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....

Synbiotics, prebiotics (dietary fibre) or probiotics (good bacteria) for people with a solid organ transplant Key messages People who receive an organ transplant (heart, kidney, liver, lung, or pancreas) experience long-lasting, severe bowel and gut symptoms after their surgery from the medications (severe diarrhoea, severe constipation, heartburn and reflux, gas, bloating, and stomach cramps). We believe these medications can cause a change in the gut flora (a change in the balance of the good and bad bacteria) which causes severe bowel symptoms. To improve the balance of the gut flora,...

Is the combination nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir effective for treating or preventing COVID-19? Key messages Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid®) is evaluated for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir may lead to fewer deaths and improve patient condition, as assessed by need for hospitalization or death within 28 days. Data are only available for non-vaccinated people at increased risk for disease progression receiving treatment within five days of symptom onset. We found eight ongoing studies. We will update our search every month. What is...

Debulking hysterectomy followed by chemoradiotherapy versus chemoradiotherapy for FIGO (2019) stage IB3/II cervical cancer What is the issue? Cervical cancer arises from the neck of the womb (cervix). Worldwide, cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in women, with an estimated 570,000 new cases in 2018. The majority of the burden of the disease is in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). As it mostly occurs in younger women (mostly 25 to 30 year-olds in the UK), the disease has significant adverse effects on women and the global socioeconomic situation as a whole. Cervical...

Sphincterotomy for people with biliary sphincter of Oddi dysfunction This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of any type of endoscopic sphincterotomy in people with biliary sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, compared to placebo; sham operation; any pharmaceutical treatment, administered orally or endoscopically, alone or in combination; or a different type of endoscopic sphincterotomy. This is a protocol....

Denosumab for preventing fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the benefits and harms of denosumab, compared to placebo or other active comparators, for preventing fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. This is a protocol....

Fluvoxamine for treating COVID-19 Review question Is fluvoxamine an effective treatment for people with COVID‐19 and does it cause any unwanted effects? Key messages It is unclear whether fluvoxamine is an effective treatment for COVID-19 in people with mild to moderate COVID-19. This is because there is currently not enough research available to make a definite decision. We found five ongoing studies that are currently investigating fluvoxamine as a possible treatment for COVID‐19, and two studies for which we need more information. We will update this review if their results change our...