Are interventions for fatigue effective among people with kidney failure requiring dialysis? What is the issue? Fatigue is a frequent and debilitating symptom that can limit life participation in people receiving dialysis. Fatigue is linked to impaired quality of life, cardiovascular disease, death and depression in people on dialysis. Several potential interventions, including drugs or other non-pharmacological treatments (e.g. exercise, diet, massage, aromatherapy, acupressure), have been evaluated for their effect on fatigue in people on dialysis. What did we do? We evaluated whether...

Early versus late discontinuation of caffeine administration in preterm infants This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the effects of early versus late discontinuation of caffeine administration in preterm infants. This is a protocol....

Sucrose for analgesia (pain relief) in newborn infants undergoing heel lance Key messages - Sucrose, compared to control interventions, probably reduces pain for a single painful event (heel lance). - There were a few minor immediate adverse events, such as gagging, that resolved without intervention. - We need studies that assess the effect of repeated sucrose administration on immediate (pain intensity) and long-term (neurodevelopmental) outcomes. - We need to assess how sucrose affects neonates who are extremely preterm, unstable, or ventilated (or a combination of these factors). What is...

Can lay health workers effectively identify and treat wasting in children? The aim of this Cochrane Review was to find out whether lay health workers were more or less effective than health professionals at identifying and treating children with wasting. Key messages The results of this review suggest that children who receive care from lay health workers for severe wasting may have similar or slightly poorer results than children who receive care from health professionals. What is wasting? Childhood wasting refers to children being too thin for their height. Wasting happens when the child...

Exercise therapy for treating acute non-specific low back pain Review question We reviewed the evidence on the effect of exercise therapy in adults with low back pain lasting six weeks or less. Background Low back pain is common and disabling, causing a significant burden on the individuals affected and on society. Low back pain often leads to reduced quality of life, time lost from work, and substantial medical expenses. Exercise therapy consists of planned or structured physical activity aimed at improving or maintaining one or more aspects of physical fitness. A range of healthcare...

Which remotely-delivered psychological approaches help people with long-term chronic pain to improve symptoms? Key messages • Online cognitive behavioural therapy represents the most common remotely-delivered psychological therapy. It may improve pain and disability in individuals experiencing chronic pain. • It is largely unclear whether remotely-delivered psychological therapies improve quality of life or cause harmful effects due to limited evidence, of often limited quality. • We need more and better studies to investigate remotely-delivered psychological therapies. Future studies should...

Colchicine for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular events This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the benefits and harms of low-dose colchicine in the prevention of cardiovascular events in adults with a history of stable CVD or following myocardial infarction or stroke. This is a protocol....

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors for people with chronic kidney disease and diabetes This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: This review aims to assess the benefits and harms of DPP-4 inhibitors in people with CKD and type 2 diabetes. This is a protocol....

Tumour-treating fields for high-grade glioma This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the effectiveness of tumour-treating field therapy for treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent high-grade glioma. To prepare a summary of available economic evaluations relevant to this review topic. This is a protocol....

Use of red flags to screen for vertebral fractures in people with low back pain Key messages – The four best red flags for vertebral fractures in people with low back pain were corticosteroid use (e.g. medicines that can weaken bones), older age (e.g. aged above 70 years), trauma (e.g. a fall), and a contusion (bruising) or abrasion (cuts and grazes). – More research is needed to identify the best red flags or combination of red flags to screen for spinal fractures. Red flags to screen for spinal fractures Red flags for spinal fractures are signs and symptoms found by a health professional...

Psychological therapies for people with severe and enduring anorexia nervosa Key messages 1. One small study of people with severe and enduring anorexia nervosa compared two therapies: cognitive behaviour therapy and specialist supportive clinical management. 2. There is not enough evidence to say with certainty if any specific therapy is more effective than any other. 3. There is a need for larger studies to investigate the benefits of treatment for people with SEAN. Why is this review important? Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder and serious mental illness. People with anorexia nervosa...

The impact of physical exercise on health-related quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: Primary objective: to determine the effect of structured physical activity and exercise therapy compared to placebo or normal physical activity on HRQOL of people with IBD (UC, CD, IBDU). Secondary objective: to evaluate the impact of these physical activity interventions on maintenance of remission and fatigue. This is a protocol....

Acupuncture for neonatal abstinence syndrome in newborn infants This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess if acupuncture reduces the treatment duration of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in newborn infants, reduces adverse events and reduces length of hospital stay. This is a protocol....

Mental Health First Aid as a tool for improving mental health and well-being Why was this review important? Mental health first aid is defined as 'the help provided to a person who is developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem, or is in a mental health crisis' The first aid is given until appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves.' Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a training programme that aims to teach mental health first-aid strategies to members of the public. MHFA training works in a cascade model; accredited...

What are the benefits and risks of using topical insect repellents to prevent malaria? Key messages • Topical repellents may slightly reduce the incidence and prevalence of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. • These changes seem to be particularly important in high-risk populations, specifically in refugees living in camps where there are fewer other options. • Topical repellents may make little or no difference in malaria prevalence and incidence in settings where insecticide-treated nets, and other options to control the transmission of malaria are readily available. What is malaria?...

Perioperative glucocorticoid stress dose for adult surgical patients at risk of adrenal insufficiency This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the effect and harms of perioperative glucocorticoid stress dose for patients with known or suspected adrenal insufficiency for prevention of serious adverse events. This is a protocol....

Preferred treatment options for uncontrolled asthma in people on medium-dose inhaled corticosteroids Key messages • Adding a long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA) or a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) to medium-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) likely reduces asthma attacks requiring treatment with oral steroids and increases the odds of satisfactory symptom control compared to ICS alone, whereas doubling the dose of ICS probably does not. The amount of data we found was much larger for LABAs than for LAMAs. • We need to learn more about the long-term side effects of high-dose ICS...

Blue-light filtering spectacle lenses for visual performance, macular (back part of the eye) protection, and improving sleep quality What is the aim of this review? This Cochrane Review aimed to investigate the possible benefits and safety of blue-light filtering spectacle lenses, also known as blue-light blocking spectacle lenses, on visual performance, macular protection, and sleep quality. Cochrane Review authors collected and analysed all relevant studies to summarise the best available research evidence. Key message Blue-light filtering lenses may not reduce short-term eyestrain...

How effective are hydrogel dressings for helping donor site wounds to heal after split-thickness skin grafts? Key messages - We do not know if hydrogel dressings (designed to keep wounds moist) are better than other dressings for helping donor site wounds to heal after split-thickness skin grafts (skin taken from another part of the body). - We did not find any studies comparing hydrogel dressings with creams, ointments, or other solutions applied directly to the wound. - More and better designed studies are needed to answer this question. What are donor site wounds and split-thickness skin...

Prophylactic blood thinners for the prevention of death and venous thromboembolism in COVID-19 outpatients Key messages ‐ When used in the outpatient setting, anticoagulants (blood thinners) probably reduce venous thromboembolism (VTE) and pulmonary embolism (PE) when compared with placebo or no treatment in people with COVID-19. However, these drugs seem to have little or no effect in reducing death, major bleeding, need for hospitalisation, or adverse events. What is VTE? Venous thromboembolism, which includes both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and PE, is a condition where a blood clot forms...