PubMed Health

Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of childhood Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis.

PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet] - National Cancer Institute (US).

Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of childhood Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis.

PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet] - National Cancer Institute (US).

Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of thymoma and thymic carcinoma.

PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet] - National Cancer Institute (US).

Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of childhood soft tissue sarcomas.

PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet] - National Cancer Institute (US).

Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of Ewing sarcoma.

PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet] - National Cancer Institute (US).

Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of adult soft tissue sarcoma.

PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet] - National Cancer Institute (US).

Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of Wilms tumor.

PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet] - National Cancer Institute (US).

Primary liver tumours and liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma are the two most common malignant tumours to affect the liver. The liver is second only to the lymph nodes as the most common site for metastatic disease. More than half of the patients with metastatic liver disease will die from metastatic complications.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

As people get older, sometimes the lens of the eye becomes cloudy leading to loss of vision. The cloudy lens or cataract can be removed, and a replacement lens put in its place. In the past, the replacement lens had one 'point of focus', either in the distance or close up ('monofocal' lens). This meant that glasses were needed for focusing at other points, for example, for reading. New lenses have been developed that provide two or more points of focus ('multifocal' lenses). These are designed to avoid the need for glasses. We found 16 trials that randomised over 1600 people to either a multifocal or monofocal lens. People who had multifocal lenses were less likely to need spectacles. They had the same visual acuity for seeing in the distance compared to people who had monofocal lenses but had better visual acuity for near vision. The multifocal lenses had drawbacks: people with these lenses were more likely to see halos around lights and had reduced contrast sensitivity (the ability to distinguish an object against a background which is similar to the object itself). Multifocal lens implants reduce spectacle dependence after cataract surgery but at the expense of clarity. Ultimately it will be up to the individual to decide which type of lens they would prefer.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A herniated disc in the neck often causes radiating pain, numbness, and weakness in muscles of the neck, shoulders, arms, and hands. It may also lead to symptoms in the trunk and legs.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Patients with diabetes mellitus are at increased risk of complications after surgery compared with the general population. Diabetes is a well‐known risk factor for complications after surgery, causing longer hospital stay, higher health care resource utilisation and more deaths. One of the most important medical complications is the increased risk of infection in the period around a surgical procedure. However, it is still not clear whether targeting more intensive blood glucose control (glycaemic control) is better than targeting conventional blood glucose control for the reduction of surgical risk in people with diabetes mellitus.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Artificial joints have had a remarkable impact in reducing pain and improving function in the knee and hip. But what about joint replacement in the spine? This systematic review set out to determine how total disc replacement compares with other treatments for chronic low‐back pain in randomised controlled trials.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is a bacterial infection, often responsible for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in children. The infection can present in a number of different ways and the most common respiratory manifestations are acute bronchitis, pneumonia or wheezing. The illness is generally self‐limiting with symptoms that can last several weeks but may (occasionally) also cause severe pneumonia. Antibiotics are often given to children with M. pneumoniae LRTI. We found seven studies (1912 children) but could not extract relevant data relating to efficacy or adverse events. Thus there is still insufficient evidence to show conclusively that antibiotics are effective in children with LRTI caused by M. pneumoniae.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Learning one's HIV status and receiving counseling is an important step to receiving HIV‐related care and treatment, but also an important intervention for potentially changing risk behaviors related to HIV. A systematic review of the literature and a quantitative assessment found that VCT is an effective strategy for reducing some HIV‐related risk behaviors, including decreasing the number of sexual partners of participants. Condom use was also significantly increased among participants who tested HIV‐positive during VCT. Future research is needed to understand how VCT can be delivered more effectively to maximize its potential as an HIV prevention strategy.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

As people get older, they may fall more often for a variety of reasons including problems with balance, poor vision, and dementia. Up to 30% may fall in a year. Although one in five falls may require medical attention, less than one in 10 results in a fracture.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bronchiolitis is one of the most common causes of respiratory failure in infants. There are no established treatment options for bronchiolitis. Surfactant may be useful in bronchiolitis because of its favourable effect on lung mechanics. Three small randomised controlled trials (RCTs) enrolling 79 participants suggested that the use of surfactant for critically ill infants and children with bronchiolitis may decrease the duration of mechanical ventilation and duration of intensive care unit stay without any side effects. The limited number of studies with small numbers of participants were the limitations of this review. No adverse effects and no complications were observed in the treatment group or control group of any of the three included studies. There is a need for larger trials to establish such benefits of surfactant for bronchiolitis in critically ill infants and children.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Although conventional non‐pharmacological and pharmacological treatments for insomnia are effective in many people, alternative therapies such as acupuncture are widely practised. This review was conducted to examine the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in treating insomnia. Thirty‐three randomised controlled trials were eligible for inclusion in the review, involving 2293 participants. We considered all studies to have a high risk of bias. They were diverse in the types of participants, acupuncture treatments and sleep outcome measures used, which limited our ability to draw reliable conclusions. Currently there is a lack of high‐quality clinical evidence to inform us about the efficacy and safety of acupuncture.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pressure ulcers (also known as bed sores, pressure sores and decubitus ulcers) are localised areas of tissue damage caused by excess pressure and shearing forces. Pressure ulcers mainly occur in people who have limited mobility, nerve damage or both. Pressure, from lying or sitting on a particular part of the body, results in oxygen and nutrient deprivation to the affected area. Repositioning involves moving the individual into a different position in order to remove or redistribute pressure from a part of the body. If a person with an existing pressure ulcer continues to lie or bear weight on the affected area, the tissues become depleted of blood flow and there is no oxygen or nutrient supply to the wound, and no removal of waste products from the wound, all of which are necessary for healing. People who cannot reposition themselves require assistance. International best practice advocates the use of repositioning as an integral component of a pressure ulcer management strategy. The authors of this review found no studies that were eligible for inclusion in the review. Therefore, we do not know whether repositioning people makes any difference to the healing rates of pressure ulcers.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Carotid stenosis, a narrowing of one of the major blood vessels which carries blood to the brain, can cause a stroke. The standard treatment is to remove the narrowing by a surgical operation (carotid endarterectomy). An alternative treatment (balloon angioplasty) uses a fine catheter tube which has a small balloon at its tip. This catheter is passed through the skin and into the blood vessel until the balloon reaches the point of narrowing in the carotid artery in the neck. The balloon is briefly inflated to stretch the artery and reduce the degree of narrowing. More recently a metal tube (stent) is placed inside the artery to prevent it narrowing down again after the catheter is removed. The procedures of balloon angioplasty and stenting are called endovascular treatment. This review included 16 trials involving 7572 participants and showed that endovascular treatment causes more strokes or death around the time of the procedure than conventional surgery. This risk was mainly seen in elderly patients over the age of 70 years. Heart attacks, injuries to the nerves in the neck and bleeding at the site of treatment are less common with endovascular treatment. After the initial treatment the risk of stroke or death is similar with endovascular treatment compared with conventional surgery, although treated arteries are more likely to narrow down again after endovascular treatment. Further follow‐up is needed to see which treatment provides the best chance of long‐term freedom from stroke.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Irregular bleeding associated with infrequent or no ovulation occurs most commonly in adolescents and in women approaching the menopause. It may also occur in those with polycystic ovary syndrome. This irregular bleeding may also be heavy. Hormonal treatments are commonly given to these women, but there is insufficient evidence to recommend whether progestogens alone or progestogens in combination with oestrogen are most effective for irregular uterine bleeding associated with infrequent or no ovulation.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries [Internet] - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.