First aid training for laypeople This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: Main objective To assess the effects of first aid training for laypeople, compared to no training or other training on: (1) the helping behaviour of the persons providing first aid, (2) the quality of the first aid provided, and (3) the health outcomes of the people receiving first aid. Secondary objectives To assess the effects of first aid training for laypeople on first aid-related knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, willingness to help, and adverse effects. This is a...

Adverse events associated with minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries (MIGS) including bleb-forming microstent surgeries This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To obtain a comprehensive review of harms following MIGS reported in randomised and non-randomised studies, clinical study reports submitted to regulatory organisations for approval or postmarketing surveillance and registries. We will also examine the design characteristics, risk of bias, and reporting adequacy of pivotal MIGS trials submitted to the US and EU regulatory organisations...

Pharmacological interventions for the management of pain and discomfort during lumbar puncture in newborn infants This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms, including pain, discomfort, and success rate, of any pharmacological intervention during lumbar puncture in newborn infants, compared to placebo, no intervention, non-pharmacological interventions, or other pharmacological interventions. This is a protocol....

Vena caval filters for the prevention of pulmonary embolism in people at high risk of, or with established venous thromboembolism This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the efficacy and safety of vena caval filters (VCFs) in preventing acute pulmonary embolism (APE) in people with established venous thromboembolism (VTE), or those at high risk of developing APE. This is a protocol....

Care involving families for Indigenous early childhood well-being Key messages There was a small improvement on the overall health and well-being of Indigenous children and their families when they participated in family-centred care programmes at a primary healthcare service, but we have very low confidence in the overall evidence. All studies used community engagement strategies, which is an important aspect of working with Indigenous communities. Further adequately powered studies are likely to provide better estimates of the effects of family-centred care. What is family-centred care?...

Exercise therapy for fatigue in multiple sclerosis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: Primary objectives The primary objectives of this review are as follows. 1.1 To determine the immediate (i.e. postintervention; 1.1a) and long-term (i.e. follow-up; 1.1b) benefits of exercise therapy, when compared to a control group, on self-reported fatigue in people with MS; and 1.2 To specifically determine the immediate and long-term benefits of exercise therapy, when compared to a control group, on self-reported fatigue when only clinical trials are...

Fluid restriction for treatment of symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effectiveness and safety of fluid restriction for symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants. To determine if fluid restriction (parenterally, enterally, or both) with or without diuretics reduces morbidity and mortality in preterm infants with a symptomatic PDA. This is a protocol....

Transarterial chemoembolisation plus I125 seeds implantation for people with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) plus I125 seeds implantation compared with TACE alone, regardless of chemotherapeutic drugs and vascular occlusive agents, for people with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. This is a protocol....

Is ultrasound guidance a good option for peripheral intravenous cannulation in adults? What is peripheral intravenous cannulation? Placing a peripheral intravenous line is one of the most essential procedures in medicine. It involves putting a thin, flexible tube (known as a catheter or cannula) into a vein using a needle. This process is known as 'cannulation'. It is necessary when administering fluids, drugs, and drawing blood samples. Peripheral intravenous cannulation is usually carried out by seeing and touching a target vein in the hand or arm. This is known as the landmark method....

Surgery for spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral haemorrhage This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the efficacy and safety of surgery plus standard medical management, compared to standard medical management alone, in people with spontaneous supratentorial ICH, and to assess whether the effect of surgery differs according to the surgical technique. This is a protocol....

Umbilical cord management strategies for improving outcomes in preterm infants: a network meta-analysis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of different umbilical cord management strategies in preterm infants (before 37 weeks’ gestation), and to provide rankings of the available methods according to their effectiveness and safety profile using a network meta-analysis. This is a protocol....

Interventions for unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a network meta-analysis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To establish the existence of differences in effectiveness and safety of intra-arterial therapies (IATs) such as bland embolisation, conventional transarterial chemoembolisation (cTACE), drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolisation (DEBTACE), yttrium-90 (Y90), hepatic artery infusion (HAI), external beam radiotherapies (EBRTs), and immunotherapy versus systemic chemotherapy for unresectable intrahepatic...

Addition of a stomach wrap (fundoplication) around the food pipe (oesophagus) in keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery to treat achalasia Review questions 1) Does the addition of a stomach wrap around the food pipe (oesophagus) reduce the backflow of food and acid from the stomach to the food pipe (regurgitation) when used with keyhole surgery to treat achalasia? 2) Which type of stomach wrap (partial or total) around the food pipe is better at controlling regurgitation without causing difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia) when used with keyhole surgery to treat achalasia? Background Achalasia is a...

Anticholinergic deprescribing interventions for reducing risk of cognitive decline or dementia in older adults with and without prior cognitive impairment This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: Primary objective To assess the efficacy and safety of anticholinergic medication reduction interventions to improve cognitive outcomes in both cognitively healthy older adults and older adults with pre-existing cognitive issues. Secondary objectives To compare the effectiveness of different types of reduction interventions (e.g. pharmacist-led versus...

In preterm infants, how accurate are the blood tests BNP and NT-proBNP in identifying PDAs (patent ductus arteriosus) that require further treatment? A number of preterm infants have a heart condition called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). A PDA is a blood vessel that usually closes spontaneously in term and most preterm infants, but in some the PDA tends to remain open longer. Preterm infants who have an open PDA often remain stable; but in some, the large blood flow through the PDA can cause breathing and blood pressure problems and may need treatment. Usually, a large PDA is identified by...

Use of nerve repair devices in the arm, forearm, and hand What is nerve injury and how is it repaired? Injuries to the nerves of the arm, forearm, and hand are common and have a lasting effect on a person's ability to move and their sensation. Usually surgeons stitch injured nerves together (we call this standard repair). Sometimes they also use a nerve graft, which means taking a nerve from another area of the body to bridge a gap between the ends of a damaged nerve. Standard methods of repair are not always successful and even when successful, the healing process can be incomplete and...

What are the benefits and risks of vaccines for preventing COVID-19? Key messages – Most vaccines reduce, or probably reduce, the number of people who get COVID-19 disease and severe COVID-19 disease. – Many vaccines likely increase number of people experiencing events such as fever or headache compared to placebo (sham vaccine that contains no medicine but looks identical to the vaccine being tested). This is expected because these events are mainly due to the body's response to the vaccine; they are usually mild and short-term. – Many vaccines have little or no difference in the incidence...

Topical antibiotics for treating bacterial keratitis: a network meta-analysis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (prototype). The objectives are as follows: To compare the effectiveness and safety of topical antibiotics for treating BK and to rank different interventions through a systematic review and NMA. This is a protocol....

Carnitine supplements for people with chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis What is the issue? Carnitine deficiency is an important problem in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients requiring dialysis. Dialysis-related carnitine deficiency can exacerbate intradialytic symptoms (e.g. muscle symptoms including muscle cramps and weakness, and hypotension) and chronic complications of kidney failure (e.g. anaemia). However, it is unknown whether carnitine supplementation can improve the symptoms of dialysis-related carnitine deficiency. What did we do? We searched the medical literature for...

What is triple inhaled therapy, when is it used, and what does it do in asthma? How are inhalers used for the management of asthma? Management of asthma involves a series of stepwise therapies depending on the severity of the disease. Initial therapy typically starts with as needed short-acting inhaler therapy (step 1), and a daily low- to medium-dose inhaled steroids is added for better asthma control when needed (step 2). Subsequently, a bronchodilator known as long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA), which causes the passages of the airways to expand and relax so that breathing difficulty is...