GEM/cochrane-simplification huggingface dataset:
Abstract: We identified five clinical trials that involved 3405 children for inclusion. For this 2016 update, we identified one new trial for inclusion. This trial was systematically reviewed but due to several sources of heterogeneity, was not included in the meta-analysis. The remaining four trials were of adequate methodological quality. In three RCTs that involved a total of 1826 healthy Finnish children attending daycare, there is moderate quality evidence that xylitol (in any form) can reduce the risk of AOM from 30% to around 22% compared with the control group (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.88). Among the reasons for dropouts, there were no significant differences in abdominal discomfort and rash between the xylitol and the control groups. Xylitol was not effective in reducing AOM among healthy children during a respiratory infection (RR 1.13, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.53; moderate quality evidence) or among otitis-prone healthy children (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.21; low-quality evidence). There is moderate quality evidence showing that the prophylactic administration of xylitol among healthy children attending daycare centres can reduce the occurrence of AOM. There is inconclusive evidence with regard to the efficacy of xylitol in preventing AOM among children with respiratory infection, or among otitis-prone children. The meta-analysis was limited because data came from a small number of studies, and most were from the same research group.

Plain-language summary: We identified five clinical trials that involved 3405 children, mostly from the same research group. Four trials were conducted in Finland and enrolled healthy children (three trials) or children with an acute respiratory infection (one trial). The fifth trial was conducted in the USA and enrolled otitis-prone children who were recruited from attendance at general medical practices. All five trials received governmental funding; and the Finnish study investigators have a US patent for the use of xylitol to treat respiratory infections. Xylitol, administered in chewing gum, lozenges or syrup, can reduce the occurrence of AOM among healthy children with no acute upper respiratory infection from 30% to 22%. There is no difference in side effects (namely, abdominal discomfort and rash). Based on these results we would expect that out of 1000 children up to 12 years of age, 299 would experience an AOM compared with between 194 and 263 children who would experience an AOM if they are provided with xylitol chewing gum. The preventive effect among healthy children with respiratory infection or among otitis-prone children is inconclusive. The quality of evidence was moderate for healthy children and children with respiratory infections but low for otitis-prone children.
Abstract: Our searches found no RCTs or Q-RCTs that met the eligibility criteria for this review. We are unable to reach any conclusion about the effectiveness of environmental or behavioural interventions for reducing physical activity limitation in community-dwelling visually impaired older people, as no eligible studies were found. However a number of studies reviewed included only the secondary outcome measures of this review. Although behavioural interventions delivered by occupational therapists have been shown to reduce the rate of falls, we are unable to conclude if this is due to reduced activity restriction (increased mobility) or reduced activity (lessening exposure to risk). There are inconclusive and conflicting results from trials evaluating the effectiveness of behavioural and environmental interventions aimed at improving quality of life. Further research is necessary (such as ongoing Dutch and UK trials considering the effectiveness of orientation and mobility training on activity restriction, physical activity, falls, fear of falling and quality of life in older adults with low vision, and the effect of an occupational therapist delivering home safety modification, coping strategies and exercise with older people with low vision) before any conclusions can be reached.

Plain-language summary: We searched for evidence from high quality trials on environmental or behavioural interventions in older adults, living in the community or in residential settings, with irreversible vision impairment which aimed to reduce activity restriction or increase general physical activity. We found no trials that met the inclusion criteria for the review. Further research into this highly important issue needs to be done before any conclusions can be made.
Abstract: We included eight studies (358 participants), five assessing TAP blocks, three assessing rectus sheath blocks; with moderate risk of bias overall. All studies had a background of general anaesthesia in both arms in most cases. Compared with no TAP block or saline placebo, TAP block resulted in significantly less postoperative requirement for morphine at 24 hours (mean difference (MD) -21.95 mg, 95% confidence interval (CI) -37.91 to 5.96; five studies, 236 participants) and 48 hours (MD -28.50, 95% CI -38.92 to -18.08; one study of 50 participants) but not at two hours (all random-effects analyses). Pain at rest was significantly reduced in two studies, but not a third. Only one of three included studies of rectus sheath blocks found a reduction in postoperative analgesic requirements in participants receiving blocks. One study, assessing number of participants who were pain-free after their surgery, found more participants who received a rectus sheath block to be pain-free for up to 10 hours postoperatively. As with TAP blocks, rectus sheath blocks made no apparent impact on nausea and vomiting or sedation scores. No studies have compared TAP block with other analgesics such as epidural analgesia or local anaesthetic infiltration into the abdominal wound. There is only limited evidence to suggest use of perioperative TAP block reduces opioid consumption and pain scores after abdominal surgery when compared with no intervention or placebo. There is no apparent reduction in postoperative nausea and vomiting or sedation from the small numbers of studies to date. Many relevant studies are currently underway or awaiting publication.

Plain-language summary: However, there have not been any systematic reviews evaluating the effectiveness of the TAP block in reducing pain after surgery. We have searched for research investigating the effectiveness of rectus sheath (a similar block to TAP) and TAP blocks in providing pain relief after abdominal surgery. We have included eight studies, with a total of 358 participants in this review, that show some limited evidence that TAP blocks improve pain relief after abdominal surgery. More research is indicated, comparing TAP blocks with other standard methods of pain relief such as, morphine medication, epidural analgesia and local anaesthetic injection into and around the surgical wound. There are many studies currently underway or awaiting publication which assess the effectiveness of the TAP block and compare it with other techniques. We intend to include these studies in an updated version of this review in the near future.
Abstract: We included 13 RCTs, although we could only extract data to meta-analyse 12 trials, which involved 3720 participants including children, adults (aged around 40 years) and older people. We found that probiotics were better than placebo when measuring the number of participants experiencing episodes of acute URTI (at least one episode: odds ratio (OR) 0.53; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37 to 0.76, P value < 0.001, low quality evidence; at least three episodes: OR 0.53; 95% CI 0.36 to 0.80, P value = 0.002, low quality evidence); the mean duration of an episode of acute URTI (mean difference (MD) -1.89; 95% CI -2.03 to -1.75, P value < 0.001, low quality evidence); reduced antibiotic prescription rates for acute URTIs (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.94, moderate quality evidence) and cold-related school absence (OR 0.10; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.47, very low quality evidence). Probiotics and placebo were similar when measuring the rate ratio of episodes of acute URTI (rate ratio 0.83; 95% CI 0.66 to 1.05, P value = 0.12, very low quality evidence) and adverse events (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.65 to 1.19, P value = 0.40, low quality evidence). Side effects of probiotics were minor and gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common. We found that some subgroups had a high level of heterogeneity when we conducted pooled analyses and the evidence level was low or very low quality. Probiotics were better than placebo in reducing the number of participants experiencing episodes of acute URTI, the mean duration of an episode of acute URTI, antibiotic use and cold-related school absence. This indicates that probiotics may be more beneficial than placebo for preventing acute URTIs. However, the quality of the evidence was low or very low.

Plain-language summary: After searching for all relevant trials in scientific databases, we identified 13 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published up to July 2014. We could extract and pool data from 12 RCTs, which involved 3720 participants (both genders), including children, adults (aged around 40 years) and older people from Finland, Spain, Sweden, the United States, Croatia, Chile, Thailand and Japan. Probiotics were found to be better than placebo in reducing the number of participants experiencing episodes of acute URTI by about 47% and the duration of an episode of acute URTI by about 1.89 days. Probiotics may slightly reduce antibiotic use and cold-related school absence. Side effects of probiotics were minor and gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common. The quality of the evidence is low or very low mainly due to poorly conducted trials, for example with unclear randomisation method and blinding. Some trials were supported by manufacturers of the tested probiotics and some trials had a very small sample size. Overall, we found probiotics to be better than placebo in preventing acute URTIs. However, more trials are needed to confirm this conclusion.
Abstract: We included 16 studies (involving 13,123 participants) in this systematic review, two of which were of high quality. These two studies showed that nicotine sublingual tablet and varenicline increased the quit rate over placebo (risk ratio (RR) 2.60 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29 to 5.24) and RR 3.34 (95% CI 1.88 to 5.92)). Pooled results of two studies also showed a positive effect of bupropion compared with placebo (RR 2.03 (95% CI 1.26 to 3.28)). When pooling these four studies, we found high-quality evidence for the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy plus high-intensity behavioural treatment compared with placebo plus high-intensity behavioural treatment (RR 2.53 (95% CI 1.83 to 3.50)). Furthermore, we found some evidence that high-intensity behavioural treatment increased abstinence rates when compared with usual care (RR 25.38 (95% CI 8.03 to 80.22)) or low-intensity behavioural treatment (RR 2.18 (95% CI 1.05 to 4.49)). Finally, the results showed effectiveness of various combinations of psychosocial and pharmacological interventions. We found high-quality evidence in a meta-analysis including four (1,540 participants) of the 16 included studies that a combination of behavioural treatment and pharmacotherapy is effective in helping smokers with COPD to quit smoking. Furthermore, we conclude that there is no convincing evidence for preferring any particular form of behavioural or pharmacological treatment.

Plain-language summary: We looked for studies that included adult men and women who were current smokers and had a diagnosis of COPD. We included studies that assessed the effectiveness of any behavioural support or medication, or both as an aid to quit smoking. We included studies that compared different types of treatment or compared treatment to stop smoking with no treatment or 'usual care'. We only included studies that reported how many people had stopped smoking after at least six months of follow-up. We carried out the most recent search for studies in March 2016. We found high-quality evidence from a collection of four (1,540 participants) of the total 16 included studies (13,123 participants) in this review. Overall, we found evidence that smokers with COPD who receive a combination of high-intensity behavioural support and medication are more than twice as likely to quit as people who receive behavioural support alone. We found no clear evidence that one particular form of behavioural support or medication is better than another. It is still unclear whether smokers with COPD are different from smokers without COPD with regard to which treatments work best to help them stop smoking. We are quite confident in the finding that a combination of behavioural support and medication works better than behavioural support alone. However, we were not able to combine the results of many of the studies because the treatments or the outcomes of the studies were too different from each other.
Abstract: We included five studies, involving 756 participants. Three studies assessed the effect of brief psychological therapies, one assessed the impact of a self-help booklet, and one the effect of collaborative care. The disparate nature of the trials covering different patient populations, interventions and outcomes meant that it was not possible to pool data meaningfully across studies. There was no evidence of a protective effect of brief psychological therapy or educational booklets on preventing disability. There was evidence from one trial of a reduction in both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms one month after injury in those who received a collaborative care intervention combined with a brief psycho-educational intervention, however this was not retained at follow up. Overall mental health status was the only disability outcome affected by any intervention. In three trials the psychosocial intervention had a detrimental effect on the mental health status of patients. This review provides no convincing evidence of the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for the prevention of disability following traumatic physical injury. Taken together, our findings cannot be considered as supporting the provision of psychosocial interventions to prevent aspects of disability arising from physical injury. However, these conclusions are based on a small number of disparate trials with small to moderate sample sizes and are therefore necessarily cautious. More research, using larger sample sizes, and similar interventions and patient populations to enable pooling of results, is needed before these findings can be confirmed.

Plain-language summary: This review identified five randomised controlled trials, involving 756 participants, which evaluated psychosocial interventions for the prevention of disability following traumatic injury. No convincing evidence was found supporting the efficacy of these interventions. In particular, self-help booklets and interpersonal therapies had no effect on preventing disability. There was some evidence that a more complex intervention involving collaborative care reduced symptoms of depression and PTSD in the short but not the medium term. There was evidence from three trials that psychosocial interventions had a detrimental effect on mental health. Taken together, our findings cannot be taken as supporting the provision of psychosocial interventions to prevent aspects of disability arising from physical injury. These results suggest that future interventions should focus on screening patients at risk of poor outcomes and only treating those who develop subsequent problems. However, the strength of these conclusions is limited by the small size and varied nature of many of the trials, which means that their results cannot be pooled.
Abstract: There were a total of 2276 subjects across the 34 included studies; 1264 subjects were assigned to exercise interventions. The 34 studies comprised 47 interventions that included exercise. Effects of several disparate interventions on global well-being, selected FM signs and symptoms, and physical function in individuals with FM were summarized using standardized mean differences (SMD). There is moderate quality evidence that aerobic-only exercise training at recommended intensity levels has positive effects global well-being (SMD 0.49, 95% CI: 0.23 to 0.75) and physical function (SMD 0.66, 95% CI: 0.41 to 0.92) and possibly on pain (SMD 0.65, 95% CI: -0.09 to 1.39) and tender points (SMD 0.23, 95% CI: -0.18 to 0.65). Strength and flexibility remain under-evaluated. There is 'gold' level evidence (www.cochranemsk.org) that supervised aerobic exercise training has beneficial effects on physical capacity and FM symptoms. Strength training may also have benefits on some FM symptoms. Further studies on muscle strengthening and flexibility are needed. Research on the long-term benefit of exercise for FM is needed.

Plain-language summary: In the studies, aerobic exercises were done for at least 20 minutes once a day (or twice for at least 10 minutes), 2 to 3 days a week. Strength training was done 2 to 3 times a week and with at least 8 to 12 repetitions per exercise. The exercise programs lasted between 2 ½ to 24 weeks. When compared to no exercising, aerobic exercise training may: - improve overall well-being by 7 points on a scale of 0 to 100. - improve ability to perform aerobic exercise; by using 2.8 ml/kg/minute more oxygen when walking on a treadmill. - increase the amount of pressure that can be applied to a tender point by 0.23 kgs/cm2 before the onset of pain. - reduce pain by 1.3 on a scale of 0 to 10. - have unknown effects on fatigue, depression or stiffness. These results are based on moderate quality evidence. Best estimate of what happens to people with fibromyalgia who take part in strength training: When compared to no exercise, strength training may: - reduce pain by 49 fewer points on scale of 0 to 100. - improve overall well-being by 41 points on a scale of 0 to 100. - lead to 2 fewer active tender points on a scale of 0-18. These results are based on low quality evidence. The numbers given are our best estimate. When possible, we have also presented a range because there is a 95 percent chance that the true effect of the treatment lies somewhere within that range.
Abstract: Thirty-two studies were included in this review. However, only 22 studies, involving 2658 women, provided data for analysis. All the women in the included studies had a caesarean section under general anaesthesia. The studies covered a number of comparisons, but were mostly small and of unclear or poor quality. When compared with no treatment or placebo, there was a significant reduction in the risk of intragastric pH < 2.5 with antacids (risk ratio (RR) 0.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09 to 0.32, two studies, 108 women), H2 antagonists (RR 0.09, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.18, two studies, 170 women) and proton pump antagonists (RR 0.26, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.46, one study 80 women). H2 antagonists were associated with a reduced the risk of intragastric pH < 2.5 at intubation when compared with proton pump antagonists (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.97, one study, 120 women), but compared with antacids the findings were unclear. The combined use of 'antacids plus H2 antagonists' was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of intragastric pH < 2.5 at intubation when compared with placebo (RR 0.02, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.15, one study, 89 women) or compared with antacids alone (RR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.92, one study, 119 women). The quality of the evidence was poor, but the findings suggest that the combination of antacids plus H2 antagonists was more effective than no intervention, and superior to antacids alone in preventing low gastric pH. However, none of the studies assessed potential adverse effects or substantive clinical outcomes. These findings are relevant for all women undergoing caesarean section under general anaesthesia.

Plain-language summary: Thirty-two studies were included in this review. However, only 22 studies, involving 2658 women, provided data for analysis, looking at interventions given prior to caesarean section for reducing the risk of aspiration. There were several different drugs and drug combinations being considered and the studies were generally of poor or questionable quality. Antacids (like sodium citrate), H2 receptor antagonists (like ranitidine), proton pump antagonists (like omeprazole), all reduced the acidity of the stomach contents. An antacid plus an H2 receptor antagonist also reduced acidity. In theory, a combination like this, where the antacid acts quickly and the H2 receptor antagonists takes a little longer, should protect at periods of greatest risk, i.e. the beginning and end of the procedure (i.e. intubation and extubation). More research is needed to identify the best combination of drugs and to check for possible adverse effects.
Abstract: Twenty-two studies (reported in 25 publications) involving 228,615 pregnancies (including 1067 with Down's syndrome) were included. Studies were generally high quality, although differential verification was common with invasive testing of only high risk pregnancies. Ten studies made direct comparisons between tests. Thirty-two different test combinations were evaluated formed from combinations of eight different tests and maternal age; first trimester nuchal translucency (NT) and the serum markers AFP, uE3, total hCG, free βhCG, Inhibin A, PAPP-A and ADAM 12. We looked at tests combining first and second trimester markers with or without ultrasound as complete tests, and we also examined stepwise and contingent strategies. Meta-analysis of the six most frequently evaluated test combinations showed that a test strategy involving maternal age and a combination of first trimester NT and PAPP-A, and second trimester total hCG, uE3, AFP and Inhibin A significantly outperformed other test combinations that involved only one serum marker or NT in the first trimester, detecting about nine out of every 10 Down's syndrome pregnancies at a 5% false positive rate. However, the evidence was limited in terms of the number of studies evaluating this strategy, and we therefore cannot recommend one single screening strategy. Tests involving first trimester ultrasound with first and second trimester serum markers in combination with maternal age are significantly better than those without ultrasound, or those evaluating first trimester ultrasound in combination with second trimester serum markers, without first trimester serum markers. We cannot make recommendations about a specific strategy on the basis of the small number of studies available.

Plain-language summary: For Down's syndrome screening, where tests were carried out in the first and second trimester and combined to give an overall risk, we found that a test comprised of first trimester nuchal translucency and PAPP-A, and second trimester total hCG, uE3, AFP and Inhibin A was the most sensitive test, detecting nine out of 10 pregnancies affected by Down's syndrome. Five per cent of pregnant women receiving a high risk test result based on this combination would not be affected by Down's syndrome. There were relatively few studies assessing these tests and therefore we cannot make a strong recommendation about the best test.Other important information to considerThe ultrasound tests themselves have no adverse effects for the woman, and blood tests can cause discomfort, bruising and, rarely, infection. However, some women who have a high risk screening test result, and are given amniocentesis or CVS have a risk of miscarrying a baby unaffected by Down’s. Parents will need to weigh up this risk when deciding whether or not to have an amniocentesis or CVS following a high risk screening test result.