Cochrane

Psychotherapeutic approaches, mainly cognitive behavior therapy, and antidepressant medication are the two treatment modalities that have received most support in controlled outcome studies of bulimia nervosa. Using a more conservative statistical approach, combination treatments were superior to single psychotherapy. This was the only statistically ...

Rifampicin-containing drug combinations can achieve high cure rates in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis when given for six months. Such treatment can be given either daily or intermittently (eg three times a week) from the beginning. This review compared the equivalence of effect between such treatments but did not find enough evidence to be able ...

During an asthma attack, the airways narrow, causing breathing problems, wheezing and coughing. A small number of people with asthma need medications given by tubes during mechanically assisted breathing (ventilation). Inhaled bronchodilators help relieve asthma attacks in people who can breathe on their own. However, it is not known if inhaled beta2-agonists ...

Many different types of implants are used to fix fractures of the hip, which are close to the hip joint (intracapsular fractures). Implants are used to stabilise the bone during healing thereby reducing the chance of the bones slipping out of line. They consist of either screws or pins and may have an additional side plate attached, which is fixed to ...

There is not enough evidence, from randomised controlled trials, to show the effects and safety of oestrogen to ripen the cervix and help bring on labour. Sometimes it is necessary to bring on labour artificially, because of safety concerns for either the pregnant woman or baby. Oestrogen is a hormone involved in the ripening of the neck of the womb ...

There are several different surgical techniques for early termination of pregnancy (abortion in the first three months). These are dilatation and curettage (D&C to scrape out the contents of the uterus), vacuum aspiration (sucking out the contents of the uterus with a manual or power-operated device). Hysterotomy (surgery through the uterus, like ...

Early breast cancer can be removed by surgery, and for most women the chance of the cancer returning (recurrence) is small. In some women however, the cancer returns in the same area. Chemotherapy (anti-cancer drugs) can be used together with other treatments, such as surgery or radiation therapy, to try to treat recurring cancer and improve survival. ...

Stents are placed in arteries around the heart (coronary arteries) to keep formerly blocked arteries open. A blood clot (thrombus) may form in the coronary artery after stenting and cause acute myocardial infarction (fatal or non-fatal) or more surgery. Blood thinners must be given for a short time to prevent clotting. Ticlopidine plus aspirin reduce ...

Too little evidence to show whether betamimetic drugs for women during pregnancy benefits unborn babies who are smaller than expected. Betamimetic drugs such as ritodrine relax muscles and help the body break down sugar found in fruit and meat (glucose) for energy. It has been thought that betamimetic drugs taken by mouth or injection by women who are ...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects young and middle-aged adults, causing different symptoms in individuals. It is caused by damage to the myelin sheaths (fibres that wrap around and protect the nerves and spinal cord). Potassium (a mineral) is important for nerve function, but may become too active when there is not enough myelin. Potassium ...