Which hormonal therapy works better for women with early failure of the ovaries? Key messages We only found three studies that looked at a variety of hormonal therapies in three different contexts. Based on the data from these small studies, we were unable to draw any clear conclusions. There is a need for adequately performed and sufficiently large studies to research the best hormonal therapies for women with early failure of the ovaries, in order to improve their chances of having a healthy pregnancy. What is early failure of the ovaries? Ovaries are a pair of glands that respond to, and...

SGLT2 inhibitors for treating diabetes in people with chronic kidney disease This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: This review aims to assess the benefits and harms of SGLT2 inhibitors for lowering glucose levels in people with diabetes and CKD. This is a protocol....

Survivor, family and professional experiences of interventions for sexual abuse and violence What is the aim of this review? The aim of this review was to explore the experiences of survivors of sexual abuse and violence who received interventions to support them and improve their health and well-being, as well as experiences of their family members and the professionals who delivered such interventions. To do this, we analysed 37 studies that described views and experiences of an intervention. Key messages - Survivors, their family members and professionals highlighted that the...

Human stem cells for decompensated cirrhosis in adults This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of stem cell treatment in adults with decompensated cirrhosis, regardless of ethnicity, sex, types of stem cells, route of stem cell injection, and administered dose. This is a protocol....

Impact of ovarian preservation on survival for women with endometrial carcinoma This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: Primary objective will be to evaluate the impact of ovarian preservation on survival outcomes of women with endometrial cancer, while secondary objectives will be to evaluate the impact of ovarian preservation on adverse events and quality of life (QoL). This is a protocol....

How effective are medications given alongside antipsychotics at preventing weight gain in people with schizophrenia? Key messages - Metformin may be effective in preventing weight gain caused by antipsychotics. - H2 antagonists and monoamine modulators may be slightly effective in preventing weight gain caused by antipsychotics. - Future studies should include more people and evaluate them for longer. What are antipsychotics? Antipsychotics are medications used to treat symptoms of psychosis, such as hallucinations, delusions and agitation. They are often used to treat people with...

Medical interventions for non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effectiveness and safety of different medical interventions in the treatment of non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NA-AION) in adults. This is a protocol....

Electromagnetic- or endoscopic-guided methods: which works better for placement of a feeding tube into the small bowel? Key messages - Due to a lack of robust evidence, it is unclear whether electromagnetic-guided placement is superior to endoscopic-guided placement when placing feeding tubes in the small intestine. - Electromagnetic-guided placement of feeding tubes probably costs less than endoscopic-guided placement. Background The use of a feeding tube to deliver nutrition via the intestine is important for treating people who are unhealthy, malnourished, or both, and who have a...

Do upper limb exercise programs work for arteriovenous fistula maturation in people with kidney failure? What is this issue? An arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is a special connection made between an artery and vein, creating a strong blood vessel which can then be accessed repeatedly during haemodialysis treatment. Once created, it usually takes six to eight weeks to develop (or mature) before it can be used. Maturation results in the joined vein becoming bigger and its walls becoming thicker and stronger due to the increased blood flow. Exercise programs may improve the time taken to mature...

Postpartum management of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (0925) This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effectiveness and safety of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions in the postpartum management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. This is a protocol....

What proportion of preschool aged children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder retain their diagnosis one or more years later? Key messages - Nine out of 10 preschool aged children diagnosed with autism in a research setting may continue to meet diagnostic criteria one or more years later. - Due to lack of robust evidence, this finding may not be able to be generalised to children outside a research setting, and we were not able to identify any child or research study factors that influenced if a child retained their diagnosis. - Future research should focus on designing a robust study...

Ibuprofen for acute postoperative pain in children This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the efficacy and safety of ibuprofen (any dose) for acute postoperative pain management in children compared with placebo or other active comparators. To compare ibuprofen administered by different doses, routes (e.g. oral, intravenous, etc.), or strategies (e.g. as needed versus as scheduled). This is a protocol....

Can the medicine dexrazoxane prevent or reduce heart damage in adults and children with cancer receiving anthracyclines? Review question We reviewed the evidence regarding the effectiveness of the medicine dexrazoxane to prevent or reduce heart damage in children and adults with cancer treated with anthracycline chemotherapy. We also looked at the possible effects of dexrazoxane on antitumour effectiveness (that is, survival and tumour response rate), quality of life and adverse effects (i.e. unwanted or harmful effects of a treatment) other than cardiac damage. Background Anthracyclines are...

Immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy versus chemotherapy for early triple-negative breast cancer This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the efficacy and safety of PD-1 inhibitors or PD-L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy compared with chemotherapy for people with early triple-negative breast cancer. This is a protocol....

Direct thrombin inhibitors and factor Xa inhibitors for acute coronary syndromes: a network meta-analysis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the acute-phase efficacy and safety of parenteral direct thrombin inhibitors and factor Xa inhibitors in people with ACS during hospitalisation, with rank ordering by using network meta-analysis. This is a protocol....

The impact of remaining (residual) disease after surgery on the survival prognosis for women with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer Review question We aimed to assess the effect on survival (the 'prognostic impact') of the amount of disease remaining after surgery (residual disease) during the initial treatment stage for women with advanced ovarian cancer. We looked at both surgery before chemotherapy ('primary debulking surgery') followed by adjuvant (additional) chemotherapy and chemotherapy first ('neoadjuvant chemotherapy') followed by surgery ('interval debulking surgery'). This review...

Laser therapy for hypertrophic and keloid scars What was studied in the review? Hypertrophic and keloid scars are raised and bumpy scars that form when a wound does not heal correctly. These scars can be discoloured or reddened and can also cause pain and itching. A range of treatments are available, including silicone gels and steroids. Laser therapy may be an alternative treatment for these types of scars. During laser therapy, areas of skin are targeted by a powerful beam of light which can break down damaged tissue. Different types of laser therapy are available depending on the...

Acupuncture for treating overactive bladder in adults Review question Is acupuncture a safe and effective treatment for treating overactive bladder in adults? Background Overactive bladder is the term used to describe a group of urinary symptoms, including an urgent need to pass urine, frequent voiding (emptying), urinary incontinence and waking one or more times at night to pass urine (nocturia). Sufferers may have one or more of these symptoms. Overactive bladder is a common complaint and can affect both men and women of any age, though it is more common in older people. Treatment can...

Exercise for the treatment of anxiety in children and adolescents This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: 1. To estimate the treatment effect of exercise interventions for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders compared to control (e.g. no treatment, waitlist, attention placebo, naturalistic usual care), on remission, symptoms, safety and acceptability outcomes. 2. To estimate the treatment effect of exercise interventions for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders compared to other existing anxiety treatments (e.g....

Community-based interventions for bite prevention, improved care-seeking and appropriate first aid in snakebite This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of community-based interventions for snakebite prevention, improved care-seeking and appropriate first aid in snakebite. This is a protocol....