Spinal cord stimulation for low back pain Background Low back pain is a leading cause of disability around the world. Spinal cord stimulation, a surgical treatment involving implantation of a device that applies electric impulses to the spinal cord, has been suggested to improve pain in people with long-term low back pain. This study aimed to review evidence regarding the benefits and harms of this procedure for people with low back pain. Study characteristics We searched online databases and registries for relevant studies on 10 June 2022. We found 13 trials with 699 participants. Of these,...

Do treatment effects in randomised trials differ when using active placebo compared to standard placebo? Key messages 1. We found no clear difference in effect between active and standard placebos, but we are very uncertain about the results. 2. We suggest that researchers carefully consider the type of placebo when investigating medicines with clear side effects. What are standard placebos and active placebos? Blinding (or masking) is an important part of randomised trials and ensures that participants and healthcare providers are not influenced by knowing whether the participant is...

Are opioids the best choice for managing pain in babies after surgery? Key messages • We did not find enough good-quality evidence about the benefits and risks of opioids (a group of pain-relieving medicines) to manage pain after surgery in babies. We found only four studies and they had not enrolled enough babies to give reliable results. • Larger, well-designed studies are needed to give better estimates of the benefits and potential harms of opioids, other medicines and non-medicine-based treatments. Why are opioids given to manage pain after surgery in babies? Babies (particularly in the...

Wolbachia-carrying Aedes mosquitoes for preventing dengue infection This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the efficacy of wMel-, wMelPop-, and wAlbB-carrying Aedes species deployments for preventing dengue virus infection. This is a protocol....

Trunk training for improving activities in people with stroke Background Stroke is a common condition that can lead to major disabilities and even death in adults. Stroke has an important impact on various aspects of human functioning, including limiting movement. One frequently observed deficit after stroke is the reduced functioning of the torso of the body. This impairment can, amongst other things, be characterised by reduced mobility, reduced sitting balance, late or reduced reactions to internal and external disturbances, reduced muscle strength and muscle activation patterns of the...

Intermittent phototherapy versus continuous phototherapy for neonatal jaundice Review question In jaundiced newborn infants, is intermittent phototherapy compared with continuous phototherapy effective in reducing bilirubin levels. Background Neonatal jaundice is a yellowish discolouration of the of the newborn infant's skin due to high bilirubin (a yellow compound that occurs naturally in the blood) levels. Phototherapy (light therapy) is widely accepted as an effective treatment for jaundiced newborn infants. Phototherapy is usually used continuously but intermittent phototherapy has some...

What are the benefits and risks of corticosteroids given directly to the ear in Ménière's disease? Key messages Due to a lack of robust evidence, it is not clear whether corticosteroids given into the ear (intratympanic corticosteroids) work to improve symptoms for people with Ménière's disease. It is also not clear whether there are any risks associated with treatment. Larger, well-conducted studies are needed in order to identify whether this treatment may be effective, and to assess whether there are any harmful effects. Further work also needs to be done to find out how best to...

Entecavir for children and adults with chronic hepatitis B This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the benefits and harms of entecavir versus no treatment or placebo for chronic hepatitis B infection in children and adults with chronic hepatitis B infection, who are either HBeAg-positive or HBeAg-negative. This is a protocol....

Overall prognosis of acute and chronic musculoskeletal, widespread, and neuropathic pain in children and adolescents This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (prognosis). The objectives are as follows: We aim to describe the overall prognosis (focusing on the pain course) and the negative impact(s) of acute and chronic musculoskeletal, widespread, and neuropathic pain in children (aged six to 12 years) and adolescents (aged 13 to 18 years) by evaluating: incidence of pain recovery at three and 12 months after reporting acute or chronic pain; change in pain severity at three and 12 months...

Medicines for central sleep apnoea in adults Key messages Studies in this area are small and we were unable to conclude whether any of the medicines studied helped people with central sleep apnoea (CSA) compared with dummy treatment. What is central sleep apnoea and how is it treated? CSA is a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep because the brain does not send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. CSA mainly affects men and people with heart disease. The condition is different from and less common than obstructive sleep apnoea, where breathing...

Plastic stents versus fully covered self-expandable metallic stents for biliary tract strictures in adults with non-cancerous bile duct lesions This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the benefits and harms of fully covered self-expandable metallic stents for the treatment of biliary tract strictures in adults with non-cancerous bile duct lesions comparted to plastic stents. This is a protocol....

Progestin intrauterine devices versus copper intrauterine devices for emergency contraception Why is this review important? This review is important as there are few available choices for emergency contraception (EC). Copper intrauterine devices (Cu‐IUDs) are the most effective method for EC currently available, but their use and uptake is low. We examined the literature to see if the levonorgestrel IUD (LNG‐IUD) was as effective as other methods for EC. If it were found to be as effective, it would increase the range of options available to women seeking EC. How did we identify and evaluate...

What are the benefits and risks of different lifestyle and dietary changes for Ménière's disease? Key messages Due to a lack of robust evidence, it is not clear whether any lifestyle or dietary changes used to treat Ménière's disease work to improve people's symptoms, despite their routine use in clinical practice. We also do not know if there are any risks associated with these interventions. Larger, well-conducted studies are needed in order to identify whether any lifestyle or dietary changes may be effective, and assess whether they have any harmful effects. Further work also needs...

What are the benefits and risks of gentamicin given directly to the ear in Ménière's disease? Key messages Due to a lack of robust evidence, it is not clear whether gentamicin - an antibiotic given into the ear (intratympanic gentamicin) works to improve symptoms for people with Ménière's disease. It is also not clear whether there are any risks associated with treatment. Larger, well-conducted studies are needed to identify whether this treatment may be effective, and to assess whether there are any harmful effects. Further work also needs to be done to find out how best to measure the...

Vaccines for the prevention of infections in adults with haematological malignancies This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and adverse effects of vaccines for the prevention of infections in adults with haematological malignancies. This is a protocol....

What are the benefits and risks of different types of surgery for Ménière's disease? Key messages Due to a lack of robust evidence, it is not clear whether any types of surgery used to treat Ménière's disease work to improve people's symptoms. There was no information regarding the potential for serious risks from these treatments. Larger, well-conducted studies are needed in order to identify whether surgery may be effective, and assess whether there are any harmful effects of treatment. Further work also needs to be done to find out how best to measure the symptoms of people with...

Simvastatin for lowering lipids This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the benefits and harms of different doses of simvastatin on lipid parameters and withdrawals due to adverse effects (WDAEs) in people of any age compared to placebo. This is a protocol....

Immune checkpoint inhibitors for advanced pancreatic cancer This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the benefits and harms of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), as monotherapy or in combination (with chemotherapy or targeted therapy), for people with advanced pancreatic cancer compared with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or placebo. This is a protocol....

What are the benefits and risks of different medications for Ménière's disease? Key messages Due to a lack of robust evidence, it is not clear whether any oral medicines (tablets) used to treat Ménière's disease work to improve people's symptoms, despite their routine use in clinical practice. When used for other conditions, these medications may cause side effects. However, there was too little information from the studies in Ménière’s disease for us to know if there are serious risks from these treatments. Larger, well-conducted studies are needed in order to identify whether some...

What are the benefits and risks of positive pressure therapy for Ménière's disease? Key messages Due to a lack of robust evidence, it is not clear whether positive pressure therapy works to improve the symptoms of people with Ménière's disease. We did not find any information on whether this treatment may cause any harm. Larger, well-conducted studies are needed in order to identify whether positive pressure therapy may be effective, and make sure that there are no harmful effects of treatment. Further work also needs to be done to find out how best to measure the symptoms of people...