Cochrane

What is the issue? Calcineurin inhibitors (CNI, cyclosporin and tacrolimus) are an important part of treatment to suppress the immune system to prevent rejection of transplanted kidneys. However, CNI can cause high blood pressure and kidney scarring which contribute to worsening of risk factors for heart attack, stroke, and loss of the transplanted ...

What is the issue? Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for most patients with end-stage kidney disease. Strategies to increase donor organ availability and to prolong the transplanted kidney's survival have become priorities in kidney transplantation. About 10% to 35% of all kidney transplant recipients will experience one episode of ...

What is Crohn's disease? Crohn’s disease is a life-long (chronic), inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by abdominal pain (cramping), rectal bleeding, diarrhoea, weight loss, and tiredness. The disease has a changing course with periods of symptoms (called 'active' disease or relapse) and periods without symptoms (called ...

Review question We wanted to find out if one type of artificial breathing device used in adults during anaesthesia is more effective and safer than another. Background Patients anaesthetized for surgical procedures often need to be put on artificial breathing machines (ventilators) to help their breathing. This involves putting into the patient's ...

Review question: Does head midline position reduce the risk of intraventricular hemorrhage (i.e., bleeding in the brain) and mortality in very preterm infants? Background: Intraventricular hemorrhage (i.e., bleeding in the brain) occurs in 25% of very low birth weight infants and may be caused by multiple factors. Head position may affect how the ...

Review question What are the effects of occupational therapy for adults with stroke on activities of daily living? Background Different parts of the brain carry out different functions: seeing, sensation, balance, movement, understanding language, behaviour, problem solving, and emotion. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is ...

Review question: How does saline irrigation or saline irrigation with prior hyaluronidase compare with no intervention or normal wound care for improving tissue healing in neonates with extravasation injury? Background: Preterm and sick term infants requiring intravenous fluids and medications are vulnerable to tissue injury secondary to extravasation, ...

Bottom line There is no evidence from randomised controlled trials to support or contradict the suggestion that opioids in any dose will reduce cancer-related pain in children or adolescents. Background Childhood cancer is one of the leading causes of disease and death for children and adolescents in the world today. Its associated pain is a ...

Review question This review aimed to assess whether felbamate has an impact on people with refractory partial-onset epilepsy when used with other antiepileptic drugs. Background Up to 30% people with epilepsy still suffer epileptic seizures despite the use of multiple treatments. Felbamate is a second-generation antiepileptic drug. However, it is ...

Background Despite many antiepileptic drugs being available, about 30% of epilepsy patients are not seizure-free. Electrical stimulation through implanted electrodes in contact with the brain (i.e. intracranial electrical stimulation, referring to 'deep brain stimulation' and 'cortical brain stimulation') has been proposed as an alternative treatment ...