Mass media interventions for preventing smoking in young people.

Background: Mass media interventions can be used as a way of delivering preventive health messages. They have the potential to reach and modify the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of a large proportion of the community.

Objectives: To assess the effects of mass media interventions on preventing smoking in young people, and whether it can reduce smoking uptake among youth (under 25 years), improve smoking attitudes, intentions and knowledge, improve self-efficacy/self-esteem, and improve perceptions about smoking, including the choice to follow positive role models.

Psychological therapies for the treatment of anxiety disorders in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (commonly referred to as chronic bronchitis and emphysema) is a chronic lung condition characterised by the inflammation of airways and irreversible destruction of pulmonary tissue leading to progressively worsening dyspnoea. It is a leading international cause of disability and death in adults. Evidence suggests that there is an increased prevalence of anxiety disorders in people with COPD.

Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction procedures for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: In the recent years, a variety of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) procedures have emerged that may provide a treatment option to participants suffering from moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Objectives: To assess the effects of BLVR on the short- and long-term health outcomes in participants with moderate to severe COPD and determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of each individual technique.

Search Methods: Studies were identified from the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register (CAGR) and by handsearching of respiratory journals and meeting abstracts.

Lung volume reduction surgery for diffuse emphysema.

Background: Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) performed to treat patients with severe diffuse emphysema was reintroduced in the nineties. Lung volume reduction surgery aims to resect damaged emphysematous lung tissue, thereby increasing elastic properties of the lung. This treatment is hypothesised to improve long-term daily functioning and quality of life, although it may be costly and may be associated with risks of morbidity and mortality.

Prolonged antibiotics for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in children and adults.

Background: The vicious cycle hypothesis for bronchiectasis predicts that bacterial colonisation of the respiratory tract perpetuates inflammatory change. This damages the mucociliary escalator, preventing bacterial clearance and allowing persistence of pro-inflammatory mediators. Conventional treatment with physiotherapy and intermittent antibiotics is believed to improve the condition of people with bronchiectasis, although no conclusive data show that these interventions influence the natural history of the condition.

Prevalence of epilepsy in iran: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

Objective: Epilepsy is one of the most common diseases in Iran contributing to an array of health problems. In light of this, the aim of the present study is to examine the prevalence of epilepsy in Iran through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Materials & Methods: A systematic search of several databases including PubMed, scientific information databases, Google, Google scholar, Elsevier and Scopus was conducted in June 2013.

Safety of varenicline tartrate and counseling versus counseling alone for smoking cessation: a randomized controlled trial for inpatients (STOP study).

Introduction: Inpatient medical settings offer an opportunistic environment for initiating smoking cessation interventions to patients reflecting on their health. Current evidence has shown the superior efficacy of varenicline tartrate (VT) for smoking cessation compared with other tobacco cessation therapies; however, recent evidence also has highlighted concerns about the safety and tolerability of VT. Given these apprehensions, we aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of VT plus quitline-counseling compared to quitline-counseling alone in the inpatient medical setting.

Ambulatory oxygen for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are not hypoxaemic at rest.

Background: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often become transiently hypoxaemic (low oxygen levels in blood) on exercise, necessitating oxygen therapy to improve breathlessness and exercise capacity and to reduce disability. Ambulatory oxygen therapy refers to provision of oxygen therapy during exercise and activities of daily living. Ambulatory oxygen therapy is often used by patients on long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) during exercise or by non-LTOT users with or without resting hypoxaemia when they show evidence of exercise de-saturation and demonstrate improvement in exercise capacity with supplemental oxygen.

Effects of aGVHD and cGVHD according to relapse status on survival rate in patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Objectives: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is an exaggerated and dysregulated response of the normal immune system to tissue damage that is intrinsic to transplantation. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of acute GVHD (aGVHD) and chronic GVHD (cGVHD) according to relapse status on the survival rate in patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).

Methods: Patients with ALL (n = 425) between 1991 and 2011, who underwent bone marrow transplantation and stem cell transplantation in Tehran (Iran), were recruited into a longitudinal study.

Noninvasive ventilation in acute severe asthma: current evidence and future perspectives.

Purpose Of Review: The use of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) is often employed for the management of acute respiratory failure as an alternative to endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. However, evidence to support the application of NPPV use in patients with acute severe asthma is less known.

Recent Findings: A paucity of evidence is available to support the use of NPPV as part of clinical care in patients with acute severe asthma.

The association between tramadol hydrochloride misuse and other substances use in an adolescent population: Phase I of a prospective survey.

Background: Tramadol hydrochloride is a common prescription pain reliever that is structurally similar to morphine and codeine with its analgesic effects identified as a mu-receptor agonist. Due to its opioid-like stimulant effects, the potential for tramadol misuse is a public health concern. As such, the aim of this investigation is to estimate the prevalence of tramadol misuse in a sample of Iranian adolescents and to assess the relationship between tramadol misuse and other substance use.

Physical training for asthma.

Background: People with asthma may show less tolerance to exercise due to worsening asthma symptoms during exercise or other reasons such as deconditioning as a consequence of inactivity. Some may restrict activities as per medical advice or family influence and this might result in reduced physical fitness. Physical training programs aim to improve physical fitness, neuromuscular coordination and self confidence.

Current and emerging pharmacotherapeutic options for smoking cessation.

Tobacco smoking remains the single most preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries and poses a significant threat across developing countries where tobacco use prevalence is increasing. Nicotine dependence is a chronic disease often requiring multiple attempts to quit; repeated interventions with pharmacotherapeutic aids have become more popular as part of cessation therapies. First-line medications of known efficacy in the general population include varenicline tartrate, bupropion hydrochloride, nicotine replacement therapy products, or a combination thereof.

Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation for treatment of respiratory failure due to severe acute exacerbations of asthma.

Background: Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition causing inflammation and changes to the airways. Care of people with asthma includes routine and urgent management across primary and tertiary care; however, due to sub-optimal long-term care and delays in obtaining help during acute exacerbations, the mortality and morbidity related to asthma is still a major health concern. There is reason to believe that non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) could be beneficial to patients with severe acute asthma; however, the evidence surrounding the efficacy of NPPV is unclear, despite its common use in clinical practice.

Smoking Termination Opportunity for inPatients (STOP): superiority of a course of varenicline tartrate plus counselling over counselling alone for smoking cessation: a 12-month randomised controlled trial for inpatients.

Rationale: Smoking cessation interventions in outpatient settings have been demonstrated to be cost effective. Given this evidence, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of varenicline tartrate plus Quitline-counselling compared with Quitline-counselling alone when initiated in the inpatient setting.

Methods: Adult patients (18-75 years) admitted with a smoking-related illness to three hospitals, were randomised to receive either 12-weeks of varenicline tartrate plus Quitline-counselling, (n=196) or Quitline-counselling alone, (n=196), with 12-months follow-up.

Interventions for tobacco use prevention in Indigenous youth.

Background: Tobacco use in Indigenous populations (people who have inhabited a country for thousands of years) is often double that in the non-Indigenous population. Addiction to nicotine usually begins during early adolescence and young people who reach the age of 18 as non-smokers are unlikely to become smokers thereafter. Indigenous youth in particular commence smoking at an early age, and a disproportionate burden of substance-related morbidity and mortality exists as a result.

Physical training for asthma.

Background: People with asthma may show less tolerance to exercise due to worsening asthma symptoms during exercise or other reasons such as deconditioning, as a consequence of inactivity. Some may also restrict activities as per medical advice or family influence and this might result in reduced physical fitness. Physical training programs aim to improve physical fitness, neuromuscular coordination and self confidence.

Training health professionals in smoking cessation.

Background: Cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death world wide. There is good evidence that brief interventions from health professionals can increase smoking cessation attempts. A number of trials have examined whether skills training for health professionals can lead them to have greater success in helping their patients who smoke.

Home care by outreach nursing for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by progressive airflow obstruction, worsening exercise performance and health deterioration. It is associated with significant morbidity, mortality and health system burden.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of outreach respiratory health care worker programmes for COPD patients in terms of improving lung function, exercise tolerance and health related quality of life (HRQL) of patient and carer, and reducing mortality and medical service utilisation.

Interventions for smoking cessation in Indigenous populations.

Background: Tobacco use in Indigenous populations (people who have inhabited a country for thousands of years) is often double that of the non-Indigenous population. A disproportionate burden of substance-related morbidity and mortality exists as a result.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions in Indigenous populations and to summarise these approaches for future cessation programmes and research.

Pharmacological interventions for the treatment of anxiety disorders in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is characterised by inflammation of the airways and destruction of pulmonary tissue with post bronchodilator FEV1/FVC of <0.70 (forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity). Evidence indicates an increased prevalence of anxiety disorders in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as compared with the general population and persons suffering from many other chronic illnesses.

Community interventions for preventing smoking in young people.

Background: Cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the world. Decisions to smoke are often made within a broad social context and therefore community interventions using coordinated, multi-component programmes may be effective in influencing the smoking behaviour of young people.

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of multi-component community based interventions in influencing smoking behaviour, which includes preventing the uptake of smoking in young people.

Home care by outreach nursing for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by progressive airflow obstruction, worsening exercise performance and health deterioration. It is associated with significant morbidity, mortality and health system burden.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of outreach respiratory health care worker programmes for COPD patients in terms of improving lung function, exercise tolerance and health related quality of life (HRQL) of patient and carer, and reducing mortality and medical service utilisation.

Mass media interventions for preventing smoking in young people.

Background: The mass media have been used as a way of delivering preventive health messages. They have the potential to reach and to modify the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of a large proportion of the community.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of mass media interventions to prevent smoking in young people in terms of reduced smoking uptake, in addition to secondary outcomes including improved smoking outcomes, attitudes, behaviours, knowledge, self-efficacy and perception.