinical trials of depressed adolescents receiving treatment with antidepressant drugs and the factors associated with nonadherence by summarizing this information in a systematic review and meta-analysis. Articles were retrieved from MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, Clinical Trial, PsycINFO, and Web of Science using the MeSH terms "depressive disorder," "randomized trials," and "adolescents." The evaluation of study quality was performed by using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and the Jadad scale. The final sample included 50 articles, of which 44 presented dropout rates. The overall dropout prevalence was 23% (95% CI, 20-27; P dropout prevalence, respectively (33% [95% CI, 27-39], 45% [95% CI, 31-64], and 15% [95% CI, 13-17]). The adverse effects most associated with dropout were attempted suicide followed by mania, skin rash, and headache. Problems relating to clinical trials and family arbitration were also related with dropout. Serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor treatment, adolescent age >16 years, and receiving medication were the only factors demonstrating a higher association with dropout rates. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were linked to the lowest prevalence, probably due to fewer perceived problems with related adverse effects and higher efficacy in adolescents. Cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with pharmacotherapy produced a lower nonadherence prevalence; this approach can be an alternative to avoid dropouts and relapse. Prospero identifier: CRD42014013475. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Association between Depressive Symptoms and Cognitive Function in Persons with Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sofia M Danna

    Full Text Available Depression and diabetes are independent risk factors for one another, and both are associated with increased risk of cognitive decline. Diabetes patients with lower cognitive function are more likely to suffer poorer health outcomes. However, the role of depression in cognitive decline among people with diabetes is not well understood. This systematic review assessed whether adults with comorbid diabetes and depression or depressive symptoms exhibit greater cognitive decline relative to individuals with diabetes alone. Searches were run in CINAHL, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and PubMed (MEDLINE with no time or language restrictions. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were of any quantitative study design, included participants aged 18 years or older with diabetes mellitus of which some must have presented with current depression, and measured cognition as an outcome. The Cochrane Collaboration's Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies-of Interventions tool was used for quality assessment of each study and its collected outcome. Fifteen articles were included in the final analysis. The high degree of heterogeneity in exposures, outcomes, and participant characteristics precluded a meta-analysis of any of the studies, and the risk of bias observed in these studies limits the strength of the evidence. Nonetheless, this review found the presence of comorbid depression was associated with poorer cognitive outcomes than for persons with diabetes alone. While large-scale preventive efforts must address epidemic levels of diabetes and its comorbidities, on the patient level healthcare professionals must be cognizant of the added difficulties that depression poses to patients and the extra support required to management diabetes in these cases. This systematic review is registered with the University of York Centre for Reviews and Dissemination under registration number 2015:CRD42015025122.

  16. Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Salivary Cortisol in Healthy Adults: A Meta-Analytical Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanada, Kenji; Montero-Marin, Jesus; Alda Díez, Marta; Salas-Valero, Montserrat; Pérez-Yus, María C; Morillo, Héctor; Demarzo, Marcelo M P; García-Toro, Mauro; García-Campayo, Javier

    2016-01-01

    Objective: The aim of the present study was to elucidate the effects of Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on salivary cortisol levels in healthy adult populations. Method: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published between January 1980 and June 2015 in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO and the Cochrane library. The PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines were followed. The pooled effect sizes were calculated with the random-effects model, using Hedges' g -values, and heterogeneity was measured using the I 2 statistic. The contribution of different characteristics of participants and programmes were assessed by meta-regression models, using beta coefficients. Results: Five RCTs with 190 participants in total were included in this systematic review. The overall effect size (ES) for improving the state of health related to cortisol levels was moderately low ( g = 0.41; p = 0.025), although moderate heterogeneity was found ( I 2 = 55; p = 0.063). There were no significant differences between active ( g = 0.33; p = 0.202) and passive ( g = 0.48; p = 0.279) controls, but significant differences were found when comparing standard ( g = 0.81; p = 0.002) and raw ( g = 0.03; p = 0.896) measures. The percentage of women in each study was not related to ES. Nevertheless, age (beta = -0.03; p = 0.039), the number of sessions (beta = 0.33; p = 0.007) and the total hours of the MBI (beta = 0.06; p = 0.005) were significantly related to ES, explaining heterogeneity ( R 2 = 1.00). Conclusions: Despite the scarce number of studies, our results suggest that MBIs might have some beneficial effect on cortisol secretion in healthy adult subjects. However, there is a need for further RCTs implemented in accordance with standard programmes and measurements of salivary cortisol under rigorous strategies in healthy adult populations.

  17. Effects of Mindfulness-based interventions on salivary cortisol in healthy adults: a meta-analytical review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenji Sanada

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the effects of Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs on salivary cortisol levels in healthy adult populations. Method. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs, published between January 1980 and June 2015 in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO and the Cochrane library. The PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines were followed. The pooled effect sizes were calculated with the random-effects model, using Hedges’ g values, and heterogeneity was measured using the I2 statistic. The contribution of different characteristics of participants and programmes were assessed by meta-regression models, using beta coefficients. Results. Five RCTs with 190 participants in total were included in this systematic review. The overall effect size (ES for improving the state of health related to cortisol levels was moderately low (g=0.41; p=0.025, although moderate heterogeneity was found (I2=55; p=0.063. There were no significant differences between active (g=0.33; p=0.202 and passive (g=0.48; p=0.279 controls, but significant differences were found when comparing standard (g=0.81; p=0.002 and raw (g=0.03; p=0.896 measures. The percentage of women in each study was not related to ES. Nevertheless, age (beta=-0.03; p=0.039, the number of sessions (beta=0.33; p=0.007 and the total hours of the MBI (beta=0.06; p=0.005 were significantly related to ES, explaining heterogeneity (R2=1.00. Conclusions. Despite the scarce number of studies, our results suggest that MBIs might have some beneficial effect on cortisol secretion in healthy adult subjects. However, there is a need for further RCTs implemented in accordance with standard programmes and measurements of salivary cortisol under rigorous strategies in healthy adult populations.

  18. Impact of Community Health Workers on Use of Healthcare Services in the United States: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jack, Helen E; Arabadjis, Sophia D; Sun, Lucy; Sullivan, Erin E; Phillips, Russell S

    2017-03-01

    As the US transitions to value-based healthcare, physicians and payers are incentivized to change healthcare delivery to improve quality of care while controlling costs. By assisting with the management of common chronic conditions, community health workers (CHWs) may improve healthcare quality, but physicians and payers who are making choices about care delivery also need to understand their effects on healthcare spending. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science from the inception of each database to 22 June 2015. We included US-based studies that evaluated a CHW intervention for patients with at least one chronic health condition and reported cost or healthcare utilization outcomes. We evaluated studies using tools specific to study design. Our search yielded 2,941 studies after removing duplicates. Thirty-four met inclusion and methodological criteria. Sixteen studies (47%) were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RCTs typically had less positive outcomes than other study designs. Of the 16 RCTs, 12 reported utilization outcomes, of which 5 showed a significant reduction in one or more of ED visits, hospitalizations and/or urgent care visits. Significant reductions reported in ED visits ranged from 23%-51% and in hospitalizations ranged from 21%-50%, and the one significant reduction in urgent care visits was recorded at 60% (p < 0.05 for all). Our results suggest that CHW interventions have variable effects, but some may reduce costs and preventable utilization. These findings suggest that it is possible to achieve reductions in care utilization and cost savings by integrating CHWs into chronic care management. However, variations in cost and utilization outcomes suggest that CHWs alone do not make an intervention successful. The paucity of rigorous studies and heterogeneity of study designs limited conclusions about factors associated with reduced

  19. Emergency transportation interventions for reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ehiri, John; Alaofè, Halimatou; Asaolu, Ibitola; Chebet, Joy; Esu, Ekpereonne; Meremikwu, Martin

    2018-04-25

    Transportation interventions seek to decrease delay in reaching a health facility for emergency obstetric care and are, thus, believed to contribute to reductions in such adverse pregnancy and childbirth outcomes as maternal deaths, stillbirths, and neonatal mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there is limited empirical evidence to support this hypothesis. The objective of the proposed review is to summarize and critically appraise evidence regarding the effect of emergency transportation interventions on outcomes of labor and delivery in LMICs. The following databases will be searched from inception to March 31, 2018: MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, EBSCO (PsycINFO and CINAHL), the Cochrane Pregnancy and Child Birth Group's Specialized Register, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We will search for studies in the grey literature through Google and Google Scholar. We will solicit unpublished reports from such relevant agencies as United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DfID) among others. Data generated from the search will be managed using Endnote Version 7. We will perform quantitative data synthesis if studies are homogenous in characteristics and provide adequate outcome data for meta-analysis. Otherwise, data will be synthesized, using the narrative synthesis approach. Among the many barriers that women in LMICs face in accessing life-saving interventions during labor and delivery, lack of access to emergency transportation is particularly important. This review will provide a critical summary of evidence regarding the impact of transportation interventions on outcomes of pregnancy and childbirth in LMICs. PROSPERO CRD42017080092.

  20. Motivational interviewing for improving recovery after stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Daobin; Qu, Zhanli; Huang, Jianyi; Xiao, Yousheng; Luo, Hongye; Wang, Jin

    2015-06-03

    Psychological problems are common complications following stroke that can cause stroke survivors to lack the motivation to take part in activities of daily living. Motivational interviewing provides a specific way for enhancing intrinsic motivation, which may help to improve activities of daily living for stroke survivors. To investigate the effect of motivational interviewing for improving activities of daily living after stroke. We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group's Trials Register (November 2014), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2015, Issue 1), MEDLINE (1948 to March 2015), EMBASE (1980 to March 2015), CINAHL (1982 to March 2015), AMED (1985 to March 2015), PsycINFO (1806 to March 2015), PsycBITE (March 2015) and four Chinese databases. In an effort to identify further published, unpublished and ongoing trials, we searched ongoing trials registers and conference proceedings, checked reference lists, and contacted authors of relevant studies. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing motivational interviewing with no intervention, sham motivational interviewing or other psychological therapy for people with stroke were eligible. Two review authors independently selected studies for inclusion, extracted eligible data and assessed risk of bias. Outcome measures included activities of daily living, mood and death. One study involving a total of 411 participants, which compared motivational interviewing with usual care, met our inclusion criteria. The results of this review did not show significant differences between groups receiving motivational interviewing or usual stroke care for participants who were not dependent on others for activities of daily living, nor on the death rate after three-month and 12-month follow-up, but participants receiving motivational interviewing were more likely to have a normal mood than those who received usual care at three-months and 12-months follow-up. There is insufficient evidence to support

  1. Exploring treatment by covariate interactions using subgroup analysis and meta-regression in cochrane reviews: a review of recent practice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Donegan

    Full Text Available Treatment by covariate interactions can be explored in reviews using interaction analyses (e.g., subgroup analysis. Such analyses can provide information on how the covariate modifies the treatment effect and is an important methodological approach for personalising medicine. Guidance exists regarding how to apply such analyses but little is known about whether authors follow the guidance.Using published recommendations, we developed criteria to assess how well interaction analyses were designed, applied, interpreted, and reported. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was searched (8th August 2013. We applied the criteria to the most recently published review, with an accessible protocol, for each Cochrane Review Group. We excluded review updates, diagnostic test accuracy reviews, withdrawn reviews, and overviews of reviews. Data were summarised regarding reviews, covariates, and analyses.Each of the 52 included reviews planned or did interaction analyses; 51 reviews (98% planned analyses and 33 reviews (63% applied analyses. The type of analysis planned and the type subsequently applied (e.g., sensitivity or subgroup analysis was discrepant in 24 reviews (46%. No review reported how or why each covariate had been chosen; 22 reviews (42% did state each covariate a priori in the protocol but no review identified each post-hoc covariate as such. Eleven reviews (21% mentioned five covariates or less. One review reported planning to use a method to detect interactions (i.e., interaction test for each covariate; another review reported applying the method for each covariate. Regarding interpretation, only one review reported whether an interaction was detected for each covariate and no review discussed the importance, or plausibility, of the results, or the possibility of confounding for each covariate.Interaction analyses in Cochrane Reviews can be substantially improved. The proposed criteria can be used to help guide the reporting and

  2. Post-Traumatic Growth and Resilience in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Patients: An Overview

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Greup, Suzanne R.; Kaal, Suzanne E. J.; Jansen, Rosemarie; Manten-Horst, Eveliene; Thong, Melissa S. Y.; van der Graaf, Winette T. A.; Prins, Judith B.; Husson, Olga

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the literature on post-traumatic growth (PTG) and resilience among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients. A literature search in Embase, PsychInfo, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Cinahl was carried out. Thirteen articles

  3. Intratumoral treatment with radioactive beta-emitting microparticles : a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bakker, Robbert C; Lam, Marnix G E H; van Nimwegen, Sebastiaan A|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/343084163; Rosenberg, Antoine J W P; van Es, Robert J J; Nijsen, J. Frank W

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review the role of radioactive microparticles (1-100 μm) for the treatment of solid tumors and provide a comprehensive overview of the feasibility, safety, and efficacy. Methods: A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library

  4. Re-torsion of the ovaries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hyttel, Trine E W; Bak, Geske S; Larsen, Solveig B

    2015-01-01

    The increasing use of de-torsion of the ovaries may result in re-torsion. This review addresses risk of re-torsion and describes preventive strategies to avoid re-torsion in pre-menarcheal girls, and fertile and pregnant women. We clinically reviewed PubMed, Embase, Trip and Cochrane databases. T...

  5. Age determination of subdural hematomas with CT and MRI: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sieswerda-Hoogendoorn, Tessa; Postema, Floor A. M.; Verbaan, Dagmar; Majoie, Charles B.; van Rijn, Rick R.

    2014-01-01

    To systematically review the literature on dating subdural hematomas (SDHs) on CT and MRI scans. We performed a systematic review in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane to search for articles that described the appearance of SDHs on CT or MRI in relation to time between trauma and scanning. Two researchers

  6. Risk of malignant paraganglioma in SDHB-mutation and SDHD-mutation carriers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hulsteijn, L.T.; Dekkers, O.M.; Hes, F.J.; Smit, J.W.A.; Corssmit, E.P.

    2012-01-01

    The main objective of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on the risk of developing malignant paraganglioma (PGL) in SDHB-mutation and SDHD-mutation carriers. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, COCHRANE and Academic Search Premier (2000-August 2011) and references of key

  7. Portal vein embolization before liver resection: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Lienden, K. P.; van den Esschert, J. W.; de Graaf, W.; Bipat, S.; Lameris, J. S.; van Gulik, T. M.; van Delden, O. M.

    2013-01-01

    This is a review of literature on the indications, technique, and outcome of portal vein embolization (PVE). A systematic literature search on outcome of PVE from 1990 to 2011 was performed in Medline, Cochrane, and Embase databases. Forty-four articles were selected, including 1,791 patients with a

  8. Effect of standardized training on the reliability of the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool: a prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Costa, Bruno R; Beckett, Brooke; Diaz, Alison; Resta, Nina M; Johnston, Bradley C; Egger, Matthias; Jüni, Peter; Armijo-Olivo, Susan

    2017-03-03

    The Cochrane risk of bias tool is commonly criticized for having a low reliability. We aimed to investigate whether training of raters, with objective and standardized instructions on how to assess risk of bias, can improve the reliability of the Cochrane risk of bias tool. In this pilot study, four raters inexperienced in risk of bias assessment were randomly allocated to minimal or intensive standardized training for risk of bias assessment of randomized trials of physical therapy treatments for patients with knee osteoarthritis pain. Two raters were experienced risk of bias assessors who served as reference. The primary outcome of our study was between-group reliability, defined as the agreement of the risk of bias assessments of inexperienced raters with the reference assessments of experienced raters. Consensus-based assessments were used for this purpose. The secondary outcome was within-group reliability, defined as the agreement of assessments within pairs of inexperienced raters. We calculated the chance-corrected weighted Kappa to quantify agreement within and between groups of raters for each of the domains of the risk of bias tool. A total of 56 trials were included in our analysis. The Kappa for the agreement of inexperienced raters with reference across items of the risk of bias tool ranged from 0.10 to 0.81 for the minimal training group and from 0.41 to 0.90 for the standardized training group. The Kappa values for the agreement within pairs of inexperienced raters across the items of the risk of bias tool ranged from 0 to 0.38 for the minimal training group and from 0.93 to 1 for the standardized training group. Between-group differences in Kappa for the agreement of inexperienced raters with reference always favored the standardized training group and was most pronounced for incomplete outcome data (difference in Kappa 0.52, p training on risk of bias assessment may significantly improve the reliability of the Cochrane risk of bias tool.

  9. Optimizing literature search in systematic reviews

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aagaard, Thomas; Lund, Hans; Juhl, Carsten Bogh

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: When conducting systematic reviews, it is essential to perform a comprehensive literature search to identify all published studies relevant to the specific research question. The Cochrane Collaborations Methodological Expectations of Cochrane Intervention Reviews (MECIR) guidelines...... of musculoskeletal disorders. METHODS: Data sources were systematic reviews published by the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Review Group, including at least five RCTs, reporting a search history, searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and adding reference- and hand-searching. Additional databases were deemed eligible...... if they indexed RCTs, were in English and used in more than three of the systematic reviews. Relative recall was calculated as the number of studies identified by the literature search divided by the number of eligible studies i.e. included studies in the individual systematic reviews. Finally, cumulative median...

  10. Pentoxifylline for alcoholic hepatitis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Whitfield, Kate; Rambaldi, Andrea; Wetterslev, Jørn

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Alcoholic hepatitis is a life-threatening disease, with an average mortality of approximately 40%. There is no widely accepted, effective treatment for alcoholic hepatitis. Pentoxifylline is used to treat alcoholic hepatitis, but there has been no systematic review to assess its effects....... OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits and harms of pentoxifylline in alcoholic hepatitis. SEARCH STRATEGY: The Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index Expanded, LILACS......, clinicaltrials.gov, and full text searches were conducted until August 2009. Manufacturers and authors were contacted. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised clinical trials of pentoxifylline in participants with alcoholic hepatitis compared to control were selected for inclusion. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two...

  11. Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group guidance series-paper 3: methods for assessing methodological limitations, data extraction and synthesis, and confidence in synthesized qualitative findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noyes, Jane; Booth, Andrew; Flemming, Kate; Garside, Ruth; Harden, Angela; Lewin, Simon; Pantoja, Tomas; Hannes, Karin; Cargo, Margaret; Thomas, James

    2018-05-01

    The Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group develops and publishes guidance on the synthesis of qualitative and mixed-method implementation evidence. Choice of appropriate methodologies, methods, and tools is essential when developing a rigorous protocol and conducting the synthesis. Cochrane authors who conduct qualitative evidence syntheses have thus far used a small number of relatively simple methods to address similarly written questions. Cochrane has invested in methodological work to develop new tools and to encourage the production of exemplar reviews to show the value of more innovative methods that address a wider range of questions. In this paper, in the series, we report updated guidance on the selection of tools to assess methodological limitations in qualitative studies and methods to extract and synthesize qualitative evidence. We recommend application of Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation-Confidence in the Evidence from Qualitative Reviews to assess confidence in qualitative synthesized findings. This guidance aims to support review authors to undertake a qualitative evidence synthesis that is intended to be integrated subsequently with the findings of one or more Cochrane reviews of the effects of similar interventions. The review of intervention effects may be undertaken concurrently with or separate to the qualitative evidence synthesis. We encourage further development through reflection and formal testing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Non-pharmacological interventions for perceptual disorders following stroke and other adult-acquired, non-progressive brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowen, Audrey; Knapp, Peter; Gillespie, David; Nicolson, Donald J; Vail, Andy

    2011-04-13

    Stroke and other adult-acquired brain injury may impair perception leading to distress and increased dependence on others. Perceptual rehabilitation includes functional training, sensory stimulation, strategy training and task repetition. To examine the evidence for improvement in activities of daily living (ADL) six months post randomisation for active intervention versus placebo or no treatment. We searched the trials registers of the Cochrane Stroke Group and the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group (May 2009) but not the Injuries Group, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library 2009, Issue 3), MEDLINE (1950 to August 2009), EMBASE (1980 to August 2009), CINAHL (1982 to August 2009), PsycINFO (1974 to August 2009), REHABDATA and PsycBITE (May to June 2009). We also searched trials and research registers, handsearched journals, searched reference lists and contacted authors. Randomised controlled trials of adult stroke or acquired brain injury. Our definition of perception excluded visual field deficits, neglect/inattention and apraxia. One review author assessed titles, abstracts and keywords for eligibility. At least two review authors independently extracted data. We requested unclear or missing information from corresponding authors. We included six single-site trials in rehabilitation settings, involving 338 participants. Four trials included people with only stroke. All studies provided sensory stimulation, sometimes with another intervention. Sensory stimulation typically involved practising tasks that required visuo-perceptual processing with occupational therapist assistance. Repetition was never used and only one study included functional training. No trials provided data on longer term improvement in ADL scores. Only three trials provided any data suitable for analysis. Two of these trials compared active to placebo intervention. There was no evidence of a difference in ADL scores at the scheduled end of intervention: mean

  13. What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about non-pharmacological interventions for treating cognitive decline and dementia?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vitória Carvalho Vilela

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Dementia is a highly prevalent condition worldwide. Its chronic and progressive presentation has an impact on physical and psychosocial characteristics and on public healthcare. Our aim was to summarize evidence from Cochrane reviews on non-pharmacological treatments for cognitive disorders and dementia. DESIGN AND SETTING: Review of systematic reviews, conducted in the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. METHODS: Cochrane reviews on non-pharmacological interventions for cognitive dysfunctions and/or type of dementia were included. For this, independent assessments were made by two authors. RESULTS: Twenty-four reviews were included. These showed that carbohydrate intake and validation therapy may be beneficial for cognitive disorders. For dementia, there is a potential benefit from physical activity programs, cognitive training, psychological treatments, aromatherapy, light therapy, cognitive rehabilitation, cognitive stimulation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy in association with donepezil, functional analysis, reminiscence therapy, transcutaneous electrical stimulation, structured decision-making on feeding options, case management approaches, interventions by non-specialist healthcare workers and specialized care units. No benefits were found in relation to enteral tube feeding, acupuncture, Snoezelen stimulation, respite care, palliative care team and interventions to prevent wandering behavior. CONCLUSION: Many non-pharmacological interventions for patients with cognitive impairment and dementia have been studied and potential benefits have been shown. However, the strength of evidence derived from these studies was considered low overall, due to the methodological limitations of the primary studies.

  14. Childhood Psychiatric Disorders as Risk Factor for Subsequent Substance Abuse: A Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groenman, Annabeth P; Janssen, Tieme W P; Oosterlaan, Jaap

    2017-07-01

    To assess the prospective risk of developing substance-related disorders after childhood mental health disorders (i.e., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], oppositional defiant disorder [ODD] or conduct disorder [CD], anxiety disorder, and depression) using meta-analysis. PubMed, Embase, and PsycInfo were searched for relevant longitudinal studies that described childhood (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Antenatal and intrapartum interventions for preventing cerebral palsy: an overview of Cochrane systematic reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepherd, Emily; Salam, Rehana A; Middleton, Philippa; Makrides, Maria; McIntyre, Sarah; Badawi, Nadia; Crowther, Caroline A

    2017-08-08

    Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing disorders of movement and posture, attributed to non-progressive disturbances occurring in the developing fetal or infant brain. As there are diverse risk factors and causes, no one strategy will prevent all cerebral palsy. Therefore, there is a need to systematically consider all potentially relevant interventions for their contribution to prevention. To summarise the evidence from Cochrane reviews regarding the effects of antenatal and intrapartum interventions for preventing cerebral palsy. We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews on 7 August 2016, for reviews of antenatal or intrapartum interventions reporting on cerebral palsy. Two authors assessed reviews for inclusion, extracted data, assessed review quality, using AMSTAR and ROBIS, and quality of the evidence, using the GRADE approach. We organised reviews by topic, and summarised findings in text and tables. We categorised interventions as effective (high-quality evidence of effectiveness); possibly effective (moderate-quality evidence of effectiveness); ineffective (high-quality evidence of harm or of lack of effectiveness); probably ineffective (moderate-quality evidence of harm or of lack of effectiveness); and no conclusions possible (low- to very low-quality evidence). We included 15 Cochrane reviews. A further 62 reviews pre-specified the outcome cerebral palsy in their methods, but none of the included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) reported this outcome. The included reviews were high quality and at low risk of bias. They included 279 RCTs; data for cerebral palsy were available from 27 (10%) RCTs, involving 32,490 children. They considered interventions for: treating mild to moderate hypertension (two) and pre-eclampsia (two); diagnosing and preventing fetal compromise in labour (one); preventing preterm birth (four); preterm fetal maturation or neuroprotection (five); and managing preterm fetal compromise (one). Quality of

  16. Glucagon like peptide-2 and neoplasia; a systematic review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ring, Linea Landgrebe; Nerup, Nikolaj; Jeppesen, Palle Bekker

    2018-01-01

    independently by two authors in the following databases; Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane. Expert commentary: This systematic review indicated that treatment with GLP-2(1–33) up to 30 months in humans without any known pre-existing cancer did not confer an increased risk of intestinal...

  17. The effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 and glucagon-like peptide-2 on microcirculation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nerup, Nikolaj; Ambrus, Rikard; Lindhe, Joanna

    2018-01-01

    authors in the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, Scopus, and Web of Science. RESULTS: Of 1111 screened papers, 20 studies were included in this review: 16 studies in animals, three in humans, and one in humans and rats. CONCLUSION: The studies were few and heterogeneous and had a high...

  18. A review of epidemiological injury studies in the oil- and gas offshore industry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Olaf; Laursen, Lise Hedegaard

    2014-01-01

    papers in PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE, Google Scholar and Web of Science databases that were published on or before January 1st 2000. Results: i) The fatal injury incidence rates in the USA are significantly higher than for all other industries; ii) The incidence rates of lost time injuries have been...

  19. Enzyme replacement therapy for Anderson-Fabry disease: A complementary overview of a Cochrane publication through a linear regression and a pooled analysis of proportions from cohort studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Dib, Regina; Gomaa, Huda; Ortiz, Alberto; Politei, Juan; Kapoor, Anil; Barreto, Fellype

    2017-01-01

    Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD) is an X-linked recessive inborn error of glycosphingolipid metabolism caused by a deficiency of alpha-galactosidase A. Renal failure, heart and cerebrovascular involvement reduce survival. A Cochrane review provided little evidence on the use of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). We now complement this review through a linear regression and a pooled analysis of proportions from cohort studies. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ERT for AFD. For the systematic review, a literature search was performed, from inception to March 2016, using Medline, EMBASE and LILACS. Inclusion criteria were cohort studies, patients with AFD on ERT or natural history, and at least one patient-important outcome (all-cause mortality, renal, cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events, and adverse events) reported. The pooled proportion and the confidence interval (CI) are shown for each outcome. Simple linear regressions for composite endpoints were performed. 77 cohort studies involving 15,305 participants proved eligible. The pooled proportions were as follows: a) for renal complications, agalsidase alfa 15.3% [95% CI 0.048, 0.303; I2 = 77.2%, p = 0.0005]; agalsidase beta 6% [95% CI 0.04, 0.07; I2 = not applicable]; and untreated patients 21.4% [95% CI 0.1522, 0.2835; I2 = 89.6%, plinear regression showed that Fabry patients receiving agalsidase alfa are more likely to have higher rates of composite endpoints compared to those receiving agalsidase beta. Agalsidase beta is associated to a significantly lower incidence of renal, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events than no ERT, and to a significantly lower incidence of cerebrovascular events than agalsidase alfa. In view of these results, the use of agalsidase beta for preventing major organ complications related to AFD can be recommended.

  20. Interventions to Prevent Child Marriage Among Young People in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review of the Published and Gray Literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalamar, Amanda M; Lee-Rife, Susan; Hindin, Michelle J

    2016-09-01

    Child marriage, defined as marriage before the age of 18 years, is a human rights violation that can have lasting adverse educational and economic impacts. The objective of this review was to identify high-quality interventions and evaluations to decease child marriage in low- and middle-income countries. PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL Plus, Popline, and the Cochrane Databases were searched without language limitations for articles published through November 2015. Gray literature was searched by hand. Reference tracing was used, as well as the unpacking of systematic reviews. Retained articles were those that were evaluated as having high-quality interventions and evaluations using standardized scoring. Eleven high-quality interventions and evaluations were abstracted. Six found positive results in decreasing the proportion married or increasing age at marriage, one had both positive and negative findings, and four had no statistical impact on the proportion married or age at marriage. There is wide range of high-quality, impactful interventions included in this review which can inform researchers, donors, and policy makers about where to make strategic investments to eradicate marriage, a current target of the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the cultural factors that promote child marriage, the diversity of interventions can allow decision makers to tailor interventions to the cultural context of the target population. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  1. Mental Health Interventions in the Workplace and Work Outcomes: A Best-Evidence Synthesis of Systematic Reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, S L; Koehn, C; White, M I; Harder, H G; Schultz, I Z; Williams-Whitt, K; Warje, O; Dionne, C E; Koehoorn, M; Pasca, R; Hsu, V; McGuire, L; Schulz, W; Kube, D; Wright, M D

    2016-01-01

    Mental health issues in the workplace are a growing concern among organizations and policymakers, but it remains unclear what interventions are effective in preventing mental health problems and their associated organizational consequences. This synthesis reports on workplace mental health interventions that impact absenteeism, productivity and financial outcomes. To determine the level of evidence supporting mental health interventions as valuable to work outcomes. Databases were searched for systematic reviews between 2000 and 2012: Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, DARE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and TRIP. Grey literature searches included health-evidence.ca, Rehab+, National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), and Institute for Work and Health. The assessment of articles for inclusion criteria and methodological quality was conducted independently by two or more researchers, with differences resolved through consensus. The search resulted in 3363 titles, of which 3248 were excluded following title/abstract review, with 115 articles retrieved for full-text review. 14 articles finally met the inclusion criteria and are summarized in this synthesis. There is moderate evidence for the effectiveness of workplace mental health interventions on improved workplace outcomes. Certain types of programs, such as those incorporating both mental and physical health interventions, multicomponent mental health and/or psychosocial interventions, and exposure in vivo containing interventions for particular anxiety disorders had a greater level of research evidence to support their effectiveness.

  2. The Use of Humor in Palliative Care: A Systematic Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinna, Miguel Ángel Cuervo; Mahtani-Chugani, Vinita; Sánchez Correas, Miguel Ángel; Sanz Rubiales, Alvaro

    2018-01-01

    Humor has its own place in the context of medicine. Nevertheless, its acceptance by terminal stage patients and health-care professionals has not been studied in depth and is not free from controversy. To understand the significance, appropriateness, and pertinence of the use of humor in palliative care and to analyze its applicability. A narrative systematic review was undertaken and included in PROSPERO. Online searches were carried out on PUBMED, PSYCINFO, EBSCO (CINHAL), EMBASE, SCIELO, SCOPUS, TESEO, WEB of SCIENCE, and COCHRANE between their launch date and December 31, 2015, complemented with manual searches with queries to experts. A total of 156 studies were identified, which were then filtered in pairs by means of an established hierarchy, selecting studies that discussed the use of humor specifically in palliative care from all perspectives and designs, and finally published in Spanish, English, French, or Portuguese. Critical reading of all the selected studies took place, with no exclusions due to quality evaluation. Thirty-four studies were included. Five main topics were identified: (1) definition of humor, (2) use and functions of humor in palliative care, (3) how to use humor, (4) when not to use humor, and (5) humor before and after the diagnosis of terminal illness. Humor plays an unquestionable role in palliative care, but its use needs training and appropriate use.

  3. Which learning activities enhance physiotherapy practice? A systematic review protocol of quantitative and qualitative studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leahy, Edmund; Chipchase, Lucy; Blackstock, Felicity

    2017-04-17

    Learning activities are fundamental for the development of expertise in physiotherapy practice. Continuing professional development (CPD) encompasses formal and informal learning activities undertaken by physiotherapists. Identifying the most efficient and effective learning activities is essential to enable the profession to assimilate research findings and improve clinical skills to ensure the most efficacious care for clients. To date, systematic reviews on the effectiveness of CPD provide limited guidance on the most efficacious models of professional development for physiotherapists. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate which learning activities enhance physiotherapy practice. A search of Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO (Psychological Abstracts), PEDro, Cochrane Library, AMED and Educational Resources and Information Center (ERIC) will be completed. Citation searching and reference list searching will be undertaken to locate additional studies. Quantitative and qualitative studies will be included if they examine the impact of learning activities on clinician's behaviour, attitude, knowledge, beliefs, skills, self-efficacy, work satisfaction and patient outcomes. Risk of bias will be assessed by two independent researchers. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) and Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (CERQual) will be used to synthesise results where a meta-analysis is possible. Where a meta-analysis is not possible, a narrative synthesis will be conducted. PROSPERO CRD42016050157.

  4. Preventing post-traumatic stress disorder following childbirth and traumatic birth experiences: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Graaff, Lisanne F; Honig, Adriaan; van Pampus, Mariëlle G; Stramrood, Claire A I

    2018-06-01

    Between 9 and 44% of women experience giving birth as traumatic, and 3% of women develop a post-traumatic stress disorder following childbirth. Knowledge on risk factors is abundant, but studies on treatment are limited. This study aimed to present an overview of means to prevent traumatic birth experiences and childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Major databases [Cochrane; Embase; PsycINFO; PubMed (Medline)] were searched using combinations of the key words and their synonyms. After screening titles and abstracts and reading 135 full-text articles, 13 studies were included. All evaluated secondary prevention, and none primary prevention. Interventions included debriefing, structured psychological interventions, expressive writing interventions, encouraging skin-to-skin contact with healthy newborns immediately postpartum and holding or seeing the newborn after stillbirth. The large heterogeneity of study characteristics precluded pooling of data. The writing interventions to express feelings appeared to be effective in prevention. A psychological intervention including elements of exposure and psycho-education seemed to lead to fewer post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in women who delivered via emergency cesarean section. No research has been done on primary prevention of traumatic childbirth. Research on secondary prevention of traumatic childbirth and post-traumatic stress disorder following delivery provides insufficient evidence that the described interventions are effective in unselected groups of women. In certain subgroups, results are inhomogeneous. © 2018 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  5. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to optimize cognitive function for military mission-readiness: a systematic review and recommendations for the field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teo, Lynn; Crawford, Cindy; Yehuda, Rachel; Jaghab, Danny; Bingham, John J; Chittum, Holly K; Gallon, Matthew D; O'Connell, Meghan L; Arzola, Sonya M; Berry, Kevin

    2017-06-01

    There has been interest in identifying whether nutrients might help optimize cognitive performance, especially for the military tasked with ensuring mission-readiness. This systematic review assesses the quality of the evidence for n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) across various outcomes related to cognitive function in healthy adult populations in order to develop research recommendations concerning n-3 PUFAs for mission-readiness. PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Library were searched. Peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials published in the English language were eligible. Thirteen included trials were assessed for methodological quality, and descriptive data were extracted. Of the acceptable-quality (n = 8) and high-quality (n = 1) studies, 2 produced no statistically significant results, 5 produced mixed results, and 2 did not report between-group results. Results indicate that ingestion of n-3 PUFAs does not significantly alter cognitive performance in cognitively healthy persons. Studies exposing subjects to adverse circumstances that would be most relevant for drawing conclusions specifically for the military population are lacking. Several research recommendations are offered to enhance understanding of the role of fatty acids on cognitive functioning. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. Phytochemicals to optimize cognitive function for military mission-readiness: a systematic review and recommendations for the field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teo, Lynn; Crawford, Cindy; Snow, James; Deuster, Patricia A; Bingham, John J; Gallon, Matthew D; O'Connell, Meghan L; Chittum, Holly K; Arzola, Sonya M; Berry, Kevin

    2017-06-01

    Optimizing cognitive performance and preventing cognitive impairments that result from exposure to high-stress situations are important to ensure mission-readiness for military personnel. This systematic review assesses the quality of the evidence for plant-based foods and beverages, or their phytochemical constituents, across various outcomes related to cognitive function in healthy adult populations to develop research recommendations for the military. PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Library were searched. Peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials published in the English language were eligible. Twenty-five trials were included and assessed for methodological quality, and descriptive data were extracted. The acceptable (n = 16) to high-quality (n = 4) studies produced either no statistically significant effect or mixed results for enhancing cognitive function. The evidence suggested that healthy populations do not experience significant changes in cognitive performance when consuming soy- and non-soy-sourced isoflavones or cocoa. Heterogeneity among other interventions precluded reaching formal conclusions surrounding the evidence. Research recommendations are offered, including conducting more studies on the effect of plant-based interventions on populations reflective of military populations when exposed to military-like situations. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Screening for dementia in primary care: a summary of the evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boustani, Malaz; Peterson, Britt; Hanson, Laura; Harris, Russell; Lohr, Kathleen N

    2003-06-03

    Dementia is a large and growing problem but is often not diagnosed in its earlier stages. Screening and earlier treatment could reduce the burden of suffering of this syndrome. To review the evidence of benefits and harms of screening for and earlier treatment of dementia. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, experts, and bibliographies of reviews. The authors developed eight key questions representing a logical chain between screening and improved health outcomes, along with eligibility criteria for admissible evidence for each question. Admissible evidence was obtained by searching the data sources. Two reviewers abstracted relevant information using standardized abstraction forms and graded article quality according to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force criteria. No randomized, controlled trial of screening for dementia has been completed. Brief screening tools can detect some persons with early dementia (positive predictive value caregiver interventions may delay nursing home placement of patients who have caregivers, the relevance of this finding for persons who do not yet have caregivers is uncertain. Other potential benefits and harms of screening have not been studied. Screening tests can detect undiagnosed dementia. In persons with mild to moderate clinically detected Alzheimer disease, cholinesterase inhibitors are somewhat effective in slowing cognitive decline. The effect of cholinesterase inhibitors or other treatments on persons with dementia detected by screening is uncertain.

  8. Mental Health Interventions in the Workplace and Work Outcomes: A Best-Evidence Synthesis of Systematic Reviews

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SL Wagner

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Mental health issues in the workplace are a growing concern among organizations and policymakers, but it remains unclear what interventions are effective in preventing mental health problems and their associated organizational consequences. This synthesis reports on workplace mental health interventions that impact absenteeism, productivity and financial outcomes. Objective: To determine the level of evidence supporting mental health interventions as valuable to work outcomes. Methods: Databases were searched for systematic reviews between 2000 and 2012: Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, DARE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and TRIP. Grey literature searches included health-evidence.ca, Rehab+, National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC, and Institute for Work and Health. The assessment of articles for inclusion criteria and methodological quality was conducted independently by two or more researchers, with differences resolved through consensus. Results: The search resulted in 3363 titles, of which 3248 were excluded following title/abstract review, with 115 articles retrieved for full-text review. 14 articles finally met the inclusion criteria and are summarized in this synthesis. Conclusion: There is moderate evidence for the effectiveness of workplace mental health interventions on improved workplace outcomes. Certain types of programs, such as those incorporating both mental and physical health interventions, multicomponent mental health and/or psychosocial interventions, and exposure in vivo containing interventions for particular anxiety disorders had a greater level of research evidence to support their effectiveness.

  9. Protocol for an HTA report: Does therapeutic writing help people with long-term conditions? Systematic review, realist synthesis and economic modelling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meads, C; Nyssen, O P; Wong, G; Steed, L; Bourke, L; Ross, C A; Hayman, S; Field, V; Lord, J; Greenhalgh, T; Taylor, S J C

    2014-02-18

    Long-term medical conditions (LTCs) cause reduced health-related quality of life and considerable health service expenditure. Writing therapy has potential to improve physical and mental health in people with LTCs, but its effectiveness is not established. This project aims to establish the clinical and cost-effectiveness of therapeutic writing in LTCs by systematic review and economic evaluation, and to evaluate context and mechanisms by which it might work, through realist synthesis. Included are any comparative study of therapeutic writing compared with no writing, waiting list, attention control or placebo writing in patients with any diagnosed LTCs that report at least one of the following: relevant clinical outcomes; quality of life; health service use; psychological, behavioural or social functioning; adherence or adverse events. Searches will be conducted in the main medical databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library and Science Citation Index. For the realist review, further purposive and iterative searches through snowballing techniques will be undertaken. Inclusions, data extraction and quality assessment will be in duplicate with disagreements resolved through discussion. Quality assessment will include using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Data synthesis will be narrative and tabular with meta-analysis where appropriate. De novo economic modelling will be attempted in one clinical area if sufficient evidence is available and performed according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reference case.

  10. Combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy in the treatment of chronic depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Chronic depression represents a substantial portion of depressive disorders and is associated with severe consequences. This review examined whether the combination of pharmacological treatments and psychotherapy is associated with higher effectiveness than pharmacotherapy alone via meta-analysis; and identified possible treatment effect modifiers via meta-regression-analysis. Methods A systematic search was conducted in the following databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, BIOSIS, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Primary efficacy outcome was a response to treatment; primary acceptance outcome was dropping out of the study. Only randomized controlled trials were considered. Results We identified 8 studies with a total of 9 relevant comparisons. Our analysis revealed small, but statistically not significant effects of combined therapies on outcomes directly related to depression (BR = 1.20) with substantial heterogeneity between studies (I² = 67%). Three treatment effect modifiers were identified: target disorders, the type of psychotherapy and the type of pharmacotherapy. Small but statistically significant effects of combined therapies on quality of life (SMD = 0.18) were revealed. No differences in acceptance rates and the long-term effects between combined treatments and pure pharmacological interventions were observed. Conclusions This systematic review could not provide clear evidence for the combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. However, due to the small amount of primary studies further research is needed for a conclusive decision. PMID:22694751

  11. Modifiable worker risk factors contributing to workplace absence: a stakeholder-centred best-evidence synthesis of systematic reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Shannon; White, Marc; Schultz, Izabela; Murray, Eleanor; Bradley, Susan M; Hsu, Vernita; McGuire, Lisa; Schulz, Werner

    2014-01-01

    A challenge facing stakeholders is the identification and translation of relevant high quality research to inform policy and practice. This study engaged academic and community stakeholders in conducting a best evidence-synthesis to identify modifiable risk and protective worker factors across health conditions impacting work-related absence. To identify modifiable worker disability risk and protective factors across common health conditions impacting work-related absence. We searched Medline, Embase, CINHAL, The Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, BusinessSourceComplete, and ABI/Inform from 2000 to 2011. Quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods systematic reviews of work-focused population were considered for inclusion. Two or more reviewers independently reviewed articles for inclusion and methodological screening. The search strategy, expert input and grey literature identified 2,467 unique records. One hundred and forty-two full text articles underwent comprehensive review. Twenty-four systematic reviews met eligibility criteria. Modifiable worker factors found to have consistent evidence across two or more health conditions included emotional distress, negative enduring psychology/personality factors, negative health and disability perception, decreased physical activity, lack of family support, poor general health, increased functional disability, increased pain, increased fatigue and lack of motivation to return to work. Systematic reviews are limited by availability of high quality studies, lack of consistency of methodological screening and reporting, and variability of outcome measures used.

  12. Do research studies in the UK reporting child neurodevelopment adjust for the variability of assessors: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalid, Rahila; Willatts, Peter; Williams, Fiona L R

    2016-02-01

    Neurodevelopment is a key outcome for many childhood trials and observational studies. Clinically important decisions may rest on finding relatively small differences in neurodevelopment between groups receiving complex and costly interventions. Our purpose was to determine whether studies which measure neurodevelopment report the numbers, training, and auditing of assessors and, for multiple assessor studies, whether the results were adjusted and if so by which method? Electronic searches were conducted using Medline, Embase, Cinahl, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library. A study was eligible if it reported neurodevelopmental outcome in children resident in the UK, less than or equal to 18 years and was published between 2000 and 2015. Trials and observational studies were included. Three hundred and seven full papers were reviewed: 52% of papers did not report the number of assessors used; 21% used a single assessor; and 27% used multiple assessors. Thirty-five per cent mentioned that assessors were trained in the use of the neurodevelopmental tool; 13% of assessors were audited; and only 1% of studies adjusted statistically for the number of assessors. At the very least, the quality of reporting the use of assessors in these research publications is poor, while at worst, the variability of assessors may mask the true relationship between an intervention/observation and neurodevelopmental outcome. © 2015 Mac Keith Press.

  13. Digital Behaviour Change Interventions for Osteoarthritis - A Systematic Literature Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alice Berry

    2015-10-01

    •\tTo examine how uptake and usage of digital interventions has been reported Methods: A pre-defined search was carried out using databases including: AMED, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, Psycinfo, Pubmed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science. Articles were included if: they reported PA data; included people with OA; and if the intervention was accessed via a digital platform. Results: The database searches generated 2132 published papers. After applying selection criteria, eight studies were included in the final review. 5 out of the 8 included studies showed a statistically significant increase in self-reported levels of PA for up to 12 months. A number of outcome measures were used but were predominantly self-reported. BCTs used included: goal setting, action planning, problem solving, feedback, shaping knowledge, self-talk, and self-monitoring. Most studies (n=6 were based on social cognitive theory. A variety of methods were employed to report uptake and usage of digital interventions, making it difficult for comparisons to be made. Discussion and Conclusions: There is limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of internet based interventions to increase PA in OA. Most studies rely on self-report to determine change in levels of PA; objective measurement may be beneficial. Interventions were generally based on Social Cognitive Theory; other constructs may increase effectiveness. Clearer reporting of BCTs and intervention usage is needed.

  14. Training practitioners in preparing systematic reviews: a cross-sectional survey of participants in the Australasian Cochrane Centre training program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silagy Chris

    2002-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although systematic reviews of health care interventions are an invaluable tool for health care providers and researchers, many potential authors never publish reviews. This study attempts to determine why some people with interest in performing systematic reviews do not subsequently publish a review; and what steps could possibly increase review completion. Methods Cross-sectional survey by email and facsimile of the 179 participants in Australasian Cochrane Centre training events between 1998 and 2000. Results Ninety-two participants responded to the survey (51 percent. Response rate of deliverable surveys was 82 percent (92/112. The remainder of the participants had invalid or no contact information on file. More than 75 percent of respondents felt that the current workshops met their needs for training. The most critical barriers to completion of a Cochrane review were: lack of time (80 percent, lack of financial support (36 percent, methodological problems (23 percent and problems with group dynamics (10 percent. Conclusions Strategies to protect reviewer time and increase the efficiency of the review process may increase the numbers of trained reviewers completing a systematic review.

  15. The Relationship between Sugar-Containing Methadone and Dental Caries: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tripathee, Sheela; Akbar, Tahira; Richards, Derek; Themessl-Huber, Markus; Freeman, Ruth

    2013-01-01

    Objectives: To review the evidence of a relationship between sugar-containing methadone and dental caries. Data sources: A systematic search of Cochrane Library, PubMed, PsychINFO, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Current Controlled Trials, WHO, OHRN, SIGLE and ERIC databases was conducted from January 1978 up to June 2010. Study selection: Articles were assessed…

  16. Interventions for replacing missing teeth: Antibiotics in dental implant placement to prevent complications: Evidence summary of Cochrane review

    OpenAIRE

    Jayaraman, Srinivasan

    2015-01-01

    The failure of dental implant can occurs at the preoperative planning stage, at the surgical stage, and at the postoperative stage. The success of this treatment can be increased if the clinical implant practice guidelines are prepared based on the recommendations from the highest level of research evidence (i.e.,) from systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with meta-analysis. The Cochrane reviews of interventions are basically systematic reviews of RCTs with meta-analysis ...

  17. Specialist palliative care services for adults with advanced, incurable illness in hospital, hospice, or community settings--protocol for a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaertner, Jan; Siemens, Waldemar; Antes, Gerd; Meerpohl, Joerg J; Xander, Carola; Schwarzer, Guido; Stock, Stephanie; Becker, Gerhild

    2015-09-25

    Specialist palliative care (SPC) interventions aim to relieve and prevent suffering in the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual domain. Therefore, SPC is carried out by a multi-professional team with different occupations (e.g., physician, nurse, psychologist, and social worker). Remaining skepticism concerning the need for SPC may be based on the scarcity of high-quality evaluations about the external evidence for SPC. Therefore, we will conduct a systematic review according to Cochrane standards to examine the effects of SPC for adults with advanced illness. The comprehensive systematic literature search will include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cluster RCTs. We will search the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and PsycINFO. Patients must be adults suffering from life-limiting diseases. Proxy and caregiver outcomes will not be assessed in order to ensure a clear and well-defined research question for this review. Interventions may be in an in- or outpatient setting, e.g., consulting service, palliative care ward, and palliative outpatient clinic. In line with the multi-dimensional scope of palliative care, the primary outcome is quality of life (QoL). Key secondary outcomes are patients' symptom burden, place of death and survival, and health economic aspects. Subgroup analysis will assess results according to cancer type, age, early vs not early SPC, site of care, and setting. Analysis will be performed with the current RevMan software. We will use the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias assessment tool. The quality of evidence will be judged according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. The available evidence will be summarized and discussed to provide a basis for decision-making among health care professionals and policy makers. For SPC, we believe that multi-professional care is of utmost importance. Therefore, single

  18. Protocol for a systematic review with network meta-analysis of the modalities used to deliver eHealth interventions for chronic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slattery, Brian W; Haugh, Stephanie; Francis, Kady; O'Connor, Laura; Barrett, Katie; Dwyer, Christopher P; O'Higgins, Siobhan; Egan, Jonathan; McGuire, Brian E

    2017-03-03

    As eHealth interventions prove both efficacious and practical, and as they arguably overcome certain barriers encountered by traditional face-to-face treatment for chronic pain, their number has increased dramatically in recent times. However, there is a dearth of research that focuses on evaluating and comparing the different types of technology-assisted interventions. This is a protocol for a systematic review that aims to evaluate the eHealth modalities in the context of psychological and non-psychological (other than non-drug) interventions for chronic pain. We will search the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL: The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with more than 20 participants per trial arm that have evaluated non-drug psychological or non-psychological interventions delivered via an eHealth modality and have pain as an outcome measure will be included. Two review authors will independently extract data and assess the study suitability in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. Studies will be included if they measure at least one outcome variable in accordance with the IMMPACT guidelines (i.e. pain severity, pain interference, physical functioning, symptoms, emotional functioning, global improvement and disposition). Secondary outcomes will be measures of depression and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). A network meta-analysis will be conducted based on direct comparisons to generate indirect comparisons of modalities across treatment trials, which will return rankings for the eHealth modalities in terms of their effectiveness. Most trials that use an eHealth intervention to manage chronic pain typically use one modality. As a result, little evidence exists to support which modality type is the most effective. The current review will address this gap in the literature and compare the different eHealth modalities used for technology-assisted interventions for

  19. Electroconvulsive therapy in the continuation and maintenance treatment of depression: Systematic review and meta-analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elias, Alby; Phutane, Vivek H; Clarke, Sandy; Prudic, Joan

    2018-05-01

    Acute course of electroconvulsive therapy is effective in inducing remission from depression, but recurrence rate is unacceptably high following termination of electroconvulsive therapy despite continued pharmacotherapy. Continuation electroconvulsive therapy and maintenance electroconvulsive therapy have been studied for their efficacy in preventing relapse and recurrence of depression. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the efficacy of continuation electroconvulsive therapy and maintenance electroconvulsive therapy in preventing relapse and recurrence of depression in comparison to antidepressant pharmacotherapy alone. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, clinicaltrials.gov and Cochrane register of controlled trials from the database inception to December 2016 without restriction on language or publication status for randomized trials of continuation electroconvulsive therapy and maintenance electroconvulsive therapy. Two independent Cochrane reviewers extracted the data in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The risk of bias was assessed using four domains of the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. Outcomes were pooled using random effect model. The primary outcome was relapse or recurrence of depression. Five studies involving 436 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Analysis of the pooled data showed that continuation electroconvulsive therapy and maintenance electroconvulsive therapy, both with pharmacotherapy, were associated with significantly fewer relapses and recurrences than pharmacotherapy alone at 6 months and 1 year after a successful acute course of electroconvulsive therapy (risk ratio = 0.64, 95% confidence interval = [0.41, 0.98], p = 0.04, risk ratio = 0.46, 95% confidence interval = [0.21, 0.98], p = 0.05, respectively). There was insufficient data to perform a meta-analysis of stand

  20. To what extent do site-based training, mentoring, and operational research improve district health system management and leadership in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belrhiti, Zakaria; Booth, Andrew; Marchal, Bruno; Verstraeten, Roosmarijn

    2016-04-27

    District health managers play a key role in the effectiveness of decentralized health systems in low- and middle-income countries. Inadequate management and leadership skills often hamper their ability to improve quality of care and effectiveness of health service delivery. Nevertheless, significant investments have been made in capacity-building programmes based on site-based training, mentoring, and operational research. This systematic review aims to review the effectiveness of site-based training, mentoring, and operational research (or action research) on the improvement of district health system management and leadership. Our secondary objectives are to assess whether variations in composition or intensity of the intervention influence its effectiveness and to identify enabling and constraining contexts and underlying mechanisms. We will search the following databases: MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library, CRD database (DARE), Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) group, ISI Web of Science, Health Evidence.org, PDQ-Evidence, ERIC, EMBASE, and TRIP. Complementary search will be performed (hand-searching journals and citation and reference tracking). Studies that meet the following PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) criteria will be included: P: professionals working at district health management level; I: site-based training with or without mentoring, or operational research; C: normal institutional arrangements; and O: district health management functions. We will include cluster randomized controlled trials, controlled before-and-after studies, interrupted time series analysis, quasi-experimental designs, and cohort and longitudinal studies. Qualitative research will be included to contextualize findings and identify barriers and facilitators. Primary outcomes that will be reported are district health management and leadership functions. We will assess risk of bias with the Cochrane Collaboration's tools for randomized

  1. Email for communicating results of diagnostic medical investigations to patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Barbara; Atherton, Helen; Sawmynaden, Prescilla; Car, Josip

    2012-08-15

    As medical care becomes more complex and the ability to test for conditions grows, pressure on healthcare providers to convey increasing volumes of test results to patients is driving investigation of alternative technological solutions for their delivery. This review addresses the use of email for communicating results of diagnostic medical investigations to patients. To assess the effects of using email for communicating results of diagnostic medical investigations to patients, compared to SMS/ text messaging, telephone communication or usual care, on outcomes, including harms, for health professionals, patients and caregivers, and health services. We searched: the Cochrane Consumers and Communication Review Group Specialised Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 1 2010), MEDLINE (OvidSP) (1950 to January 2010), EMBASE (OvidSP) (1980 to January 2010), PsycINFO (OvidSP) (1967 to January 2010), CINAHL (EbscoHOST) (1982 to February 2010), and ERIC (CSA) (1965 to January 2010). We searched grey literature: theses/dissertation repositories, trials registers and Google Scholar (searched July 2010). We used additional search methods: examining reference lists and contacting authors. Randomised controlled trials, quasi-randomised trials, controlled before and after studies and interrupted time series studies of interventions using email for communicating results of any diagnostic medical investigations to patients, and taking the form of 1) unsecured email 2) secure email or 3) web messaging. All healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers in all settings were considered. Two review authors independently assessed the titles and abstracts of retrieved citations. No studies were identified for inclusion. Consequently, no data collection or analysis was possible. No studies met the inclusion criteria, therefore there are no results to report on the use of email for communicating results of diagnostic medical

  2. Care delivery and self management strategies for children with epilepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleeman, Nigel; Bradley, Peter M; Lindsay, Bruce

    2015-12-23

    Epilepsy care for children has been criticised for its lack of impact. Various service models and strategies have been developed in response to perceived inadequacies in care provision for children and their families. To compare the effectiveness of any specialised or dedicated intervention for the care of children with epilepsy and their families to the effectiveness of usual care. We searched the Cochrane Epilepsy Group Specialized Register (9 December 2013), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library, 2013,Issue 11), MEDLINE (1946 to June week 2, 2013), EMBASE (1988 to week 25, 2013), PsycINFO (1887 to 11 December 2013) and CINAHL Plus (1937 to 11 December 2013). In addition, we contacted experts in the field to seek information on unpublished and ongoing studies, checked the websites of epilepsy organisations and checked the reference lists of included studies. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), controlled or matched trials, cohort studies or other prospective studies with a control group (controlled before-and-after studies), or time series studies. Each review author independently selected studies, extracted data and assessed the quality of included studies. We included five interventions reported in seven study reports (of which only four studies of three interventions were designed as RCTs) in this review. They reported on different education and counselling programmes for children, children and parents, teenagers and parents, or children, adolescents and their parents. Each programme showed some benefits for the well-being of children with epilepsy, but each study had methodological flaws (e.g. in one of the studies designed as an RCT, randomisation failed) and no single programme was independently evaluated by more than one study. While each of the programmes in this review showed some benefit to children with epilepsy, their impacts were extremely variable. No programme showed benefits across the full

  3. Effectiveness of school-based smoking prevention curricula: systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Roger E; McLellan, Julie; Perera, Rafael

    2015-03-10

    To assess effectiveness of school-based smoking prevention curricula keeping children never-smokers. Systematic review, meta-analysis. MEDLINE (1966+), EMBASE (1974+), Cinahl, PsycINFO (1967+), ERIC (1982+), Cochrane CENTRAL, Health Star, Dissertation Abstracts, conference proceedings. pooled analyses, fixed-effects models, adjusted ORs. Risk of bias assessed with Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. 50 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of school-based smoking curricula. Never-smokers age 5-18 (n=143,495); follow-up ≥6 months; all countries; no date/language limitations. Information, social influences, social competence, combined social influences/competence and multimodal curricula. Remaining a never-smoker at follow-up. Pooling all curricula, trials with follow-up ≤1 year showed no statistically significant differences compared with controls (OR 0.91 (0.82 to 1.01)), though trials of combined social competence/social influences curricula had a significant effect on smoking prevention (7 trials, OR 0.59 (95% CI 0.41 to 0.85)). Pooling all trials with longest follow-up showed an overall significant effect in favour of the interventions (OR 0.88 (0.82 to 0.95)), as did the social competence (OR 0.65 (0.43 to 0.96)) and combined social competence/social influences curricula (OR 0.60 (0.43 to 0.83)). No effect for information, social influences or multimodal curricula. Principal findings were not sensitive to inclusion of booster sessions in curricula or to whether they were peer-led or adult-led. Differentiation into tobacco-only or multifocal curricula had a similar effect on the primary findings. Few trials assessed outcomes by gender: there were significant effects for females at both follow-up periods, but not for males. RCTs of baseline never-smokers at longest follow-up found an overall significant effect with average 12% reduction in starting smoking compared with controls, but no effect for all trials pooled at ≤1 year. However, combined social

  4. Theoretical explanations for maintenance of behaviour change: a systematic review of behaviour theories

    OpenAIRE

    Kwasnicka, Dominika; Dombrowski, Stephan U; White, Martin; Sniehotta, Falko

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Background: Behaviour change interventions are effective in supporting individuals in achieving temporary behaviour change. Behaviour change maintenance, however, is rarely attained. The aim of this review was to identify and synthesise current theoretical explanations for behaviour change maintenance to inform future research and practice. Methods: Potentially relevant theories were identified through systematic searches of electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO). In a...

  5. Interventions for treating proximal humeral fractures in adults

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Handoll, Helen H G; Brorson, Stig

    2015-01-01

    supervised exercise in a swimming pool plus home exercise.Eight trials, involving 567 older participants, evaluated surgical intervention for displaced fractures. There was high quality evidence of no clinically important difference in patient-reported shoulder and upper-limb function at one- or two......BACKGROUND: Fracture of the proximal humerus, often termed shoulder fracture, is a common injury in older people. The management of these fractures varies widely. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2001 and last updated in 2012. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects (benefits...... and harms) of treatment and rehabilitation interventions for proximal humeral fractures in adults. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and other databases, conference...

  6. Cryotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Awad, Tahany; Thorlund, Kristian; Gluud, Christian

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary malignant cancer of the liver. Evidence for the role of cryotherapy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma is controversial. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review is to evaluate the potential benefits and harms of cryotherapy...... for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched The Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and LILACS until June 2009. We identified further studies by searching...... of benefit but included for the assessment of harm. Both severe and non-severe adverse events were reported, but the true nature and extent of harm was difficult to asses. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: At present, there is no evidence to recommend or refute cryotherapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma...

  7. Systematic review of progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth in singleton pregnancies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rode, Line; Langhoff-Roos, Jens; Andersson, Charlotte

    2009-01-01

    . SEARCH STRATEGY: A search in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane database was performed using the keywords: pregnancy, progesterone, preterm birth/preterm delivery, preterm labor, controlled trial, and randomized controlled trial. SELECTION CRITERIA: Studies on singleton pregnancies. DATA COLLECTION...... AND ANALYSIS: A meta-analysis was performed on randomized trials including singleton pregnancies with previous preterm birth. MAIN RESULTS: Two new randomized controlled trials of women with previous preterm birth were added to the four analyzed in the Cochrane review, and the meta-analysis of all six studies......BACKGROUND: A Cochrane review in 2006 concluded that further knowledge is required before recommendation can be made with regard to progesterone in the prevention of preterm birth. OBJECTIVE: To provide an update on the preventive effect of progesterone on preterm birth in singleton pregnancies...

  8. Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bent, Stephen; Bertoglio, Kiah; Hendren, Robert L.

    2009-01-01

    We conducted a systematic review to determine the safety and efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids for autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Articles were identified by a search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database using the terms autism or autistic and omega-3 fatty acids. The search identified 143 potential articles and six satisfied all…

  9. Service Engagement in Interventions for Street-Connected Children and Young People: A Summary of Evidence Supplementing a Recent Cochrane-Campbell Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hossain, Rosa; Coren, Esther

    2015-01-01

    Background: This paper builds on a Cochrane-Campbell systematic review of interventions that reduce harms and promote reintegration in street-connected children and young people focusing on intervention outcomes. The aim of the present analysis is to explore questions raised in the systematic review over the potential role of service engagement in…

  10. User testing and stakeholder feedback contributed to the development of understandable and useful Summary of Findings tables for Cochrane reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenbaum, Sarah E; Glenton, Claire; Nylund, Hilde Kari; Oxman, Andrew D

    2010-06-01

    To develop a Summary of Findings (SoF) table for use in Cochrane reviews that is understandable and useful for health professionals, acceptable to Cochrane Collaboration stakeholders, and feasible to implement. We gathered stakeholder feedback on the format and content of an SoF table from an advisory group of more than 50 participants and their constituencies through e-mail consultations. We conducted user tests using a think-aloud protocol method, collecting feedback from 21 health professionals and researchers in Norway and the UK. We analyzed the feedback, defined problem areas, and generated new solutions in brainstorming workshops. Stakeholders were concerned about precision in the data representation and about production feasibility. User testing revealed unexpected comprehension problems, mainly confusion about what the different numbers referred to (class reference). Resolving the tension between achieving table precision and table simplicity became the main focus of the working group. User testing led to a table more useful and understandable for clinical audiences. We arrived at an SoF table that was acceptable to the stakeholders and in principle feasible to implement technically. Some challenges remain, including presenting continuous outcomes and technical/editorial implementation.

  11. Herbal Medicine for Low Back Pain: A Cochrane Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gagnier, Joel J; Oltean, Hanna; van Tulder, Maurits W; Berman, Brian M; Bombardier, Claire; Robbins, Christopher B

    2016-01-01

    Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). To determine the effectiveness of herbal medicine for nonspecific low back pain (LBP). Many people with chronic LBP use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), visit CAM practitioners, or both. Several herbal medicines have been purported for use in treating people with LBP. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2006. We searched numerous electronic databases up to September 2014; checked reference lists in review articles, guidelines and retrieved trials; and personally contacted individuals with expertise in this area. We included RCTs examining adults (over 18 years of age) suffering from acute, sub-acute, or chronic nonspecific LBP. The interventions were herbal medicines that we defined as plants used for medicinal purposes in any form. Primary outcome measures were pain and function. Two review authors assessed risk of bias, GRADE criteria (GRADE 2004), and CONSORT compliance and a random subset were compared with assessments by a third individual. Two review authors assessed clinical relevance and resolved any disagreements by consensus. Fourteen RCTs (2050 participants) were included. Capsicum frutescens (cayenne) reduces pain more than placebo. Although Harpagophytum procumbens (devil's claw), Salix alba (white willow bark), Symphytum officinale L. (comfrey), Solidago chilensis (Brazilian arnica), and lavender essential oil also seem to reduce pain more than placebo, evidence for these substances was of moderate quality at best. No significant adverse events were noted within the included trials. Additional well-designed large trials are needed to test these herbal medicines against standard treatments. In general, the completeness of reporting in these trials was poor. Trialists should refer to the CONSORT statement extension for reporting trials of herbal medicine interventions. N/A.

  12. Systematic review of mental health and well-being outcomes following community-based obesity prevention interventions among adolescents

    OpenAIRE

    Hoare, Erin; Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew; Skouteris, Helen; Millar, Lynne; Nichols, Melanie; Allender, Steven

    2015-01-01

    Objectives This paper aimed to systematically evaluate the mental health and well-being outcomes observed in previous community-based obesity prevention interventions in adolescent populations. Setting Systematic review of literature from database inception to October 2014. Articles were sourced from CINAHL, Global Health, Health Source: Nursing and Academic Edition, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES and PsycINFO, all of which were accessed through EBSCOhost. The Cochrane Database was also searched to id...

  13. Characteristics of meta-analyses and their component studies in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: a cross-sectional, descriptive analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Davey Jonathan

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cochrane systematic reviews collate and summarise studies of the effects of healthcare interventions. The characteristics of these reviews and the meta-analyses and individual studies they contain provide insights into the nature of healthcare research and important context for the development of relevant statistical and other methods. Methods We classified every meta-analysis with at least two studies in every review in the January 2008 issue of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR according to the medical specialty, the types of interventions being compared and the type of outcome. We provide descriptive statistics for numbers of meta-analyses, numbers of component studies and sample sizes of component studies, broken down by these categories. Results We included 2321 reviews containing 22,453 meta-analyses, which themselves consist of data from 112,600 individual studies (which may appear in more than one meta-analysis. Meta-analyses in the areas of gynaecology, pregnancy and childbirth (21%, mental health (13% and respiratory diseases (13% are well represented in the CDSR. Most meta-analyses address drugs, either with a control or placebo group (37% or in a comparison with another drug (25%. The median number of meta-analyses per review is six (inter-quartile range 3 to 12. The median number of studies included in the meta-analyses with at least two studies is three (inter-quartile range 2 to 6. Sample sizes of individual studies range from 2 to 1,242,071, with a median of 91 participants. Discussion It is clear that the numbers of studies eligible for meta-analyses are typically very small for all medical areas, outcomes and interventions covered by Cochrane reviews. This highlights the particular importance of suitable methods for the meta-analysis of small data sets. There was little variation in number of studies per meta-analysis across medical areas, across outcome data types or across types of

  14. Antibiotic Prescribing in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Meta-synthesis of Qualitative Research

    OpenAIRE

    Fleming, Aoife; Bradley, Colin; Cullinan, Shane; Byrne, Stephen

    2015-01-01

    Objectives The objective of this review was to synthesize the findings of qualitative studies investigating the factors influencing antibiotic prescribing in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). These findings will inform the development of future antimicrobial stewardship strategies (AMS) in this setting. Methods We searched Embase, PubMed, PsycInfo, Social Science Citations Index and Google Scholar for all qualitative studies investigating health care professionals? views on antibiotic prescr...

  15. Linezolid Is Associated with Serotonin Syndrome in a Patient Receiving Amitriptyline, and Fentanyl: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lampros Samartzis

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We report a unique case of an adverse interaction between the oxazolidinone antibiotic linezolid, the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline and the opioid analgesic fentanyl in a 68-year-old woman with advanced ischemic peripheral arterial disease and sepsis, under empirical antibiotic treatment. We also summarize the current relevant literature as identified via PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycINFO as well as reference sections of selected articles.

  16. Self-report fatigue questionnaires in multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and stroke: a systematic review of measurement properties

    OpenAIRE

    Elbers, Roy G.; Rietberg, Marc B.; van Wegen, Erwin E. H.; Verhoef, John; Kramer, Sharon F.; Terwee, Caroline B.; Kwakkel, Gert

    2011-01-01

    Purpose To critically appraise, compare and summarize the measurement properties of self-report fatigue questionnaires validated in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease (PD) or stroke. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and SPORTdiscus were searched. The COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist was used to assess the methodological quality of studies. A qualitative data synthesis was performed to rate the mea...

  17. Current use was established and Cochrane guidance on selection of social theories for systematic reviews of complex interventions was developed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noyes, Jane; Hendry, Maggie; Booth, Andrew; Chandler, Jackie; Lewin, Simon; Glenton, Claire; Garside, Ruth

    2016-07-01

    To identify examples of how social theories are used in systematic reviews of complex interventions to inform production of Cochrane guidance. Secondary analysis of published/unpublished examples of theories of social phenomena for use in reviews of complex interventions identified through scoping searches, engagement with key authors and methodologists supplemented by snowballing and reference searching. Theories were classified (low-level, mid-range, grand). Over 100 theories were identified with evidence of proliferation over the last 5 years. New low-level theories (tools, taxonomies, etc) have been developed for classifying and reporting complex interventions. Numerous mid-range theories are used; one example demonstrated how control theory had changed the review's findings. Review-specific logic models are increasingly used, but these can be challenging to develop. New low-level and mid-range psychological theories of behavior change are evolving. No reviews using grand theory (e.g., feminist theory) were identified. We produced a searchable Wiki, Mendeley Inventory, and Cochrane guidance. Use of low-level theory is common and evolving; incorporation of mid-range theory is still the exception rather than the norm. Methodological work is needed to evaluate the contribution of theory. Choice of theory reflects personal preference; application of theory is a skilled endeavor. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Self-care management strategies among individuals living with type 2 diabetes mellitus: nursing interventions

    OpenAIRE

    Hunt CW

    2013-01-01

    Caralise W HuntAuburn University School of Nursing, Auburn, AL, USAAbstract: Nurses provide care for individuals living with diabetes in a variety of areas. Nursing interventions assist individuals living with diabetes to manage diabetes and can positively affect outcomes. This article describes an integrated literature review conducted to evaluate and summarize nursing interventions and research in self-management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane databa...

  19. The reporting characteristics and methodological quality of Cochrane reviews about health policy research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiu-xia, Li; Ya, Zheng; Yao-long, Chen; Ke-hu, Yang; Zong-jiu, Zhang

    2015-04-01

    The systematic review has increasingly become a popular tool for researching health policy. However, due to the complexity and diversity in the health policy research, it has also encountered more challenges. We set out the Cochrane reviews on health policy research as a representative to provide the first examination of epidemiological and descriptive characteristics as well as the compliance of methodological quality with the AMSTAR. 99 reviews were included by inclusion criteria, 73% of which were Implementation Strategies, 15% were Financial Arrangements and 12% were Governance Arrangements; involved Public Health (34%), Theoretical Exploration (18%), Hospital Management (17%), Medical Insurance (12%), Pharmaceutical Policy (9%), Community Health (7%) and Rural Health (2%). Only 39% conducted meta-analysis, and 49% reported being updates, and none was rated low methodological quality. Our research reveals that the quantity and quality of the evidence should be improved, especially Financial Arrangements and Governance Arrangements involved Rural Health, Health Care Reform and Health Equity, etc. And the reliability of AMSTAR needs to be tested in larger range in this field. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. The effectiveness of physical activity interventions in improving well-being across office-based workplace settings: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdin, S; Welch, R K; Byron-Daniel, J; Meyrick, J

    2018-07-01

    Although the benefits of regular physical activity (PA) are widely accepted, most of the population fails to meet the recommended levels of activity. Public health bodies such as the World Health Organisation emphasise promoting PA within workplaces as a key intervention setting to reach the health and well-being of the working population. Given the importance of well-being in workplace settings, it seems worthwhile to explore the evidence of effectiveness in the literature. This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness of PA interventions for improving psychological well-being in working adults. It provides a review of current evidence, assesses the quality of the research into this topic area and identifies issues and recommendations for future research. A systematic review guided by the Cochrane Handbook was conducted. PsycINFO, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library literature searches were conducted from 2007 to April 2017. Using the keywords 'Physical Activity'; 'Exercise'; 'Wellbeing'; 'Employee' and 'Workplace', five articles were obtained that fit the inclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria were a workplace setting, an intervention including a PA intervention and an outcome measure including well-being. Extraction of articles and quality assessment of the articles were performed independently by two authors using the Cochrane's data extraction form and the Cochrane's risk of bias. Owing to heterogeneity in population characteristics, intervention components, outcome measures and the durations of interventions, a narrative synthesis was conducted. The review identified five office-based workplace PA interventions in promoting psychological well-being in 1326 participants. The included studies varied substantially in sample size characteristics, methodological quality, duration of follow-up, types of interventions and assessed outcomes. Three of the five included studies were of high quality. The types of PA

  1. A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological predictors of successful assisted reproductive technologies

    OpenAIRE

    Purewal, S.; Chapman, S. C. E.; van den Akker, O. B. A.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to perform an updated investigation of the effects of depression and anxiety on pregnancy outcomes following assisted reproductive technologies. A bibliographic search was performed using PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Science Direct databases. Data retrieved were analysed using a random effects model to estimate standardised mean differences. Results Of the 22 included studies, 18 investigated depression, 15 state anxiety, and sev...

  2. The gap between policy and practice: a systematic review of patient-centred care interventions in chronic heart failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kane, P M; Murtagh, F E M; Ryan, K; Mahon, N G; McAdam, B; McQuillan, R; Ellis-Smith, C; Tracey, C; Howley, C; Raleigh, C; O'Gara, G; Higginson, I J; Daveson, B A

    2015-11-01

    Patient-centred care (PCC) is recommended in policy documents for chronic heart failure (CHF) service provision, yet it lacks an agreed definition. A systematic review was conducted to identify PCC interventions in CHF and to describe the PCC domains and outcomes. Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ASSIA, the Cochrane database, clinicaltrials.gov, key journals and citations were searched for original studies on patients with CHF staged II-IV using the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. Included interventions actively supported patients to play informed, active roles in decision-making about their goals of care. Search terms included 'patient-centred care', 'quality of life' and 'shared decision making'. Of 13,944 screened citations, 15 articles regarding 10 studies were included involving 2540 CHF patients. Three studies were randomised controlled trials, and seven were non-randomised studies. PCC interventions focused on collaborative goal setting between patients and healthcare professionals regarding immediate clinical choices and future care. Core domains included healthcare professional-patient collaboration, identification of patient preferences, patient-identified goals and patient motivation. While the strength of evidence is poor, PCC has been shown to reduce symptom burden, improve health-related quality of life, reduce readmission rates and enhance patient engagement for patients with CHF. There is a small but growing body of evidence, which demonstrates the benefits of a PCC approach to care for CHF patients. Research is needed to identify the key components of effective PCC interventions before being able to deliver on policy recommendations.

  3. Systematic review: complementary therapies and employee well-being.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravalier, J M; Wegrzynek, P; Lawton, S

    2016-08-01

    A variety of workplace-based interventions exist to reduce stress and increase productivity. However, the efficacy of these interventions is sometimes unclear. To determine whether complementary therapies offered in the workplace improve employee well-being. We performed a systematic literature review which involved an electronic search of articles published between January 2000 and July 2015 from the databases Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, AMED, CINAHL Plus, EMBASE and PubMed. We also undertook a manual search of all applicable article reference lists to ensure that no relevant studies were missed. We only selected published, full-length, English-language, peer-reviewed journal articles. Articles had to address the research objective using valid and reliable measures. We excluded articles concerning return to work or whose populations had been adversely affected by work resulting in the development of health issues. We included 10 articles in the review from 131 identified. Mindfulness and meditation-based interventions were most effective in improving workplace health and work performance; the latter demonstrating some evidence of maintaining gains up to 3 months later. The evidence for relaxation interventions was inconclusive. Mindfulness and meditation interventions may be helpful in improving both psychosocial workplace health and work performance, but long-term efficacy has yet to be fully determined. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. The educational effects of mobile learning on students of medical sciences: A systematic review in experimental studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koohestani, Hamid Reza; Soltani Arabshahi, Seyed Kamran; Fata, Ladan; Ahmadi, Fazlollah

    2018-04-01

    The demand for mobile learning in the medical science educational program is increasing. The present review study gathers evidence highlighted by the experimental studies on the educational effects of mobile learning for medical science students. The study was carried out as a systematic literature search published from 2007 to July 2017 in the databases PubMed/Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Web of Knowledge (Thomson Reuters) , Educational Resources and Information Center (ERIC), EMBASE (Elsevier), Cochrane library, PsycINFO and Google Scholar. To examine quality of the articles, a tool validated by the BEME Review was employed. Totally, 21 papers entered the study. Three main themes emerged from the content of papers: (1) improvement in student clinical competency and confidence, (2) acquisition and enhancing of students' theoretical knowledge, and (3) students' positive attitudes to and perception of mobile learning. Level 2B of Kirkpatrick hierarchy had been examined by all the papers and seven of them had reported two or more outcome levels, but level 4 was not reported in the papers. Our review showed that the students of medical sciences had positive response and attitudes to mobile learning. Moreover, implementation of mobile learning in medical sciences program might lead to valuable educational benefits and improve clinical competence and confidence along with theoretical knowledge, attitudes, and perception of mobile learning. The results indicated that mobile learning strategy in medical education can positively affect learning in all three domains of Bloom's Taxonomy.

  5. The Importance of Human-Computer Interaction in Radiology E-learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    den Harder, Annemarie M; Frijlingh, Marissa; Ravesloot, Cécile J; Oosterbaan, Anne E; van der Gijp, Anouk

    2016-04-01

    With the development of cross-sectional imaging techniques and transformation to digital reading of radiological imaging, e-learning might be a promising tool in undergraduate radiology education. In this systematic review of the literature, we evaluate the emergence of image interaction possibilities in radiology e-learning programs and evidence for effects of radiology e-learning on learning outcomes and perspectives of medical students and teachers. A systematic search in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, ERIC, and PsycInfo was performed. Articles were screened by two authors and included when they concerned the evaluation of radiological e-learning tools for undergraduate medical students. Nineteen articles were included. Seven studies evaluated e-learning programs with image interaction possibilities. Students perceived e-learning with image interaction possibilities to be a useful addition to learning with hard copy images and to be effective for learning 3D anatomy. Both e-learning programs with and without image interaction possibilities were found to improve radiological knowledge and skills. In general, students found e-learning programs easy to use, rated image quality high, and found the difficulty level of the courses appropriate. Furthermore, they felt that their knowledge and understanding of radiology improved by using e-learning. In conclusion, the addition of radiology e-learning in undergraduate medical education can improve radiological knowledge and image interpretation skills. Differences between the effect of e-learning with and without image interpretation possibilities on learning outcomes are unknown and should be subject to future research.

  6. Temporal Trends in Analgesic Use in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Systematic Review of International Prescribing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    La Frenais, Francesca L; Bedder, Rachel; Vickerstaff, Victoria; Stone, Patrick; Sampson, Elizabeth L

    2018-02-01

    To explore global changes in the prescription of analgesic drugs over time in the international long-term care (LTC) population. Systematic review. We included original research articles in English, published and unpublished, that included number of participants, country and year(s) of data collection, and prescription of analgesics (analgesics not otherwise specified, opioids, acetaminophen; scheduled only, or scheduled plus as needed (PRN)). LTC residents. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, PsycINFO, Cochrane, Web of Science, Google Scholar, using keywords for LTC facilities and analgesic medication; hand-searched references of eligible papers; correspondence. Studies were quality rated using an adapted Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Pearson correlation coefficients were generated between percentage of residents prescribed an analgesic and year of data collection. If available, we investigated changes in acetaminophen and opioid prescriptions. Forty studies met inclusion criteria. A moderate correlation (0.59) suggested that scheduled prescription rates for analgesics have increased over time. Similar findings were reflected in scheduled prescriptions for acetaminophen and opioids. No increase was seen when analyzing scheduled plus PRN analgesics. Use of opioids (scheduled plus PRN) appears to have increased over time. Worldwide, use of opioids and acetaminophen has increased in LTC residents. Research is needed to explore whether this reflects appropriate pain management for LTC residents and if PRN medication is used effectively. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The American Geriatrics Society.

  7. Medication and monitoring in palliative sedation therapy: a systematic review and quality assessment of published guidelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schildmann, Eva Katharina; Schildmann, Jan; Kiesewetter, Isabel

    2015-04-01

    Palliative sedation therapy (PST) is increasingly used in patients at the end of life. However, consensus about medications and monitoring is lacking. To assess published PST guidelines with regard to quality and recommendations on drugs and monitoring. We searched CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, and references of included articles until July 2014. Search terms included "palliative sedation" or "sedation" and "guideline" or "policy" or "framework." Guideline selection was based on English or German publications that included a PST guideline. Two investigators independently assessed the quality of the guidelines according to the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II instrument (AGREE II) and extracted information on drug selection and monitoring. Nine guidelines were eligible. Eight guidelines received high quality scores for the domain "scope and purpose" (median 69%, range 28-83%), whereas in the other domains the guidelines' quality differed considerably. The majority of guidelines suggest midazolam as drug of first choice. Recommendations on dosage and alternatives vary. The guidelines' recommendations regarding monitoring of PST show wide variation in the number and details of outcome parameters and methods of assessment. The published guidelines on PST vary considerably regarding their quality and content on drugs and monitoring. Given the need for clear guidance regarding PST in patients at the end of life, this comparative analysis may serve as a starting point for further improvement. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Psoriasis and suicidality: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Sanminder; Taylor, Catherine; Kornmehl, Heather; Armstrong, April W

    2017-09-01

    Psoriasis is associated with psychiatric comorbidities; however, the relationship between psoriasis and suicidality is not well understood. To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis that elucidates the relationship between psoriasis and suicidality. Applying the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane databases. We searched literature published between 1946 and 2017. We identified 18 studies with a total of 1,767,583 participants, of whom 330,207 had psoriasis. On the basis of random effects modeling, the pooled odds ratio (OR) for suicidal ideation among patients with psoriasis was 2.05 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54-2.74). Patients with psoriasis were more likely to exhibit suicidal behaviors (combined attempted and completed suicides) with a pooled OR of 1.26 (95% CI, 1.13-1.40). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with psoriasis were more likely to attempt suicides (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.14-1.54) and complete suicide (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.04-1.39) than those without psoriasis. More severe psoriasis and younger age were associated with greater likelihood of suicidality. There are few studies examining suicidality in conjunction with psoriasis severity. Patients with psoriasis have a significantly higher likelihood of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and completed suicides. Among patients with psoriasis, those who are younger and whose psoriasis is more severe are at particular risk for suicidality. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. Rest and treatment/rehabilitation following sport-related concussion: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Kathryn J; Leddy, John J; Guskiewicz, Kevin M; Seifert, Tad; McCrea, Michael; Silverberg, Noah D; Feddermann-Demont, Nina; Iverson, Grant L; Hayden, Alix; Makdissi, Michael

    2017-06-01

    The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence regarding rest and active treatment/rehabilitation following sport-related concussion (SRC). Systematic review. MEDLINE (OVID), CINAHL (EbscoHost), PsycInfo (OVID), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (OVID), SPORTDiscus (EbscoHost), EMBASE (OVID) and Proquest DissertationsandTheses Global (Proquest) were searched systematically. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: (1) original research; (2) reported SRC as the diagnosis; and (3) evaluated the effect of rest or active treatment/rehabilitation. Review articles were excluded. Twenty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria (9 regarding the effects of rest and 19 evaluating active treatment). The methodological quality of the literature was limited; only five randomised controlled trials (RCTs) met the eligibility criteria. Those RCTs included rest, cervical and vestibular rehabilitation, subsymptom threshold aerobic exercise and multifaceted collaborative care. A brief period (24-48 hours) of cognitive and physical rest is appropriate for most patients. Following this, patients should be encouraged to gradually increase activity. The exact amount and duration of rest are not yet well defined and require further investigation. The data support interventions including cervical and vestibular rehabilitation and multifaceted collaborative care. Closely monitored subsymptom threshold, submaximal exercise may be of benefit. PROSPERO 2016:CRD42016039570. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  10. Correlates of weight stigma in adults with overweight and obesity: A systematic literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papadopoulos, Stephanie; Brennan, Leah

    2015-09-01

    While evidence regarding associations between weight stigma and biopsychosocial outcomes is accumulating, outcomes are considered in isolation. Thus, little is known about their complex relationships. This article extends existing work by systematically reviewing the biopsychosocial consequences of stigma in adults with overweight/obesity. Articles were identified through Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. Independent extraction of articles was conducted using predefined data fields, including data on biopsychosocial correlates in each study. Twenty-three studies published from 2001 and addressing correlates of stigma in adults with overweight/obesity (body mass index ≥25 kg m(-2); 18-65 years) were identified. Numerous biopsychosocial correlates of weight stigma were studied, particularly in treatment-seeking individuals. Available research shows that weight stigma is consistently associated with medication non-adherence, mental health, anxiety, perceived stress, antisocial behavior, substance use, coping strategies, and social support. Biopsychosocial correlates were not considered in combination in research. Psychological correlates were well documented in comparison to biological and social correlates for each weight stigma type. There were some indications that associations are stronger once stigma is internalized. While there is evidence for biopsychosocial correlates of weight stigma, these are not considered in combination in research; thus their inter-relationships are unknown. Conclusions from the review are limited by this and the small number of studies, types of designs, and variables considered. © 2015 The Obesity Society.

  11. To self-disclose or not self-disclose? A systematic review of clinical self-disclosure in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arroll, Bruce; Allen, Emily-Charlotte Frances

    2015-09-01

    There is a debate in medicine about the value of self-disclosure by the physician as a communication tool. To review the empirical literature of self-disclosure in primary care. Systematic review of empirical literature relating to self-disclosure by primary care physicians (including US paediatricians) from seven electronic databases (MEDLINE(®), Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase, Social Sciences Citation Index, EBSCOhost, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL]). Databases were searched for empirical studies on self-disclosure and primary care published from 1946 to 28 November 2014, as well as references from primary studies. The search was extended to include working papers, theses, and dissertations. Nine studies were identified, with response rates ranging from 34% to 100%, as well as several not reported. Self-disclosure occurred in 14-75% of consultations, the most from paediatricians. Self-disclosure had intended benefit; however, one standardised patient study found that 85% of self-disclosures were not useful as reported by the transcript coders. Conflicting data emerged on the self-disclosure outcome. This is the first systematic review of self-disclosure in primary care and medicine. Self-disclosure appears to be common and has the potential to be helpful when used judiciously. Few studies examined the impact on patients, and no studies considered the individual patient perspective nor the content which results in benefit or harm. No evidence was found of any training into how to deal with self-disclosure. © British Journal of General Practice 2015.

  12. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughes, Laura S; Clark, Jodi; Colclough, Janette A; Dale, Elizabeth; McMillan, Dean

    2017-06-01

    Chronic pain places a burden on individuals and the economy. Although there is evidence for the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior therapy, it is recognized that the effects are limited. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which aims to increase valued action in the presence of pain, has been suggested as an alternative approach. The objective of this review was to determine the clinical effectiveness of ACT for chronic pain in adults when compared with control conditions and other active treatments. The searches of this systematic review were conducted in the Cochrane library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus (EBSCO), and PsycINFO. Grey literature, reference list, and reverse citation searches were also completed. Eleven trials were included. ACT was favored over controls (no alternative intervention or treatment as usual). Significant, medium to large effect sizes were found for measures of pain acceptance and psychological flexibility, which are typically considered processes of ACT. Significant small to medium effect sizes were found for measures of functioning, anxiety, and depression. Measures of pain intensity and quality of life were not significantly different than zero. Generally effect sizes were smaller at follow-up. ACT was more clinically effective than controls on a number of outcomes. It is possible that methodological limitations, some of which are common to psychological trials, may have led to overestimated effects. Only a few studies compared ACT to active treatments and while the evidence is promising for ACT in the treatment of chronic pain, further methodologically robust trials are required.

  13. Congruence between patients’ preferred and perceived participation in medical decision-making: a review of the literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Patients are increasingly expected and asked to be involved in health care decisions. In this decision-making process, preferences for participation are important. In this systematic review we aim to provide an overview the literature related to the congruence between patients’ preferences and their perceived participation in medical decision-making. We also explore the direction of mismatched and outline factors associated with congruence. Methods A systematic review was performed on patient participation in medical decision-making. Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases up to September 2012, were searched and all studies were rigorously critically appraised. In total 44 papers were included, they sampled contained 52 different patient samples. Results Mean of congruence between preference for and perceived participation in decision-making was 60% (49 and 70 representing 25th and 75th percentiles). If no congruence was found, of 36 patient samples most patients preferred more involvement and of 9 patient samples most patients preferred less involvement. Factors associated with preferences the most investigated were age and educational level. Younger patients preferred more often an active or shared role as did higher educated patients. Conclusion This review suggests that a similar approach to all patients is not likely to meet patients’ wishes, since preferences for participation vary among patients. Health care professionals should be sensitive to patients individual preferences and communicate about patients’ participation wishes on a regular basis during their illness trajectory. PMID:24708833

  14. Congruence between patients' preferred and perceived participation in medical decision-making: a review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brom, Linda; Hopmans, Wendy; Pasman, H Roeline W; Timmermans, Danielle R M; Widdershoven, Guy A M; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Bregje D

    2014-04-03

    Patients are increasingly expected and asked to be involved in health care decisions. In this decision-making process, preferences for participation are important. In this systematic review we aim to provide an overview the literature related to the congruence between patients' preferences and their perceived participation in medical decision-making. We also explore the direction of mismatched and outline factors associated with congruence. A systematic review was performed on patient participation in medical decision-making. Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases up to September 2012, were searched and all studies were rigorously critically appraised. In total 44 papers were included, they sampled contained 52 different patient samples. Mean of congruence between preference for and perceived participation in decision-making was 60% (49 and 70 representing 25th and 75th percentiles). If no congruence was found, of 36 patient samples most patients preferred more involvement and of 9 patient samples most patients preferred less involvement. Factors associated with preferences the most investigated were age and educational level. Younger patients preferred more often an active or shared role as did higher educated patients. This review suggests that a similar approach to all patients is not likely to meet patients' wishes, since preferences for participation vary among patients. Health care professionals should be sensitive to patients individual preferences and communicate about patients' participation wishes on a regular basis during their illness trajectory.

  15. Physical health care monitoring for people with serious mental illness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tosh, Graeme; Clifton, Andrew V; Xia, Jun; White, Margueritte M

    2014-01-17

    Current guidance suggests that we should monitor the physical health of people with serious mental illness, and there has been a significant financial investment over recent years to provide this. To assess the effectiveness of physical health monitoring, compared with standard care for people with serious mental illness. We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group Trials Register (October 2009, update in October 2012), which is based on regular searches of CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsycINFO. All randomised clinical trials focusing on physical health monitoring versus standard care, or comparing i) self monitoring versus monitoring by a healthcare professional; ii) simple versus complex monitoring; iii) specific versus non-specific checks; iv) once only versus regular checks; or v) different guidance materials. Initially, review authors (GT, AC, SM) independently screened the search results and identified three studies as possibly fulfilling the review's criteria. On examination, however, all three were subsequently excluded. Forty-two additional citations were identified in October 2012 and screened by two review authors (JX and MW), 11 of which underwent full screening. No relevant randomised trials which assess the effectiveness of physical health monitoring in people with serious mental illness have been completed. We identified one ongoing study. There is still no evidence from randomised trials to support or refute current guidance and practice. Guidance and practice are based on expert consensus, clinical experience and good intentions rather than high quality evidence.

  16. Education and training to support the use of clinical telehealth: A review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edirippulige, S; Armfield, N R

    2017-02-01

    Introduction Despite a growing literature base, substantial investment, and policy changes within governments, the integration of telehealth into routine clinical care has been limited. The availability of appropriate systematic education and training for practitioners has been highlighted as necessary for strong adoption. However, the availability and nature of telehealth-related education and training for practitioners is not understood. By reviewing the literature, we aimed to describe the delivery of education and training in telehealth, with particular focus on content, modes of delivery, types of institutions, and target clinician groups. Methods We performed searches using PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, and ERIC. We included studies that were focused on the delivery of telehealth-related academic or vocational education and training. We extracted information pertaining to country, programs and their participants, and tabulated the results. Results Altogether 388 articles were identified, of which nine studies were selected for final review. Programs from five countries were represented and articles were spread across telemedicine and clinically oriented journals. Education and training in telehealth has been provided as both university level and vocational courses using conventional classroom based delivery methods and e-learning. Reported curriculum items included terminology, clinical applications, the evidence-base, and technological aspects. Conclusions Published evidence in peer-reviewed literature on telehealth education and training is limited. According to this review, a number of topics relating to telehealth have been covered by existing education programs both within tertiary and professional development levels.

  17. Emergency department-based interventions for women suffering domestic abuse: a critical literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ansari, Sereena; Boyle, Adrian

    2017-02-01

    Domestic abuse represents a serious public health and human rights concern. Interventions to reduce the risk of abuse include staff training and standardized documentation improving detection and adherence to referral pathways. Interventional studies have been conducted in primary care, maternity and outpatient settings. Women disclosing abuse in emergency departments differ from women attending other healthcare settings, and it is unclear whether these interventions can be transferred to the emergency care setting. This review examines interventional studies to evaluate the effectiveness of emergency department-based interventions in reducing domestic abuse-related morbidity. Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library were searched, according to prespecified selection criteria. Study quality was assessed using the Jadad scale. Of 273 search results, nine were eligible for review. Interventions involving staff training demonstrated benefits in subjective measures, such as staff knowledge regarding abuse, but no changes in clinical practice, based on detection and referral rates. When staff training was implemented in conjunction with supporting system changes - for example, standardized documentation for assessment and referral - clinically relevant improvements were noted. Interventions centred around staff training are insufficient to bring about improvements in the management and, thus, outcome of patients suffering abuse. Instead, system changes, such as standardized documentation and referral pathways, supported by training, may bring about beneficial changes. It remains uncertain whether surrogate outcomes employed by most studies translate to changes in abuse-related morbidity: the ultimate goal.

  18. Suicide and assisted dying in dementia: what we know and what we need to know. A narrative literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diehl-Schmid, J; Jox, R; Gauthier, S; Belleville, S; Racine, E; Schüle, C; Turecki, G; Richard-Devantoy, S

    2017-08-01

    Evidence-based data on prevalence and risk factors of suicidal intentions and behavior in dementia are as scarce as the data on assisted dying. The present literature review aimed on summarizing the current knowledge and provides a critical discussion of the results. A systematic narrative literature review was performed using Medline, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PSYNDEX, PSYCINFO, Sowiport, and Social Sciences Citation Index literature. Dementia as a whole does not appear to be a risk factor for suicide completion. Nonetheless some subgroups of patients with dementia apparently have an increased risk for suicidal behavior, such as patients with psychiatric comorbidities (particularly depression) and of younger age. Furthermore, a recent diagnosis of dementia, semantic dementia, and previous suicide attempts most probably elevate the risk for suicidal intentions and behavior. The impact of other potential risk factors, such as patient's cognitive impairment profile, behavioral disturbances, social isolation, or a biomarker based presymptomatic diagnosis has not yet been investigated. Assisted dying in dementia is rare but numbers seem to increase in regions where it is legally permitted. Most studies that had investigated the prevalence and risk factors for suicide in dementia had significant methodological limitations. Large prospective studies need to be conducted in order to evaluate risk factors for suicide and assisted suicide in patients with dementia and persons with very early or presymptomatic diagnoses of dementia. In clinical practice, known risk factors for suicide should be assessed in a standardized way so that appropriate action can be taken when necessary.

  19. Effects of exercise training on fitness, mobility, fatigue, and health-related quality of life among adults with multiple sclerosis: a systematic review to inform guideline development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latimer-Cheung, Amy E; Pilutti, Lara A; Hicks, Audrey L; Martin Ginis, Kathleen A; Fenuta, Alyssa M; MacKibbon, K Ann; Motl, Robert W

    2013-09-01

    To conduct a systematic review of evidence surrounding the effects of exercise training on physical fitness, mobility, fatigue, and health-related quality of life in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). The databases included EMBASE, 1980 to 2011 (wk 12); Ovid MEDLINE and Ovid OLDMEDLINE, 1947 to March (wk 3) 2011; PsycINFO, 1967 to March (wk 4) 2011; CINAHL all-inclusive; SPORTDiscus all-inclusive; Cochrane Library all-inclusive; and Physiotherapy Evidence Database all-inclusive. The review was limited to English-language studies (published before December 2011) of people with MS that evaluated the effects of exercise training on outcomes of physical fitness, mobility, fatigue, and/or health-related quality of life. One research assistant extracted data and rated study quality. A second research assistant verified the extraction and quality assessment. From the 4362 studies identified, 54 studies were included in the review. The extracted data were analyzed using a descriptive approach. There was strong evidence that exercise performed 2 times per week at a moderate intensity increases aerobic capacity and muscular strength. The evidence was not consistent regarding the effects of exercise training on other outcomes. Among those with mild to moderate disability from MS, there is sufficient evidence that exercise training is effective for improving both aerobic capacity and muscular strength. Exercise may improve mobility, fatigue, and health-related quality of life. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. What is the value and impact of quality and safety teams? A scoping review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norris Jill M

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to conduct a scoping review of the literature about the establishment and impact of quality and safety team initiatives in acute care. Methods Studies were identified through electronic searches of Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ABI Inform, Cochrane databases. Grey literature and bibliographies were also searched. Qualitative or quantitative studies that occurred in acute care, describing how quality and safety teams were established or implemented, the impact of teams, or the barriers and/or facilitators of teams were included. Two reviewers independently extracted data on study design, sample, interventions, and outcomes. Quality assessment of full text articles was done independently by two reviewers. Studies were categorized according to dimensions of quality. Results Of 6,674 articles identified, 99 were included in the study. The heterogeneity of studies and results reported precluded quantitative data analyses. Findings revealed limited information about attributes of successful and unsuccessful team initiatives, barriers and facilitators to team initiatives, unique or combined contribution of selected interventions, or how to effectively establish these teams. Conclusions Not unlike systematic reviews of quality improvement collaboratives, this broad review revealed that while teams reported a number of positive results, there are many methodological issues. This study is unique in utilizing traditional quality assessment and more novel methods of quality assessment and reporting of results (SQUIRE to appraise studies. Rigorous design, evaluation, and reporting of quality and safety team initiatives are required.