Open versus laparoscopic repair for paediatric inguinal hernia This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To compare the efficacy and safety of open versus laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in children. This is a protocol....

Interventions for increasing energy efficiency in hospitals This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: The main objective is to assess the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase energy efficiency in hospitals. This is a protocol....

Multiple perceptions about implementing hospital at home Key messages - When developing a Hospital at Home service, it is important to set up a straightforward process for healthcare professionals to refer patients. This includes producing clear guidelines that set out who the service is suitable for. - Hospital at Home services need a trained workforce with skills to deliver safe and effective patient-centred care in the home, with clear and consistent communication between staff, patients and caregivers. - We propose a number of questions for use by healthcare professionals and managers...

Immunoglobulin replacement to prevent infections in people with haematological malignancies and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of prophylactic immunoglobulin therapy for the prevention of infections in people with haematological malignancies and post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This is a protocol....

First-line systemic treatment for people with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and network meta-analysis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the comparative effectiveness and safety of immunotherapy (anti PD‐1, anti PD‐L1, or anti CTLA-4) plus chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone for the first-line systemic treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer with a network meta-analysis, and to identify relevant biomarkers or clinical factors. This is a protocol....

Alternative ways to organise delivery of health care to older adults living in aged care facilities What is the aim of this review? This Cochrane review set out to determine if providing residents of aged care facilities (ACF) with the same care as usual care, just delivered in a different way (alternative models of care), is better in terms of emergency department transfers, unplanned hospital admissions, adverse events, adherence to clinical guideline-recommended care, health-related quality of life, mortality and costs. For example, are multidisciplinary teams (alternative model) a better...

Topical imiquimod cream for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effectiveness and adverse effects of imiquimod in the treatment of women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. This is a protocol....

What are the benefits and risks of the uncut Roux-en-Y operation after removing the lower portion of the stomach in the treatment of gastric cancer? Key messages ‐ Comparing uncut Roux‐en‐Y reconstruction with Billroth II reconstruction, the two treatments may be similar in terms of major postoperative complications, incidence of anastomotic leakage, and changes in body weight, but we are very uncertain about the majority of these results. The uncut Roux‐en‐Y reconstruction may reduce the occurrence of bile reflux, but may make little to no difference to the occurrence of remnant gastritis....

Pharmacological treatments for vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) after COVID-19 vaccination This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of pharmacological interventions for vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis in people who received COVID-19 vaccination. This is a protocol....

What are the benefits and risks of newer non-clotting factor therapies for the prevention of bleeds in people with hemophilia A or B? Key messages - In people living with hemophilia A or B with or without inhibitors, non-clotting factor therapies for preventing bleeds reduced the annual bleeding rates for all bleeds, joint bleeds, and spontaneous bleeds compared with no bleed prevention. There was a significant increase in the percentage of people with zero bleeds. An improvement in well-being was also reported with non-clotting factor therapies. None of the included studies assessed our...

Psychosocial telemedicine interventions for schizophrenia This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the effects of telemedicine-based psychosocial interventions on clinical, affective, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes in individuals with schizophrenia and related disorders. This is a protocol....

Dietary interventions for the management of chronic constipation in children This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dietary interventions for the management of chronic childhood functional constipation. This is a protocol....

Robot-assisted surgery for benign and malignant liver lesions This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the benefits and harms of robotic liver resections compared with open and laparoscopic liver resections, for benign and malignant hepatic lesions. This is a protocol....

Rhythmic auditory stimulation for motor rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of rhythmic auditory stimulation on motor rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease. This is a protocol....

Smartphone apps for people with overweight or obesity Key messages - The results we identified are insufficient to show that smartphone apps help teenagers and adults with overweight or obesity. When we compared smartphone apps to doing nothing or personal coaching, the differences we found were small and might not have an important impact on everyday life. - We do not have much information about teenagers. We also do not know how well smartphone apps work in different countries, or for people who have less money or different backgrounds. - Thirty-four studies on this topic are ongoing, and...

Infliximab for the maintenance of successful treatment in Crohn's Disease Key messages Infliximab is probably superior to placebo for preventing disease relapse for patients who have shown response to infliximab. It may also be superior to placebo for preventing loss of response in patients with fistulating disease. It may be similar to placebo in terms of total adverse events. Infliximab combined with purine analogues is probably superior to purine analogues alone for preventing disease relapse, both clinically and endoscopically, for patients in remission, who have shown response to...

Vagus nerve stimulation to improve post-stroke motor function and activity This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effectiveness and safety of vagus nerve stimulation as an add-on treatment to rehabilitate people with post-stroke motor function impairments and activity limitations. This is a protocol....

Does meditation help prevent people from developing cardiovascular disease or from worsening cardiovascular disease? Key messages · We looked primarily at two main types of meditation, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and transcendental meditation (TM), compared to receiving something else or nothing else (referred to as active and inactive comparison groups, respectively). We found inconsistent results for many of the outcomes of interest. · Compared to inactive comparators, MBIs probably reduce stress, and may also reduce anxiety and depression and blood pressure. TM may reduce blood...

Oestrogen therapy for preventing pelvic organ prolapse in postmenopausal women This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of local and systemic oestrogen therapy in preventing pelvic organ prolapse in postmenopausal women. This is a protocol....

Are mobile health technologies useful for improving walking distance in people with intermittent claudication? Key messages Large, well-designed studies of mobile health (mhealth) technologies are needed to measure the distance a person with intermittent claudication can walk pain-free and the maximum distance they can walk. What is the condition? In peripheral arterial disease (PAD), the large blood vessels of the legs are narrowed or blocked, which makes it more difficult for oxygen from the blood to get to the muscles when needed. PAD may have no symptoms or may cause a muscle pain called...