Interventions to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene for preventing soil-transmitted helminth infection What is the aim of this review? This review summarizes randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (studies where participants are randomly assigned to one of two or more treatment groups) and non-randomized trials (non-RCTs) evaluating the effect of water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions on preventing soil-transmitted helminth infections. Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) comprise a group of intestinal parasites that are transmitted to humans through ingestion of infective eggs or...

Which combinations of medicines are best for the prevention and treatment of anaemia in people with cancer? Key messages • Giving medicines that stimulate the bone marrow to produce red blood cells (ESAs) with iron supplements probably decreases the number of blood transfusions, but may also cause more deaths and increase the number of unwanted effects, such as blood clots. • Because of missing data from the studies we could not compare the different treatment options to each other and rank them. • We need more studies that compare these medicines directly against each other. What is anaemia...

Are laboratory-made COVID-19-specific monoclonal antibodies effective to prevent COVID-19 in adults? Key messages Pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19: – tixagevimab/cilgavimab probably reduces number of people infected with COVID-19 and development of COVID-19 symptoms, and may reduce number of people admitted to hospital; – casirivimab/imdevimab may reduce number of people infected with COVID-19 and development of COVID-19 symptoms, and may increase number of unwanted effects (any severity) slightly. Postexposure prophylaxis of COVID-19: – bamlanivimab probably reduces number of people...

Why is improving dementia diagnosis important? Dementia refers to a group of brain conditions that lead to progressive problems with memory, working-things-out, or functioning in everyday life. Doctors use a variety of tests to diagnose dementia. People have often reported that it can take a long time to get a diagnosis of dementia from initially presenting to a healthcare provider with symptoms suggestive of dementia. Cognitive impairment is a broader term that includes people whose brain is not functioning as well as expected given their age, but they do not have dementia, as well as...

Psychoeducation for the parents of people with severe mental illness This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects (benefits and harms) of psychoeducation specifically for parents of people with SMI. This is a protocol....

Care planning or case management for frequent emergency department attendance in adults This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effectiveness of case management or care planning for frequent attendance at emergency departments (EDs). To use subgroup analysis to assess the effectiveness of different types of intervention. This is a protocol....

Methods for promoting sleep in children and young people in hospital without using medicines (non-medicinal) Key messages We are uncertain how effective non-medicinal sleep promotion methods are for children and young people in hospital. Studies that use established, reliable research methods are needed to investigate non-medicinal sleep promotion in hospitalized children and young people, to identify methods that work. Why is sleep important for children in hospital? Sleep is an important part of healthy childhood development and helps to keep children healthy. Sleep patterns change...

Postoperative nutritional support after pancreaticoduodenectomy in adults This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of postoperative nutritional support strategies on complications and recovery in adults after pancreaticoduonectomy. This is a protocol....

Prophylactic arterial embolization in patients with bleeding peptic ulcers following endoscopic control of bleeding This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of prophylactic arterial embolization compared with endoscopic haemostasis only on the risk of re-bleeding for peptic ulcer bleeding, in patients where endoscopic haemostasis has been successful. This is a protocol....

Are systemic Janus kinase inhibitors an effective treatment for people with COVID-19? Key messages We found moderate- to high-certainty evidence from 6 studies to conclude that systemic Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are an effective treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in hospitalised people, because they resulted in fewer deaths and a lower rate of clinical deterioration. Evaluation of systemic JAK inhibitors is ongoing in 13 studies whilst the results of 9 further studies are awaiting publication. We will update this review and may adapt our conclusions when their results...

Digital technologies to help people with asthma take their medication as prescribed Background to the question Asthma is one of the most common long-term conditions worldwide. There are effective medicines available to treat symptoms, such as inhalers containing steroids. However, for best effect, maintenance medication need to be taken as prescribed. Many people do not take their medication, due to busy schedules and the belief that medication is only needed short-term. This is known as 'non-adherence', which can lead to more symptoms and attacks. Non-adherence is a major health problem;...

Rho kinase inhibitors for primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension Question What are the benefits and risks of rho kinase inhibitor eye drops to treat people with either glaucoma or increased eye pressure? Key messages Antiglaucomatous eye drops such as latanoprost and timolol may reduce the eye pressure more compared with treatment with a rho kinase inhibitor, but the difference with timolol is small. When combining rho kinase inhibitors with different types of medicine, the eye pressure may be reduced more. People treated with a rho kinase inhibitor experience more adverse...

Minimally invasive trabecular meshwork surgery for open-angle glaucoma This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of minimally invasive trabecular meshwork surgery in comparison to medical, laser, or surgical treatment (including other MIGS techniques) in people with open-angle glaucoma. This is a protocol....

Vitamin D for preventing acute respiratory infections in children up to five years of age This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To determine the efficacy and safety of vitamin D supplementation for preventing acute respiratory infections in children up to five years of age. This is a protocol....

What are the benefits and risks of different treatments for elbow fractures in children? Key messages - A child with a supracondylar elbow fracture (a broken bone in the upper elbow, approximately 5 cm above the elbow joint) may have a lower risk of nerve injury if two or more wires are inserted from the outside of the elbow rather than having one wire inserted from the inside of the elbow and one from the outside (crossed wires). The method used by the doctor to manually move the bones back into position may not increase or reduce the risk of nerve injury, but using a closed method may...

Brain-computer interface training for motor recovery after stroke This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the effectiveness of brain-computer interface training for motor recovery after stroke. This is a protocol....

Pain control during panretinal photocoagulation for diabetic retinopathy This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects (benefits and harms) of different interventions aimed at controlling pain associated with panretinal photocoagulation, in people with severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, according to the classification of ETDRS 1991. This is a protocol....

Visual tubal patency tests for tubal occlusion and hydrosalpinx This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (diagnostic). The objectives are as follows: To determine and compare the diagnostic accuracy of visual tubal patency tests (hysterosalpingography (HSG), sono-hysterosalpingography (sono-HSG), magnetic resonance hysterosalpingography (MR-HSG), and outpatient transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy (THL)) for the diagnosis of tubal occlusion. Secondary objectives To determine and compare the diagnostic accuracy of visual tubal patency tests (HSG, sono-HSG, MR-HSG, and outpatient THL) for the...

Dietary interventions for managing glucose abnormalities in people with cystic fibrosis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of dietary interventions on glycaemic control and clinical status in people with cystic fibrosis who have dysglycaemia. This is a protocol....

Speech and language therapy interventions for speech problems in Parkinson's disease This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the effectiveness of speech and language therapy (SLT) interventions on speech and voice problems in people with Parkinson’s disease. We will investigate whether: SLT is more effective than no SLT; SLT is more effective than placebo or attention control interventions; one SLT intervention is more effective than another SLT intervention (including standard care). This is a protocol....