Cognitive behavioural therapy plus standard care for first-episode and recent-onset psychosis Key messages Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective for reducing symptoms of schizophrenia and improving functioning in people at the beginning of the disorder. Very little information was available on the potential adverse effects connected with this intervention. Introduction Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder because of the heavy effect of the symptoms on the daily lives of those affected. People with this illness struggle to differentiate between their own thoughts, beliefs and...

Do cancer vaccines help people with advanced non-small cell lung cancer? Key messages - The vaccines evaluated in this review do not improve peoples' survival, or progression-free survival, or do so to a negligible extent. - Unwanted effects of the vaccines are not frequent. What is lung cancer? Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for around 87% of lung cancers. Non-small cell lung cancer is often diagnosed when it is at an advanced stage, which is associated with high death rates and a...

General strengthening exercise for chronic low back pain This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: The primary objective is to investigate the benefits and harms of general strengthening exercise therapy in adults with chronic non-specific low back pain on pain intensity, functional limitations, health-related quality of life, psychological functioning, and adverse events compared to placebo, sham, or attention control and no treatment (including waitlists, control groups with no treatment provided, usual/normal care not controlled by the trial...

Comparing two methods of wound closure in stoma reversal: purse-string closure versus linear skin closure Key messages • Purse-string skin closure (PSSC) probably reduces the risk of wound infection compared with linear skin closure (LSC). • People who have PSSC may be more satisfied with the result compared with people who have LSC. What does stoma reversal mean? An intestinal stoma is a surgically created intestinal opening on the surface of the abdomen. People with a temporary stoma will have their stoma reversed a few months after the initial operation (when the stoma was created). Up to...

Open versus laparoscopic repair for paediatric inguinal hernia This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To compare the efficacy and safety of open versus laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in children. This is a protocol....

Interventions for increasing energy efficiency in hospitals This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: The main objective is to assess the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase energy efficiency in hospitals. This is a protocol....

Multiple perceptions about implementing hospital at home Key messages - When developing a Hospital at Home service, it is important to set up a straightforward process for healthcare professionals to refer patients. This includes producing clear guidelines that set out who the service is suitable for. - Hospital at Home services need a trained workforce with skills to deliver safe and effective patient-centred care in the home, with clear and consistent communication between staff, patients and caregivers. - We propose a number of questions for use by healthcare professionals and managers...

Immunoglobulin replacement to prevent infections in people with haematological malignancies and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of prophylactic immunoglobulin therapy for the prevention of infections in people with haematological malignancies and post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This is a protocol....

First-line systemic treatment for people with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and network meta-analysis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the comparative effectiveness and safety of immunotherapy (anti PD‐1, anti PD‐L1, or anti CTLA-4) plus chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone for the first-line systemic treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer with a network meta-analysis, and to identify relevant biomarkers or clinical factors. This is a protocol....

Alternative ways to organise delivery of health care to older adults living in aged care facilities What is the aim of this review? This Cochrane review set out to determine if providing residents of aged care facilities (ACF) with the same care as usual care, just delivered in a different way (alternative models of care), is better in terms of emergency department transfers, unplanned hospital admissions, adverse events, adherence to clinical guideline-recommended care, health-related quality of life, mortality and costs. For example, are multidisciplinary teams (alternative model) a better...

Topical imiquimod cream for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effectiveness and adverse effects of imiquimod in the treatment of women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. This is a protocol....

What are the benefits and risks of the uncut Roux-en-Y operation after removing the lower portion of the stomach in the treatment of gastric cancer? Key messages ‐ Comparing uncut Roux‐en‐Y reconstruction with Billroth II reconstruction, the two treatments may be similar in terms of major postoperative complications, incidence of anastomotic leakage, and changes in body weight, but we are very uncertain about the majority of these results. The uncut Roux‐en‐Y reconstruction may reduce the occurrence of bile reflux, but may make little to no difference to the occurrence of remnant gastritis....

Pharmacological treatments for vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) after COVID-19 vaccination This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of pharmacological interventions for vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis in people who received COVID-19 vaccination. This is a protocol....

What are the benefits and risks of newer non-clotting factor therapies for the prevention of bleeds in people with hemophilia A or B? Key messages - In people living with hemophilia A or B with or without inhibitors, non-clotting factor therapies for preventing bleeds reduced the annual bleeding rates for all bleeds, joint bleeds, and spontaneous bleeds compared with no bleed prevention. There was a significant increase in the percentage of people with zero bleeds. An improvement in well-being was also reported with non-clotting factor therapies. None of the included studies assessed our...

Psychosocial telemedicine interventions for schizophrenia This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the effects of telemedicine-based psychosocial interventions on clinical, affective, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes in individuals with schizophrenia and related disorders. This is a protocol....

Dietary interventions for the management of chronic constipation in children This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dietary interventions for the management of chronic childhood functional constipation. This is a protocol....

Robot-assisted surgery for benign and malignant liver lesions This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the benefits and harms of robotic liver resections compared with open and laparoscopic liver resections, for benign and malignant hepatic lesions. This is a protocol....

Rhythmic auditory stimulation for motor rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of rhythmic auditory stimulation on motor rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease. This is a protocol....

Smartphone apps for people with overweight or obesity Key messages - The results we identified are insufficient to show that smartphone apps help teenagers and adults with overweight or obesity. When we compared smartphone apps to doing nothing or personal coaching, the differences we found were small and might not have an important impact on everyday life. - We do not have much information about teenagers. We also do not know how well smartphone apps work in different countries, or for people who have less money or different backgrounds. - Thirty-four studies on this topic are ongoing, and...

Infliximab for the maintenance of successful treatment in Crohn's Disease Key messages Infliximab is probably superior to placebo for preventing disease relapse for patients who have shown response to infliximab. It may also be superior to placebo for preventing loss of response in patients with fistulating disease. It may be similar to placebo in terms of total adverse events. Infliximab combined with purine analogues is probably superior to purine analogues alone for preventing disease relapse, both clinically and endoscopically, for patients in remission, who have shown response to...