Does a strategy of extended-duration blood thinners for preventing the development of blood clots in the legs and lungs improve the outcomes of patients admitted to the hospital for an acute medical illness? Key message Extending blood thinners beyond the hospital stay (after discharge) decreased the probability of developing blood thrombi (blood clots) in the legs and emboli (blood clots) in the lungs at the expense of an increased risk of major bleeding. What is venous thromboembolism (VTE)? Venous thrombosis is when a blood thrombus (blood clot) is formed in a vein. This can cause...

Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in people receiving cancer treatment: photobiomodulation This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of photobiomodulation for the prevention of oral mucositis in people undergoing treatment for head and neck cancers, other solid cancers, and haematological cancers. This is a protocol....

Interventions to prevent wound infections after heart surgery Key messages - The overall quality of evidence supporting interventions to reduce surgical site infection in adult heart surgery is poor. Studies used varying definitions for wound infection, which meant that it was difficult to make any comparison between these. - Significant knowledge gaps exist around the implementation of interventions to reduce surgical site infection in adult patients undergoing heart surgery. What is a surgical site infection? A surgical site infection (SSI) or wound infection as defined by the Centers for...

Continuation versus discontinuation of intravenous oxytocin in the active phase of labour This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of discontinuing intravenous oxytocin stimulation in pregnant women during the active phase of induced or augmented labour. This is a protocol....

Molecular biomarkers for predicting complete response to preoperative chemoradiation in people with locally advanced rectal cancer This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (prognosis). The objectives are as follows: Primary objectives To identify and estimate the prognostic value of molecular biomarkers as predictors of pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in people with locally advanced rectal cancer. Table 1 summarises the review question in population, index prognostic factor, comparator prognostic factor(s), outcome, timing, and setting (PICOTS) format....

Early versus delayed timing of vitrectomy after open-globe injury This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of early versus delayed timing of vitrectomy after open-globe injury on visual outcomes. This is a protocol....

Is resistance training an effective treatment for fatigue in people diagnosed with cancer? Key messages - Resistance training during cancer therapy has the potential to improve fatigue and quality of life. - Resistance training after cancer therapy may improve quality of life a little. - More research could help understand the effects of resistance training before cancer therapy. What is cancer-related fatigue? Cancer-related fatigue is a feeling of extreme tiredness that lasts for a long time. It can come from cancer or cancer therapy, or both. Cancer-related fatigue affects both the body...

Do biosimilar monoclonal antibodies perform as well as the original medicine for cancer treatment? Key messages – For people with lung, colorectal (a cancer that develops in the colon or rectum), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (type of blood cancer), or breast cancers, bevacizumab, rituximab, and trastuzumab biosimilars (products similar to a medicine made from living organisms) or original (called originator) medicines have similar effects on outcomes considered important by consumers. – The length of time people are alive and cancer-free after the start of treatment was similar between biosimilar...

Why is improving the diagnosis of BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN) important? Key messages • The studies in this review suggest that testing for BK polyomavirus in blood samples is a reliable screening tool for detecting BKPyVAN. • Using a blood BK virus level of 10,000 or more copies/mL, the chances of missing a diagnosis of BKPyVAN was 6 patients per 1000 and wrongly diagnosing BKPyVAN when a patient did not have it was 48 per 1000. • Using a blood BK virus level of 2000 or more copies/mL, the chances of missing a diagnosis of BKPyVAN was 5 patients per 1000, and wrongly...

What are the benefits and risks of fenoldopam for preventing or treating acute kidney injury? Key messages • Fenoldopam (a medicine that rapidly widens and relaxes blood vessels) probably reduces the risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI) (a condition where the kidneys suddenly lose their ability to filter waste from the blood) in people who are at risk of developing AKI compared to placebo (dummy medicine) or saline (salt solution). • Fenoldopam may reduce the time spent in intensive care compared to placebo or saline. • Fenoldopam, compared to other active medicines (dopamine and...

Psychotherapeutic treatments for depression in older adults This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of psychotherapeutic interventions in the treatment of older adults with depression and whether the effects of different types of psychotherapeutic treatments vary for older adults with depression. This is a protocol....

Do heart surgery patients benefit from preventive treatment with inotropic drugs? Key messages • Treatment of heart surgery patients with the drug ‘levosimendan’ before surgery may be beneficial. • However, the current evidence is limited, and more studies are needed before definitive recommendations can be made. Rationale Reduced heart function is a potentially fatal complication after heart surgery. A possible approach to prevent this complication is treatment with drugs that stimulate the contraction of the heart (so-called inotropic agents). What did we want to find out? We assessed...

Do drugs that enhance the beating force of the heart prevent low cardiac output syndrome and death in children undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease? Key messages - Using levosimendan as a prevention makes it less likely that children undergoing heart surgery will die. The risk for reduced heart function is largely decreased with levosimendan and likely also with milrinone, compared to placebo. Side effects are likely more common with levosimendan or dobutamine and may be more common with milrinone but less common with low-dose milrinone, compared to placebo. - Our confidence in...

Glucocorticoid facet joint injection for chronic back or neck pain This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: The primary objective is to assess the benefits and harms of glucocorticoid facet joint injections in adults with chronic back or neck pain that is presumed to be facet joint-mediated. The secondary objective is to assess whether the effects differ by diagnostic method for facet joint-mediated pain. This is a protocol....

Is omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation better than a placebo for treating depression among children and adolescents? Key messages – Due to a lack of robust evidence, the benefits and unwanted effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (which are important fats that you must obtain from your diet) supplementation for treating depression among children and adolescents are unclear. – Larger, well-designed studies are needed to give better estimates of the potential benefits and harms of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation for child and adolescent depression....

Methylxanthines for the prevention or treatment of intermittent hypoxemia or respiratory insufficiency in late preterm infants This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of methylxanthines in preventing or treating intermittent hypoxemia or respiratory insufficiency in late preterm infants. This is a protocol....

Vaccines for preventing Ebola virus disease This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of vaccines to prevent Ebola virus disease in people who have been, or have potentially been, exposed to Ebola virus. This is a protocol....

Virtual reality technology for pain management in advanced cancer This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: Primarily, to determine the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) intervention compared to an alternative or no intervention for people living with advanced cancer: on pain intensity, adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs); and secondarily, on additional pain properties (e.g. type, frequency), psychological well-being, other physical symptoms (e.g. anxiety) and quality of life. We will also report on the context in which...

Minimizing blood sampling in preterm infants This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of different strategies to minimize blood sampling in preterm infants. This is a protocol....

What are the benefits and risks of tranexamic acid for preventing heavy bleeding after caesarean births? Key messages The clotting medicine tranexamic acid (TXA) given during caesarean birth does not prevent heavy bleeding when blood loss is measured by collecting blood and weighing surgical sponges, or when health providers estimate the amount of blood loss. When blood loss is calculated using the proportion of red blood cells in blood before and after the caesarean birth, there is likely a slight reduction in heavy bleeding. TXA probably does not make a difference in the number of women...