Community health worker-led interventions for hypertension This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of community health worker-led interventions on controlling blood pressure for people with hypertension. This is a protocol....

Do strengthening exercises help in the treatment of people with patellar tendinopathy (jumper's knee)? Key messages — The evidence for using strengthening exercises to treat patellar tendinopathy (pain at the front of the knee involving the tendon) is very uncertain, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions. — For athletes, we are very uncertain whether exercise reduces pain compared to no treatment. Strengthening exercises may make little or no difference to function compared to no treatment, and little or no difference to function and pain compared to glucocorticoid injections...

Is it better to use ultrasound or anatomical landmarks to guide the needle to the correct placement for anaesthesia around the spinal cord in adults? Key messages Compared to anatomical landmarks, using ultrasound guidance for neuraxial anaesthesia in adults reduces the number of attempts until success, and the procedure (needling) time. Success is defined as either the number of times the needle is advanced following a backward movement, or the number of times it punctures the skin. Ultrasound guidance likely increases the rate of success on the first try. Ultrasound guidance may make...

What are the benefits and risks of vaccines for preventing infectious diseases in adults with blood cancers? Key messages • We found limited evidence on the preventive effect of vaccines on patient-relevant outcomes in adults with blood cancers. The included studies focused only on herpes zoster, COVID-19, and influenza vaccines. No studies measured quality of life. • When compared to placebo, herpes zoster vaccines may lower the incidence of infection. They probably result in little to no difference in death from any cause. They cause short-term side effects, but we did not find an increase...

Are atypical antipsychotic medicines useful for treating irritability and other symptoms in people with autism? Key messages Risperidone and aripiprazole may reduce irritability symptoms, while lurasidone probably results in little to no difference in children with autism. There is significant uncertainty about the effects of these drugs on aggression, weight gain and abnormal body movements (e.g. tremors) in children with autism. These medicines may decrease obsessive-compulsive symptoms (unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviours (compulsions)) and inappropriate speech in...

Perioperative immunotherapy strategies for resectable non-small cell lung cancer This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To compare, via a network meta-analysis, the effectiveness and safety of different immunotherapy agents that are administered in a perioperative setting to people with resectable non small-cell lung cancer To perform indirect comparisons in order to generate a clinically meaningful hierarchy of perioperative strategies of immunotherapy administration for overall survival in operable people with resectable non small-cell lung...

Lower-limb neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for people with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on muscle structure and function in people undergoing dialysis. This is a protocol....

Total neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effectiveness and safety of total neoadjuvant therapy versus standard therapy in individuals with locally advanced rectal cancer. This is a protocol....

Early mobilization after skin graft for burn injury in adults This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of early mobilization after skin graft for burn injury in adults. This is a protocol....

Short versus long drug regimens for Chagas disease This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of short versus long drug regimens (trypanocidal schemes) for Chagas disease in chronic asymptomatic stages. This is a protocol....

Do proton pump inhibitors prevent ulcers and stomach discomfort caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs? Key messages Compared to a placebo (dummy or inactive treatment), proton pump inhibitors probably reduce the development of new ulcers. They also slightly decrease symptoms of dyspepsia (indigestion). They may reduce ulcer complications and probably slightly improve quality of life. They may have little to no harmful effects, but the evidence is very uncertain. Compared to histamine 2-receptor antagonists (also known as H2-blockers; medications that help reduce stomach acid),...

Pain and sedation management for screening or treatment of retinopathy of prematurity This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of pain and sedation management for screening or treatment of retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants compared to placebo, no intervention, or other interventions. This is a protocol....

Which factors are related to return to work in breast cancer survivors? Key messages Breast cancer survivors who are older and who receive chemotherapy may be at higher risk of not returning to work. Results regarding educational level were inconclusive. Further research is warranted to identify those breast cancer survivors who are at higher risk of not returning to work, so that they can receive timely support. What is breast cancer? What is return to work, and why is it important? Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women around the world and many people diagnosed with...

Motor interventions initiated prior hospital discharge to prevent neurodevelopmental impairment in preterm infants This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of motor interventions initiated prior hospital discharge to prevent neurodevelopmental and motor impairment in preterm infants compared to standard care, post-discharge motor interventions, and different modalities of the same motor intervention. This is a protocol....

Socio-economic equity in the impact of population-based interventions to reduce alcohol consumption This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the differential effects of public health interventions aimed at reducing alcohol consumption in the general population across SEP as defined by education, occupation, or income. Outcomes will be evaluated using the RE-AIM framework, considering dimensions of reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. This is a protocol....

Which type of sleep study is better for diagnosing people with suspected obstructive sleep apnoea? Key messages – The diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea using limited channel sleep studies is less cumbersome than polysomnography and can be performed at the person's home rather than in a hospital laboratory. – Using limited channel sleep studies results in little to no difference in sleepiness. – However, much of the evidence is uncertain, in particular for Level IV studies. What is obstructive sleep apnoea? Obstructive sleep apnoea is a condition where the walls of the throat relax and...

Weight-neutral interventions for people with obesity and the perspective of patients, carers and healthcare professionals: a mixed methods review This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (prototype). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of weight-neutral interventions for managing obesity in children and adults (quantitative data). To explore the views, perspectives and experiences of children and adults receiving the intervention, their close family members or, if appropriate, carers, and healthcare personnel who recommend or deliver weight-neutral interventions to determine...

Does the DASH diet help people with or at risk of cardiovascular diseases? Key messages - We do not have enough evidence to say that the DASH diet prevents heart attacks, strokes, or deaths from heart disease. - The DASH diet may produce little to no harmful effects, but we are unsure about this due to the limited evidence. - We need bigger and longer studies to find out if the DASH diet can truly prevent serious heart problems and to check if it’s safe in the long run. What is cardiovascular disease? Cardiovascular disease is a term for conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. It...

Psychological therapies for post‐traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects (i.e. benefits and harms) of psychological therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder and complex post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents. This is a protocol....

Clinical outcomes of out-of-office versus in-office blood pressure monitoring in adults with hypertension This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of out-of-office compared to in-office blood pressure (BP) monitoring for improving clinical outcomes in adults with hypertension. This is a protocol....