Cochrane

Review question We reviewed the evidence about the effect of vibrating devices (e.g. Flutter, acapella, cornet, Quake®, intrapulmonary percussive ventilation, high frequency chest wall oscillators (e.g. Vest®), VibraLung® and MetaNeb®) to help people with cystic fibrosis clear their airways of mucus. This is an update of a previously published review. Background People ...

Review question What is the effect of hydroxyurea on clinical outcomes (changes in pain crises, life-threatening illnesses, survival, haemoglobin levels, quality of life and side effects) in people with sickle cell disease (SCD) of any genotype? Background SCD is an inherited genetic disorder that creates problems with haemoglobin (the substance ...

Review question What are the effects of ataluren and similar compounds (specific therapies for premature termination codon (class I) mutations) on clinical outcomes (quality of life, lung function and adverse effects) in people with cystic fibrosis? Background In people with cystic fibrosis, the gene encoding a protein called the cystic fibrosis ...

Review question We wished to determine if any educational interventions have helped people with sickle cell disease and their caregivers to improve their understanding of the disease, recognize its complications, improve their adherence to treatment, affect how they utilize healthcare and improve other social and psychological problems that they might ...

Current clinical care for people who have autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) focuses on controlling future risks for need for dialysis and symptom management, mainly pain and bleeding. Newly discovered molecules that may slow kidney cyst growth has recently switched attention from care and treatment toward preventing disease progression ...

Review question We reviewed evidence about the effect of immune tolerance induction to remove inhibitors in people with haemophilia A and B. Background Haemophilia A and B are inherited bleeding disorders, where affected people are missing a clotting factor in their blood, which is needed for normal blood clotting. Without this factor, people with ...

Nebulisers change a liquid medication into a mist so it can be breathed in. There are different types of nebuliser systems and no review has yet considered whether any nebuliser is better than another. 1. Conventional nebuliser systems - a machine sucks air in and pushes it out at high speed; a tube attaches the machine to a chamber holding the medication ...