What are consumers and health providers' views and experiences of working in formal partnerships to plan, deliver and evaluate health services? Key messages -Power imbalances between health providers and consumers can limit consumer participation in health service planning, delivery and evaluation. -Power imbalances in the partnership may happen because of the ways consumers are recruited, how meetings are run, and how decisions are made. -To have successful partnerships with consumers, health providers need to address these power imbalances. -Some consumers and health providers...

Therapeutics for treating mpox What is the aim of this review? There are no drugs licenced specifically for treating mpox, but some drugs that are licenced for treating similar viral infections, such as smallpox, are authorized for treating mpox during an outbreak. The effects of these drugs have not yet been studied in randomized trials in people with mpox. Randomized trials include at least two treatment groups, such as one receiving the drug and one receiving a placebo, where the people recruited for the trial are randomly allocated to either group. This review summarizes evidence on the...

Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation Review question We wanted to find out how effective certain classes of antiarrhythmic drugs (medications used to prevent or treat an irregular heart rhythm) are for maintaining sinus rhythm (normal heart rhythm) in people after catheter ablation (a technique using catheters to create controlled burns in the heart to prevent and treat arrhythmia occurrence) for atrial fibrillation (a common type of irregular heart rhythm), compared to catheter ablation alone. Background The...

Exercise interventions for adults with cancer who are receiving radiation therapy without additional cancer therapy What is radiation therapy? Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is a treatment that delivers high doses of radiation to a specific part of the body to kill cancer cells. One in two people with cancer will undergo radiation therapy. Some people receive radiation therapy alone, while others receive radiation therapy combined with other cancer treatments that affect the whole body (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or hormone therapy). The unwanted effects of radiation therapy...

Remote digital monitoring for selected chronic diseases in primary health care This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of remote digital monitoring for adults with selected chronic diseases (hypertension, type 2 diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, and asthma) in primary healthcare settings. This is a protocol....

What are the benefits and risks of treatments other than medication for persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD)? Key messages There are very few studies that look at treatments for persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD). We only found one very small study, which looked at the use of electrical stimulation of the brain (called transcranial direct current stimulation). Further work is needed in this area to help establish whether there are any treatments that may be effective at treating this condition, and to check if they cause any unwanted or harmful effects. What is PPPD?...

Prediction of disease specific and overall survival in men with prostate cancer using the Decipher assay This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (prognosis). The objectives are as follows: To determine the prognostic value of the Decipher gene assay in men with biopsy-confirmed clinically localized prostate cancer before and after receiving treatment. This objective can be framed in two questions following the population, index prognostic factor, comparator prognostic factor(s), outcome, timing, and setting (PICOTS) format as illustrated in Table 1. Table 1. Review question in PICOTS format...

Reducing fall hazards within the environment Key messages For older adults at a higher risk of having a fall, such as having had a fall in the past year and recently hospitalised or needing support with daily activities, removing environmental fall hazards in the home can reduce the number of falls by 38%. Examples of environmental fall hazards are a stairway without railings, a slippery pathway, or poor lighting. Why is it important to consider environmental hazards as part of a fall prevention programme? Falls are common and can be deadly, but they are preventable. Approximately one-third...

Coordination of care to improve outcomes of emergency medical services This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aiming to improve coordination of emergency medical services on patient outcomes of emergency care systems. This is a protocol....

What are the benefits and risks of different medications used to treat persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD)? Key messages We did not identify any studies that assessed the use of medication to treat persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD). Further work is needed in this area to help establish whether there are any treatments that may be effective at treating this condition, and to check if they cause any unwanted or harmful effects. What is PPPD? PPPD stands for persistent postural-perceptual dizziness. People with this condition have symptoms of dizziness or unsteadiness,...

Mobile health (m-health) technological support for women during pregnancy or the first six weeks postpartum, or both This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess maternal and newborn clinical and psychological outcomes where mobile health (m-health) technological support was given during pregnancy or the first six weeks post birth, or both, compared with different methods of m-health or no health support (usual care). This is a protocol....

Combined pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for alcohol use disorder This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the efficacy and safety of combined pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for the treatment of alcohol use disorder. This is a protocol....

Dose-escalated radiotherapy for curative treatment in men with clinically localized prostate cancer Review question How does a higher radiation dose compare to a lower dose when treating prostate cancer that is limited to the prostate gland? Background Treatment for prostate cancer includes surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy. Radiation therapy (RT) is a treatment that uses beams of intense energy to kill cancer cells. So-called dose-escalated RT has an increased radiation dose compared to usual or 'normal' (conventional) dose RT, in order to better kill cancer, but...

Lens extraction compared with laser peripheral iridotomy to treat acute primary angle closure What is acute primary angle closure? Acute primary angle closure is a rare condition caused by changes to structures at the front of the eye. The drainage angle becomes very narrow, which blocks fluid drainage and causes raised eye pressure (intraocular pressure). People with acute primary angle closure may experience severe eye pain, blurred vision, redness, and clouding of the cornea (the clear front window of the eye) very suddenly. If left untreated, the condition can lead to blindness due to...

Parathyroidectomy for adults with primary hyperparathyroidism What is primary hyperparathyroidism? Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a disorder in which the parathyroid glands (four glands located near or on the thyroid in the neck) become enlarged and produce too much parathyroid hormone. The disease affects 1% of adults. Overproduction of parathyroid hormone disrupts calcium levels in the body, which can lead to various other health issues, such as osteoporosis (a health condition that weakens bones) and bone fractures, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive...

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...