Which are the best treatments for hip fractures in older adults? Why is this question important? A hip fracture is a break at the top of the leg bone. We included people with a break just below the ball and socket joint. These types of broken hip are common in older adults whose bones may be fragile because of a condition called osteoporosis. They often happen after a fall from a standing or sitting position. The broken hip can be treated in different ways, and we don't know whether some treatments are better than others. What are the treatments? - Replacing the broken hip with an artificial...

Interventions for hyperhidrosis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effectiveness and safety of interventions for hyperhidrosis. This is a protocol....

Hip replacement surgery in adults This review assessed evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs, on the benefits and harms of different types of hip replacement used to treat hip fracture in adults. Background A hip fracture is a break at the top of the leg bone. These types of breaks are common in older adults whose bones may be fragile because of a condition called osteoporosis. One method of treatment is to replace the broken hip with an artifical one. This can be done using a hemiarthroplasty (HA), which replaces part of the hip joint (the ball part of the joint)....

Sealants for preventing tooth decay in baby teeth Review question Can putting sealants over the biting surfaces of baby teeth in the back of the mouth prevent tooth decay forming in them? Background Tooth decay is one of the most common diseases of childhood that can affect the overall well-being of the child. The most commonly affected teeth are the back teeth whose biting surfaces are not flat and have grooves (pits and fissures) that can retain food debris and bacteria, leading to formation of cavities (decay). In addition, the opening of these grooves is so small that a toothbrush...

Which are the best treatments for hip fractures in older adults? Key messages - There is no 'best treatment' for this type of broken hip. - More people needed additional surgery on their broken hip after treatment with condylocephalic nails (where a nail is inserted upwards from the knee towards the hip joint) or static fixed angle plates (where pins or screws attach a plate to the broken bone). - There may be no difference between a short cephalomedullary nail (where a nail is inserted downwards from the hip joint towards the knee) and a dynamic fixed angle plate (where the pins or screws...

Nutritional therapy for reducing disability and improving activities of daily living in people after stroke This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of nutritional therapy on disability and activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients. This is a protocol....

Statins for people with intracerebral hemorrhage This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the safety and efficacy of statin treatment in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Secondary objectives include exploring the effects of dosage and timing (including continuation, discontinuation, and initiation of statins). This is a protocol....

Medicines for preventing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Why is this review important? Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe and disabling condition which may develop in people exposed to traumatic events. Such events can have long-lasting negative repercussions on the lives of those who have experienced them, as well as on the lives of loved ones. Research has shown that there are some alterations in how the brain works in people with PTSD. Some researchers have thus proposed using medicines to target these alterations soon after a traumatic event, as a way to prevent the...

Interventions for the treatment of persistent post-viral olfactory dysfunction This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects (benefits and harms) of interventions that have been used to treat post-viral olfactory dysfunction. This is a protocol....

Folic acid supplementation and malaria susceptibility and severity among people taking antifolate antimalarial drugs in endemic areas This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To examine the effects of folic acid supplementation, at various doses, on malaria susceptibility (risk of infection) and severity among people living in areas with various degrees of malaria endemicity. We will examine the interaction between folic acid supplements and antifolate antimalarial drugs. Specifically, we will aim to answer the following. Among uninfected people...

Low-carbohydrate diets or balanced-carbohydrate diets: which works better for weight loss and heart disease risks? Key messages • There is probably little to no difference in the weight lost by people following low-carbohydrate weight-reducing diets (also known as 'low-carb diets') compared to the weight lost by people following balanced-carbohydrate weight-reducing diets, for up to two years. • Similarly, there is probably little to no difference between the diets for changes in heart disease risks, like diastolic blood pressure, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c, a measure of blood sugar...

Are medicines that block interleukin‐1 (a protein involved in immune responses) effective treatments for COVID‐19 and do they cause unwanted effects? Key messages • Overall, we did not find sufficient evidence to show that medicines that block interleukin-1 (a protein involved in immune responses) are effective treatments for people with COVID-19, or whether they cause unwanted effects. • We found 16 studies with unpublished results. We will update this review when new data are available. • In future, we need high-quality studies to evaluate medicines that block interleukin-1 to treat...

Preoperative combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation for preventing complications in elective colorectal surgery This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: The aim of this review is to assess the evidence for the use of combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation for preventing complications in elective colorectal surgery. This is a protocol....

Esketamine for treatment-resistant depression in adults This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: The main aim of this Cochrane review is to assess the efficacy and tolerability of esketamine for treatment-resistant depression. Secondary aims are to assess the risk of specific adverse events during esketamine treatment, and its acceptability. This is a protocol....

Cuffed versus uncuffed endotracheal tubes for neonates Background: newborn babies rarely need a tube placed in the windpipe; however, this may occur before a procedure or to help with breathing. The tube may or may not have a cuff. The standard of care in newborn babies is a tube without a cuff. Cuffed tubes are used more frequently in older babies and children to reduce leaks of gas around the tube, the risk of aspiration (breathing food, saliva, or stomach contents into the airways or lungs), the need to change the tube, or the tube coming out. Review question: in this review, we evaluated...

Non-pharmacological interventions for fibromyalgia (fibromyalgia syndrome) in adults: an overview of Cochrane Reviews This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (overview). The objectives are as follows: To summarise the evidence on the effectiveness, acceptability, and safety of non-pharmacological interventions for FMS in adults. To explore variability in methods across Cochrane Reviews, in regards to inclusion/exclusion criteria, outcomes, comparisons, and the methods of assessment of adverse events. To examine the quality of Cochrane Reviews of FMS and inform on how reporting of Cochrane...

Fluid removal therapy in acute heart failure Review question What are the effects of ultrafiltration (UF), a fluid removal therapy, in acute heart failure (AHF)? Background AHF is a common condition where the heart does not pump effectively, causing fluid to accumulate in the lungs and body. This causes difficulty in breathing, damage to heart and kidneys, high readmission to hospital and high death rates. Usual care involves medications called diuretics to remove this excess fluid, but some people may become resistant to it. UF provides an alternative therapy to quickly remove fluid. A...

Interventions for smokeless tobacco use cessation This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of behavioural and pharmacological interventions for smokeless tobacco use cessation. This is a protocol....

Prophylactic antibiotics for uterine evacuation procedures to treat miscarriage This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: The objective of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of routine antibiotic prophylaxis to women undergoing uterine evacuation procedures to treat miscarriage. This is a protocol....

Gut microbial biomarkers for predicting adverse outcomes in people with chronic kidney disease This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (prognosis). The objectives are as follows: To (a) identify the gut microbial biomarkers in patients with CKD, on dialysis, and with kidney transplants; (b) determine whether these biomarkers are associated independently with adverse patient-relevant outcomes leading to progression of CKD stages 1 to 5; and (c) explore sources of heterogeneity. Investigation of sources of heterogeneity between studies We will explore potential sources of heterogeneity that...