Botulinum toxin for the treatment of strabismus.

Background: The use of botulinum toxin as an investigative and treatment modality for strabismus is well reported in the medical literature. However, it is unclear how effective it is in comparison with other treatment options for strabismus.

Objectives: The primary objective was to examine the efficacy of botulinum toxin therapy in the treatment of strabismus compared with alternative conservative or surgical treatment options.

Heparin versus 0.9% sodium chloride locking for prevention of occlusion in central venous catheters in adults.

Background: Intermittent locking of central venous catheters (CVCs) is undertaken to help maintain their patency and performance. There are systematic variations in care: some practitioners use heparin (at different concentrations), whilst others use 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline).

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness and adverse events of gabapentin and pregabalin for sciatica pain.

Aim: This SR aims to assess the effectiveness of pregabalin and gabapentin on pain and disability caused by acute sciatica and the adverse events associated with their clinical use.

Design: Systematic review.

Databases: Electronic databases of Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Clinical Trials.

Design of 1-year mortality forecast at hospital admission: A machine learning approach.

Palliative care is referred to a set of programs for patients that suffer life-limiting illnesses. These programs aim to maximize the quality of life (QoL) for the last stage of life. They are currently based on clinical evaluation of the risk of 1-year mortality.

Heparin versus 0.9% sodium chloride locking for prevention of occlusion in central venous catheters in adults.

Background: Intermittent locking of central venous catheters (CVCs) is undertaken to help maintain their patency. There are systematic variations in care: some practitioners use heparin (at different concentrations), whilst others use 0.9% NaCl (normal saline).

Megestrol acetate for cachexia-anorexia syndrome. A systematic review.

In 1993, megestrol acetate (MA) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of anorexia, cachexia, or unexplained weight loss in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The mechanism by which MA increases appetite is unknown, and its effectiveness for anorexia and cachexia in neoplastic, elderly, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients is under investigation. This is an updated version of a Cochrane systematic review first published in 2005 and later updated in 2013 entitled 'Megestrol acetate for the treatment of anorexia-cachexia syndrome'.

Certolizumab pegol (CDP870) for rheumatoid arthritis in adults.

Background: Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors are beneficial for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for reducing the risk of joint damage, improving physical function and improving the quality of life. This review is an update of the 2014 Cochrane Review of the treatment of RA with certolizumab pegol.

Objectives: To assess the clinical benefits and harms of certolizumab pegol (CZP) in people with RA who have not responded well to conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Heparin versus 0.9% sodium chloride intermittent flushing for prevention of occlusion in central venous catheters in adults.

Background: Heparin intermittent flushing is a standard practice in the maintenance of patency in central venous catheters. However, we could find no systematic review examining its effectiveness and safety.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of intermittent flushing with heparin versus 0.

Certolizumab pegol (CDP870) for rheumatoid arthritis in adults.

Background: Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors are beneficial for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in terms of reducing the risk of joint damage, improving physical function and improving quality of life. This Cochrane review is an update of a review of the treatment of RA with certolizumab pegol that was first published in 2011.

Objectives: To assess the clinical benefits and harms of certolizumab pegol (CDP870) in patients with RA who have not responded well to conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Megestrol acetate for treatment of anorexia-cachexia syndrome.

Background: This is an updated version of a previously published review in The Cochrane Library (2005, Issue 2) on 'Megestrol acetate for the treatment of anorexia-cachexia syndrome'. Megestrol acetate (MA) is currently used to improve appetite and to increase weight in cancer-associated anorexia. In 1993, MA was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of anorexia, cachexia or unexplained weight loss in patients with AIDS.

[Risk of pneumonia with inhaled corticosteroids for stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients].

Background And Objective: Treatment with inhaled steroids is related to pneumonia and acute respiratory infection. The aim of this review is to quantify the effect inhaled steroids in pneumonia in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

Material And Method: We performed a systematic review of the systematic reviews that have studied inhaled corticosteroids in stable COPD patients.

Certolizumab pegol (CDP870) for rheumatoid arthritis in adults.

Background: TNF-alpha inhibitors have been shown to reduce the risk of joint damage and improve physical function and quality of life in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This is the first Cochrane review of certolizumab pegol, a new TNF-alpha inhibitor.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness and safety of certolizumab pegol (CDP870) in patients with RA who have not responded well to conventional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Ventilation tubes after surgery for otitis media with effusion or acute otitis media and swimming. Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine if the use of ear protection when swimming of children with ventilation tubes modifies the risk of acute otitis media (AOM) compared to not swimming.

Methods: Systematic review.

Data Sources: Search conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library databases.

[Prevalence erectile dysfunction in patients with hypertension].

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED), defined as the consistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance, is closely associated with hypertension. We assessed the prevalence of ED in patients with hypertension at the primary care level. We analyzed factors associated with ED in these patients.

[Megestrol acetate: a systematic review usefulness about the weight gain in neoplastic patients with cachexia].

Background: The clinical efficacy of megestrol acetate in the treatment of cachexia in cancer patients has not been clearly demonstrated. A systematic review and meta-analysis have been performed to ascertain its effectiveness on weight gain in patients with cancer-associated cachexia.

Material And Method: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials comparing megestrol acetate with placebo in cancer patients was performed.