What are the effects of angioplasty or stenting in people with deep vein thrombosis? Key messages ⦁ The effects of angioplasty or stenting for people with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are unclear. ⦁ Further larger studies are needed to determine whether angioplasty and stenting are safe and effective treatments for people with DVT. What is deep vein thrombosis (DVT)? DVT is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein, usually in the leg. It can cause pain, swelling, and redness in the affected leg. DVT can also lead to serious complications, such as post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) (a chronic...

Can breastfeeding support interventions that target depression prevent the development of depression after childbirth? Key messages - Psychosocial breastfeeding support interventions may prevent some cases of postpartum (postnatal) depression in mothers one to three months after the support has been received and increase the duration of breastfeeding seven to 12 months after the support has been received. The evidence is very uncertain about the effect on other mental health and breastfeeding outcomes. - The evidence is very uncertain about the impact of alternative breastfeeding...

Does treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists prevent complications for people with chronic kidney disease and diabetes? Key messages • For people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) (a long-term condition where the kidneys do not work effectively) also having diabetes (a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high) increases the chances of early death, heart attack, stroke and reduces a person's quality of life. • Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1) (medicines used to lower blood glucose) probably reduce the risk of death due to any cause but may...

Oral nicotine pouches for cessation or reduction of use of other tobacco or nicotine products This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: Primary objectives To evaluate the benefits and harms of oral nicotine pouches when used to help people transition away from combustible tobacco use (smoking) To evaluate the impact of oral nicotine products on the prevalence of combustible tobacco use Secondary objectives To evaluate the benefits and harms of oral nicotine pouches when used to help people transition away from other non-combustible...

What are the benefits and harms of TNF inhibitors for people with psoriatic arthritis? Key messages Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) – a group of medicines that help reduce inflammation – are probably more effective than placebo (an inactive or 'dummy' medicine) in treating people with psoriatic arthritis who did not benefit from treatment with first-line immunosuppressants (medicines that prevent the activity of the immune system, such as methotrexate). High-quality studies comparing TNF inhibitors with second-line immunosuppressants, and studies that evaluate the effects of TNFi in...

Interventions to slow the progression of short-sightedness in children Key messages Medicines, such as atropine, given as eye drops, can slow the progression of short- or near-sightedness (myopia) in children, and also reduce elongation of the eyeball due to myopia. Higher doses of atropine are most effective. We are uncertain about the effects of lower doses of atropine. Several treatments, including special types of lenses in eyeglasses, contact lenses, and a new therapy using low intensity red light, may slow the progression of short-sightedness, but their effect is still uncertain. There...

Microsurgical versus complex physical decongestive therapy for chronic breast cancer-related lymphoedema This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of microsurgery versus complex physical decongestive therapy in people with chronic breast cancer-related lymphoedema. This is a protocol....

Graded activity for chronic low back pain This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of graded activity compared to placebo, sham, or no treatment for pain and function in adults with chronic non-specific low back pain. This is a protocol....

Acupuncture for the prevention of episodic migraine This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To investigate whether acupuncture is more effective than 'sham' (placebo) acupuncture, no preventative treatment or routine care only, or other interventions, in reducing headache frequency in people with episodic migraine. This is a protocol....

How effective are different physical rehabilitation approaches in the recovery of function, balance, and walking after stroke? Key messages For people who have had a stroke: - Physical rehabilitation may improve daily activities, moving legs, balance, and walking, when compared to no physical rehabilitation. There may be greater benefits when more than 2.5 hours/week of physical rehabilitation is delivered. - Extra physical rehabilitation, given in addition to 'usual' physical rehabilitation, may also improve outcomes. The greater the amount of extra physical rehabilitation, the greater the...

Is ‘prophylactic transarterial embolization’ (blocking blood vessels as a precaution) effective to prevent a peptic (stomach) ulcer bleeding again following earlier successful endoscopic treatment (with a tube through the mouth into the stomach)? Key messages - Prophylactic transarterial embolization (blocking blood supply to the ulcer as a precaution) may make little to no difference in reducing rebleeding, need for reoperation, or death for people whose bleeding peptic ulcer had been successfully treated with endoscopy (a tube through the mouth into the stomach), but length of stay in...

Does giving chemotherapy before surgery improve survival or quality of life in women with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer? Key messages There is little difference in how long women with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) survive, whether they have chemotherapy or surgery first. There is probably little difference in how long it takes for EOC to return after treatment. Giving chemotherapy prior to surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and interval cytoreductive surgery (ICRS)) probably reduces some of the risks of surgery; probably halves the risk of needing the bowel removed...

Can self-management programs improve the quality of life in adults with low vision? Key messages Self-management programs (types of education or training that help people learn how to manage their own health) may not improve health-related or vision-related quality of life measures in adults with low vision. The evidence is uncertain, and more research is needed to confirm these findings. What is visual impairment? Visual impairment refers to a condition where a person's eyesight is reduced and cannot be corrected using eye glasses, contact lenses, or surgery. This leads to difficulties in...

What are the effects of colchicine in preventing cardiovascular events before they ever occur? Key messages • The benefits and harms of colchicine in preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease before it ever occurs remain unclear. • Further research is needed before any strong conclusions can be made. Colchicine and cardiovascular disease Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ACVD), a condition marked by lipid accumulation (buildup of fats, cholesterol, and other substances) on the artery walls, which is often made worse by chronic inflammation disorders, is a major cause of death...

Radiofrequency treatment for chronic knee pain in people with knee osteoarthritis This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of radiofrequency treatment of the genicular nerves in people with chronic knee pain due to knee osteoarthritis. This is a protocol....

Prognostic value of blood eosinophils for predicting survival and treatment outcomes in people with non-small cell lung cancer This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (prognosis). The objectives are as follows: To assess the prognostic value of measuring pretreatment baseline blood eosinophil levels in adults receiving systemic treatment for any stage of non-small cell lung cancer. This is a protocol....

What is the best therapy for women who produce too many eggs when having fertility treatment? Key messages – We do not know if in vitro maturation (growing immature eggs outside the body until they are mature enough for fertilisation) is better than in vitro fertilisation (treatment where eggs are fertilised with sperm in a laboratory) in increasing live births and pregnancies in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (where the ovaries do not produce eggs properly) who undergo fertility treatment. – In vitro maturation increases miscarriage and reduces ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome...

Psychosocial interventions for smoking cessation in people with coronary heart disease This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: Primary objective To examine the benefits and harms of different types of psychosocial interventions for smoking cessation in people with CHD. Secondary objectives To examine the benefits and harms of psychosocial interventions aimed solely at smoking cessation compared with multi-risk factor interventions for smoking cessation in people with CHD. To examine the benefits and harms of brief (duration of < one month)...

How useful is it to deliver asthma education to children, or their caregivers, or both, in the home? Key messages – There is limited evidence that home-based education improves quality of life compared with education delivered out of the home, and reduces admissions to hospital compared with a less-intensive education. – There is not enough evidence to show whether education delivered in the home is better or worse than education delivered outside the home for exacerbations (worsening of asthma) requiring an emergency department visit, treatment with oral corticosteroids (medicine used to...

What are the benefits and harms of transfusions of blood and blood products for managing postpartum haemorrhage? Key messages The best time for women to begin receiving an allogeneic blood transfusion (where blood from a donor is injected into the woman's bloodstream through a vein) to reduce complications from excessive blood loss within 24 hours of birth (postpartum haemorrhage) is unknown. The effect of blood products (substances produced from whole blood) instead of, or in addition to, whole blood transfusion on reducing complications of postpartum haemorrhage is largely uncertain. What...