Cenobamate as an add-on treatment for focal epilepsy that does not respond to other long-term antiseizure medication Key messages - When added to one or more antiseizure medications, cenobamate is probably better than placebo (sham medical treatment) in reducing the frequency of epileptic seizures by at least 50% and in achieving seizure freedom in adults with focal epilepsy who do not respond to long-term antiseizure medications. - Cenobamate use probably causes more unwanted effects than placebo. What was studied in this review? Epilepsy is a disease of the brain where there is a...

Overall prognosis of index lung cancer recurrence or of second primary lung cancer in people with non-small cell lung cancer operated with complete resection This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (prognosis). The objectives are as follows: We aim to compare overall survival in people with recurrence and second primary lung cancer (SPLC) after lung cancer surgery. If survival differs between those people categorised as having index lung cancer recurrence and those categorised as having SPLC, it might be possible to identify the definition that has the best discriminatory capacity from the...

Are services organised to deliver care for people with atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) better than usual (routine) care? Key messages • Organised care services for atrial fibrillation (AF) probably cause a large reduction in death from all causes and do reduce heart-related hospital admissions, but they probably make little to no difference to hospital admissions from all causes and may not reduce heart-related death compared with routine care (care provided as part of normal practice). • Organised care services for AF may not reduce complications such as stroke and mini-stroke and...

Minimally invasive versus open pancreatoduodenectomy in benign, premalignant, and malignant disease. This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of laparoscopic or robot-assisted pancreatoduodenectomy versus open pancreatoduodenectomy for people with benign, premalignant, and malignant disease. This is a protocol....

Are surgical interventions better than no treatment or non-surgical interventions for treating hallux valgus (bunions)? Key messages – Surgery may result in an improvement in pain, and a slight improvement in function and satisfaction with treatment compared with no treatment or non-surgical treatment. However, complications of surgery, such as wound infection, or hardware irritation requiring additional surgery, need to be balanced against its benefits in pain and function improvement. What is hallux valgus? Hallux valgus is a bony lump that forms on the inside of the feet (known as...

When is the best time to stop giving caffeine to newborns born preterm? Key messages • Currently, we do not know when to stop giving caffeine to preterm babies. • If we stop the caffeine too early, babies may have brief, sometimes repetitive, episodes when they have lower levels of oxygen in their blood. • We need to do more studies to find out the best time to stop giving caffeine to preterm babies. Why is caffeine given to premature babies? Caffeine is a stimulant used to prevent and treat apnea – when breathing repeatedly stops and starts – in preterm infants. Caffeine also seems to...

Exercises for the prevention of non-specific low back pain This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the effects of exercise alone or exercise plus education compared with inactive control or education alone to prevent non-specific LBP. This is a protocol....

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing for survivors of life-threatening medical events This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), a psychological intervention programme, on symptoms related to traumatic stress in survivors of life-threatening medical events. Secondary objectives: to evaluate whether the effects of EMDR differ according to the nature of the medical event (associated diagnosis or setting), measured outcome (post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),...

Robot-assisted versus conventional laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of robot-assisted surgery for rectal cancer resection. This is a protocol....

Is 'TENS' (electrical nerve stimulation through the skin) an effective treatment for period pain and does it cause unwanted effects? Key messages • Overall, both high-frequency and low-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) may reduce pain compared with placebo (dummy treatment) or no treatment. • We are uncertain about the effects of high-frequency TENS compared with low-frequency TENS, the effects of both high- and low-frequency TENS compared with other treatments (acupressure, acetaminophen, interferential current therapy), and unwanted effects. • Future...

Treatment of liver cystic echinococcosis (hydatid disease) Key messages – We do not know if standard catheterization plus albendazole is more effective or safer compared to puncture, aspiration, injection and re-aspiration (PAIR) plus albendazole for treating cystic echinococcosis at specific cyst stages (CE1 and CE3a). – People undergoing laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery plus albendazole may have slightly fewer minor complications and shorter hospital stay than people who receive open surgery plus albendazole. We do not know if laparoscopic surgery plus albendazole may lead to fewer cases of...

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy as an addition to standard treatment for gum disease around natural teeth or dental implants Key messages We are very unsure whether adding antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) to standard treatment has any important benefits for adults with gum disease when compared to usual treatment alone. What is gum disease around natural teeth and around dental implants? Symptoms of gum (periodontal) disease include bleeding gums, swollen gums and bad breath. The infection can damage the soft tissues around the teeth, and in some cases people may lose their...

Shorter versus longer duration antibiotic regimens for treatment of culture-positive neonatal sepsis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the safety and effectiveness of shorter versus longer duration antibiotic regimens for the treatment of culture-positive neonatal sepsis with or without meningitis. This is a protocol....

Multisensory stimulation for promoting development and preventing morbidity in preterm infants This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of multisensory stimulation compared to any single sensory intervention or standard care for physical and neurological development in preterm infants. This is a protocol....

Trifocal compared with extended depth of focus intraocular lenses for people having cataract surgery What is the aim of this review? This Cochrane review aimed to assess the effects of artificial lenses placed in the eye after the removal of cataracts. In particular, we wanted to compare the outcomes of trifocal versus extended depth of focus (EDOF) intraocular lenses. Key messages People who have trifocal or EDOF (TECNIS Symfony) lenses implanted following the removal of their cataracts may experience similar levels of distance vision. People receiving trifocal lenses may have better near...

Do bone-modifying medicines help reduce bone loss in women with early or locally advanced breast cancer? Key messages • Giving medicines that slow down bone breakdown (bone-modifying medicines) likely helps make bones stronger and lowers the chance of fractures, but it might also lead to more unwanted effects. • Because each treatment has its own benefits and drawbacks, it is difficult to determine which medicine is the best option. • We need more studies where these medicines are compared directly to each other. What is bone loss and why do people with cancer develop it? Bone loss means...

Lumbar braces and other assistive devices for treatment of chronic low back pain This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of assistive technologies (i.e. non-rigid and rigid lumbar braces, belts, supports, and devices to assist mobility and gait) for improving pain and function (and consequently reducing disability) in adults with chronic low back pain. This is a protocol....

Cognitive behavioural therapy and third-wave approaches for anxiety and related disorders in older people Does cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) work better than minimal management or other psychological therapies for older adults with anxiety disorders? Key messages • Evidence suggests that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may reduce anxiety severity right after treatment compared to minimal management. However, the lessening in anxiety severity may not be sustained and, at six months, there may be no difference between treatments. • Due to a lack of evidence, we do not know if CBT is...

Carotid revascularisation versus medical treatment for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To compare the safety and efficacy of carotid revascularisation plus best medical treatment with best medical treatment alone in people with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. This is a protocol....

Does treating the coronary arteries of the heart help prevent heart attacks during major blood vessels surgeries? Key messages - We do not know if treating the coronary arteries (blood vessels of the heart) prior to major vascular surgery (surgery to the blood vessels) has an effect on preventing acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) and death (mortality) during surgery. Acute myocardial infarction may be reduced in the long term, but the evidence is very uncertain, and length of hospital stay may be reduced slightly. - In order to determine the effect of treating the coronary arteries...