GEM/cochrane-simplification huggingface dataset:
Abstract: We included 121 trials. The risk of bias must be kept in mind as only 13 trials were double blind. Compared to placebo, misoprostol was associated with reduced failure to achieve vaginal delivery within 24 hours (average relative risk (RR) 0.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37 to 0.71). Uterine hyperstimulation, without fetal heart rate (FHR) changes, was increased (RR 3.52 95% CI 1.78 to 6.99). Compared with vaginal prostaglandin E2, intracervical prostaglandin E2 and oxytocin, vaginal misoprostol was associated with less epidural analgesia use, fewer failures to achieve vaginal delivery within 24 hours and more uterine hyperstimulation. Compared with vaginal or intracervical prostaglandin E2, oxytocin augmentation was less common with misoprostol and meconium-stained liquor more common. Lower doses of misoprostol compared to higher doses were associated with more need for oxytocin augmentation and less uterine hyperstimulation, with and without FHR changes. We found no information on women's views. Vaginal misoprostol in doses above 25 mcg four-hourly was more effective than conventional methods of labour induction, but with more uterine hyperstimulation. Lower doses (25 mcg four-hourly or less) were similar to conventional methods in effectiveness and risks. The authors request information on cases of uterine rupture known to readers. The vaginal route should not be researched further as another Cochrane review has shown that the oral route of administration is preferable to the vaginal route. Professional and governmental bodies should agree guidelines for the use of misoprostol, based on the best available evidence and local circumstances. [Note: The 27 citations in the awaiting classification section of the review may alter the conclusions of the review once assessed.]

Plain-language summary: The review of 121 trials found that larger doses of misoprostol are more effective than prostaglandin and that oxytocin is used in addition less often. However, misoprostol also increases hyperstimulation of the uterus. With smaller doses, the results are similar to other methods. The trials reviewed are too small to determine whether the risk of rupture of the uterus is increased. More research is needed into the safety and best dosages of misoprostol. Another Cochrane review has shown that the oral route of administration is preferable to the vaginal route.
Abstract: We included two trials (105 participants) comparing ergonomic versus placebo keyboards. Neither trial assessed the primary outcome (short-term overall improvement) or adverse effects of interventions. In one small trial (25 participants) an ergonomic keyboard significantly reduced pain after 12 weeks (MD -2.40; 95% CI -4.45 to -0.35) but not six weeks (MD -0.20; 95% CI -1.51 to 1.11). In this same study, there was no difference between ergonomic and standard keyboards in hand function at six or 12 weeks or palm-wrist sensory latency at 12 weeks. The second trial (80 participants) reported no significant difference in pain severity after six months when using either of the three ergonomic keyboards versus a standard keyboard. No trials comparing (i) ergonomic positioning or equipment with no treatment, (ii) ergonomic positioning or equipment with another non-surgical treatment, or (iii) different ergonomic positioning or equipment regimes, were found. There is insufficient evidence from randomised controlled trials to determine whether ergonomic positioning or equipment is beneficial or harmful for treating carpal tunnel syndrome.

Plain-language summary: This review aimed to find out how effective ergonomic treatments were in treating CTS. Only two studies were found (involving 105 participants). Both were designed to minimise research biases, but neither was of high quality. Neither study assessed short-term overall improvement, adverse effects or need for surgery as outcomes. One small study (25 participants) found an ergonomic keyboard reduced pain after 12 weeks but the second study reported no difference in pain severity between the keyboard groups at six months. Neither study found improvements in hand function or signs of CTS by people using ergonomic computer keyboards more than those experienced by people using standard keyboards. Based on the two studies in this review, which represent all the available evidence of sufficient quality for inclusion, there is no strong evidence for or against the use of ergonomic keyboards for the treatment of CTS.
Abstract: Data from 8447 participants in 23 studies were included in the analyses. In people undergoing surgery for closed fracture fixation, single dose antibiotic prophylaxis significantly reduced deep surgical site infection (risk ratio 0.40, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.67), superficial surgical site infections, urinary infections, and respiratory tract infections. Multiple dose prophylaxis had an effect of similar size on deep surgical site infection (risk ratio 0.35, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.62), but significant effects on urinary and respiratory infections were not confirmed. Although the risk of bias in many studies as reported was unclear, sensitivity analysis showed that removal from the meta-analyses of studies at high risk of bias did not alter the conclusions. Economic modelling using data from one large trial indicated that single dose prophylaxis with ceftriaxone is a cost-effective intervention. Data for the incidence of adverse effects were very limited, but as expected they appeared to be more common in those receiving antibiotics, compared with placebo or no prophylaxis. Antibiotic prophylaxis should be offered to those undergoing surgery for closed fracture fixation.

Plain-language summary: This review included 23 trials, involving a total of 8447 participants. The review found that antibiotics are effective in reducing the incidence of infection, both at the surgical-wound site and in the chest and urinary tract. The effect of a single dose of antibiotic is similar to that from multiple doses if the antibiotic chosen is active through the period from the beginning of surgery until the wound is sealed. There were too few data available to confirm the expected tendency for increased adverse drug-related events such as gut problems and skin reactions.
Abstract: No study examined the effect of screening (clinical and/or ultrasound) and early treatment versus not screening and later treatment. One study reported universal ultrasound compared to clinical examination alone did not result in a significant reduction in late diagnosed DDH or surgery but was associated with a significant increase in treatment. One study reported targeted ultrasound compared to clinical examination alone did not result in a significant reduction in late diagnosed DDH or surgery, with no significant difference in rate of treatment. Meta-analysis of two studies found universal ultrasound compared to targeted ultrasound did not result in a significant reduction in late diagnosed DDH or surgery. There was heterogeneity between studies reporting the effect on treatment rate. Meta-analysis of two studies found delayed ultrasound and targeted splinting compared to immediate splinting of infants with unstable (but not dislocated) hips resulted in no significant difference in the rate of late diagnosed DDH. Both studies reported a significant reduction in treatment with use of delayed ultrasound and targeted splinting. One study reported delayed ultrasound and targeted splinting compared to immediate splinting of infants with mild hip dysplasia on ultrasound resulted in no significant difference in late diagnosed DDH but a significant reduction in treatment. No infants in either group received surgery. There is insufficient evidence to give clear recommendations for practice. There is inconsistent evidence that universal ultrasound results in a significant increase in treatment compared to the use of targeted ultrasound or clinical examination alone. Neither of the ultrasound strategies have been demonstrated to improve clinical outcomes including late diagnosed DDH and surgery. The studies are substantially underpowered to detect significant differences in the uncommon event of late detected DDH or surgery. For infants with unstable hips or mildly dysplastic hips, use of delayed ultrasound and targeted splinting reduces treatment without significantly increasing the rate of late diagnosed DDH or surgery.

Plain-language summary: This review found no studies that compared the benefits and costs of early screening versus not screening for hip problems. Studies that compared the addition of ultrasound to clinical examination reported that when ultrasound was performed on all infants, the rate of treatment increased with no significant difference in rate of late detected dysplasia or surgery. Targeted ultrasound to infants at high risk of hip dysplasia did not significantly increase the rate of treatment but also did not significantly reduce the rate of late detected dysplasia or surgery. It is not possible to give clear recommendations for hip screening of newborn infants from the available evidence. Where infants are clinically detected as having unstable but not dislocated hips, or are detected on ultrasound to have mild hip dysplasia, there is evidence that delaying treatment by two to eight weeks reduces the need for treatment without a significant increase in late diagnosed dysplasia or surgery.
Abstract: A total of four trials including 4265 participants were included in this review. Two of the included trials were of high quality, while two were of relatively low quality with limitations and biases in design and conduct. Analysis showed that administration of a single dose of antihelminthic in the second trimester of pregnancy is not associated with any impact on maternal anaemia in the third trimester (risk ratio (RR) 0.94; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81 to 1.10; 3266 participants; four trials; low quality evidence). Subgroup analysis on the basis of co-interventions other than antihelminthic, which included iron supplementation given to both groups was also not associated with any impact on maternal anaemia (RR 0.76; 95% CI 0.47 to 1.23; 1290 participants; three trials; moderate quality evidence). No impact was found for the outcomes of low birthweight (RR 1.00; 95% CI 0.79 to 1.27; 3255 participants; three trials; moderate quality evidence), preterm birth (RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.43 to 1.78; 1318 participants; two trials, moderate quality evidence) and perinatal mortality (RR 1.09; 95% CI 0.71 to 1.67; 3385 participants; two trials; moderate quality evidence). None of the included studies reported impact on infant survival at six months of age. The evidence to date is insufficient to recommend use of antihelminthic for pregnant women after the first trimester of pregnancy. More well-designed, large scale randomised controlled trials are needed to establish the benefit of antihelminthic treatment during pregnancy.

Plain-language summary: We found four studies including 4265 pregnant women. Two of the included studies were of high quality, while the other two were of relatively low quality with limitations and biases in design and conduct. The studies were conducted in Sierra Leone, Peru and Uganda. In two studies, the women were also given a daily iron or iron-folate supplement along with antihelminthic treatment. There was no effect of antihelminthic administered in second trimester of pregnancy on maternal anaemia, low birthweight, preterm births or perinatal deaths. There was no impact on maternal anaemia in studies in which iron or iron-folate was also given to pregnant women along with antihelminthic. The impact on infant survival at six months of age could not be evaluated because data were not available. Evidence provided so far from randomised controlled trials is, therefore, insufficient to recommend use of antihelminthics for pregnant women after the first trimester of pregnancy.
Abstract: The update search did not identify any additional studies. We identified one RCT that included people with high-risk neuroblastoma who received HDCT followed by autologous HSCT (N = 98) after a first random allocation and who received retinoic acid (13-cis-retinoic acid; N = 50) or no further therapy (N = 48) after a second random allocation. These 98 participants had no progressive disease after HDCT followed by autologous HSCT. There was no clear evidence of difference between the treatment groups either in overall survival (hazard ratio (HR) 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46 to 1.63; one trial; P = 0.66) or in event-free survival (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.49; one trial; P = 0.59). We calculated the HR values using the complete follow-up period of the trial. The study also reported overall survival estimates at a fixed point in time. At the time point of five years, the survival estimate was reported to be 59% for the retinoic acid group and 41% for the no-further-therapy group (P value not reported). We did not identify results for treatment-related mortality, progression-free survival, early or late toxicity, or health-related quality of life. We could not rule out the possible presence of selection bias, performance bias, attrition bias, and other bias. We judged the evidence to be of low quality for overall survival and event-free survival, downgraded because of study limitations and imprecision. We identified one RCT that evaluated additional retinoic acid as part of a postconsolidation therapy after HDCT followed by autologous HSCT versus no further therapy in people with high-risk neuroblastoma. There was no clear evidence of a difference in overall survival and event-free survival between the treatment alternatives. This could be the result of low power. Information on other outcomes was not available. This trial was performed in the 1990s, since when many changes in treatment and risk classification have occurred. Based on the currently available evidence, we are therefore uncertain about the effects of retinoic acid in people with high-risk neuroblastoma. More research is needed for a definitive conclusion.

Plain-language summary: The evidence is current to 24 November 2016. We included a single randomised trial with 50 people allocated to the addition of retinoic acid after high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and 48 people allocated to the same treatment but without the addition of retinoic acid. The update search did not identify any new studies. Overall survival and event-free survival were no different between the two treatment alternatives. Other outcomes, including those concerning adverse events, were not adequately reported. Additional retinoic acid as part of a postconsolidation therapy after high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation may not improve survival in people with high-risk neuroblastoma, and we lack information on its safety. More research is needed before we can draw solid conclusions. The evidence is based on a single study. The quality of the evidence in this single included study is low.
Abstract: Three small studies have been included in this review. Prophylactic antibiotics in neonates with central venous catheters had no effect on overall mortality (typical RR 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.31, 1.51). Prophylactic antibiotics in neonates with central venous catheters decreased the rate of proven bacterial sepsis (typical RR 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.18, 0.82). Prophylactic antibiotics in neonates with central venous catheters decreased the rate of suspected or proven bacterial septicaemia (typical RR 0.40, 95% confidence interval 0.20, 0.78). No resistant organisms colonising infants were identified in any of the studies. No pooled data were available for other important outcome measures such as chronic lung disease or neurodevelopmental outcome. Prophylactic systemic antibiotics in neonates with a central venous catheter reduces the rate of proven or suspected septicaemia. However, this may not be clinically important in the face of no significant difference in overall mortality and the lack of data on long-term neurodevelopmental outcome. Furthermore, there is a lack of data pertaining to the potentially significant disadvantages of this approach such as the selection of resistant organisms. The routine use of prophylactic antibiotics in infants with central venous catheters in neonatal units cannot currently be recommended.

Plain-language summary: Three small trials of 271 babies were included in this review. The results of these studies show that it is possible to reduce the chance of serious blood infection occurring, but that almost 10 babies need to be given preventive antibiotics to avoid one case of infection. There was no difference in the likelihood of death. There were not enough data on other important effects of the antibiotics or on the possible serious side effects. There was not much similarity between the studies included in this review. Therefore, there is currently not enough evidence to recommend routinely using antibiotics in babies with central venous lines.
Abstract: We identified nine randomised controlled trials in which 1106 infants participated. Few participants were extremely preterm (less 28 weeks' gestation) or extremely low birth weight (less than 1000 g). The trials defined delayed introduction of progressive enteral feeds as later than four to seven days after birth and early introduction as four days or less after birth. Meta-analyses did not detect statistically significant effects on the risk of NEC (typical RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.64 to 1.34; 8 trials; 1092 infants) or all-cause mortality (typical RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.88; 7 trials; 967 infants). Four of the trials restricted participation to growth-restricted infants with Doppler ultrasound evidence of abnormal fetal circulatory distribution or flow. Planned subgroup analyses of these trials found no statistically significant effects on the risk of NEC or all-cause mortality. Infants who had delayed introduction of enteral feeds took longer to establish full enteral feeding (reported median differences two to four days). The evidence available from randomised controlled trials suggested that delaying the introduction of progressive enteral feeds beyond four days after birth did not reduce the risk of developing NEC in very preterm or VLBW infants, including growth-restricted infants. Delaying the introduction of progressive enteral feeds resulted in a few days' delay in establishing full enteral feeds but the clinical importance of this effect was unclear. The applicability of these findings to extremely preterm or extremely low birth weight was uncertain. Further randomised controlled trials in this population may be warranted.

Plain-language summary: We search scientific databases for clinical trials assessing the effect of delayed (more than four days after birth) versus earlier introduction of progressive enteral feeds (where breast or formula milk is fed directly by a tube into the stomach) on the incidence of necrotising enterocolitis, death and general health in very low birth weight infants. The evidence is current to September 2014. We found nine trials with 1106 infants that assessed the effect of delayed rather than early introduction of milk feeds for very preterm or very low birth weight infants. Data from these trials did not provide any evidence that delaying enteral feeding reduces the risk of necrotising enterocolitis. The included trials were generally of reasonable methodological quality but, in common with other trials of feeding interventions in infants, it was not possible to mask carers and clinical assessors to the given treatment.
Abstract: All identified studies were performed before and in the early 1990s and used various terms and criteria for cognitive decline and dementia. The three studies included in the review involved a total of 583 people with dementia treated with vinpocetine or placebo. The reports of these studies did not make possible any differentiation of effects for degenerative or vascular dementia. The results show benefit associated with treatment with vinpocetine 30 mg/day and 60 mg/day compared with placebo, but the number of patients treated for six months or more was small. Only one study extended treatment to one year. Adverse effects were inconsistently reported and without regard for relationship to dose. The available data do not demonstrate many problems of adverse effects but intention-to-treat data were not available for any of the trials. Although the basic science is interesting, the evidence for beneficial effect of vinpocetine on patients with dementia is inconclusive and does not support clinical use. The drug seems to have few adverse effects at the doses used in the studies. Large studies evaluating the use of vinpocetine for people suffering from well defined types of cognitive impairment are needed to explore possible efficacy of this treatment.

Plain-language summary: Clinical trials to test these hypotheses were performed before currently used criteria for dementia had become generally accepted. The results show improvement after the treatment with vinpocetine versus placebo, but the number of demented patients treated for at least six months was small. The available data does not demonstrate many side effect problems. Although the basic science is interesting, the evidence for beneficial effect of vinpocetine on patients with dementia is inconclusive and does not support clinical use.
Abstract: We identified 11 eligible RCTs which randomised a total of 3673 participants. One further trial, which was published in abstract form in 1990 but has yet to be reported fully, is currently 'awaiting assessment'. Six of the 11 included studies have been included for the first time in this latest (2012) update. The trials were heterogeneous in terms of their inclusion and exclusion criteria, the nature of the intervention, and the outcome measures assessed. We judged two of the trials to be of high quality and graded the remainder as poor quality. Meta-analyses of data on clinical and microbiological remission rates revealed that topical antibiotics were of benefit in improving 'early' (days two to five) clinical (risk ratio (RR) 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15 to 1.61) and microbiological (RR 1.55, 95% CI 1.37 to 1.76) remission rates. At the 'late' time point (days six to 10), antibiotics were found to still confer modest benefits in clinical remission (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.33) and microbiological cure rates (RR 1.37, 95% CI 1.24 to 1.52). By days six to 10, 41% (95% CI 38 to 43) of cases had resolved in those receiving placebo. We found no data on the cost-effectiveness of antibiotics. No serious outcomes were reported in either the active or placebo arms of these trials, suggesting that important sight-threatening complications are an infrequent occurrence. Although acute bacterial conjunctivitis is frequently self limiting, the findings from this updated systematic review suggest that the use of antibiotic eye drops is associated with modestly improved rates of clinical and microbiological remission in comparison to the use of placebo. Use of antibiotic eye drops should therefore be considered in order to speed the resolution of symptoms and infection.

Plain-language summary: We found 11 randomised controlled trial (RCTs) from different parts of the world which recruited a total of 3673 participants overall. We judged two of the trials to be of high quality, and we graded the remainder as poor quality. This updated review provides clearer evidence that use of antibiotic eye drops can speed up the resolution of symptoms and infection, and that they are unlikely to be associated with any serious side effects.