Objective To calculate the typical time taken to complete protocols and reviews, to track how often reviews are updated and compare with Collaboration policies, to feed back any gaps in documentation of dates to individual Cochrane Collaborative Review Groups, and to suggest changes to presentation of reviews and to editorial processes.Methods Data were extracted either from The Cochrane Library or a specially constructed database to calculate the age of reviews and protocols, and the frequency of updating of reviews. Issue 1, 2003, with 1 596 reviews and 1 200 protocols, was used as the index issue.Results Median number of issues between a protocol and its completed review being published on The Cochrane Library is 5 (1.25 years). 65% of protocols have appeared on The Cochrane Library for no longer than two years, but the number of protocols more than two years old is probably increasing. One-third of reviews have been substantively updated, but generally only once and often within several months of the first publication of the review. The number of out-of-date reviews is probably increasing. Conclusions While the stage between publishing a protocol and the completed review is usually completed in no longer than two years, the number of out-of-date reviews and protocols requires continuing attention. How up-to-date a review is depends on when the evidence base was last searched and when additional relevant evidence has been integrated into the review. This needs to be reflected in the information provided to readers of Cochrane Reviews and some alternative ways of presenting the components of this information are given. More accurate and complete reporting will also allow the Collaboration to track progress against policy.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine (PPC) for chronic hepatitis. Methods We searched EMBASE (1980May,2003), MEDLINE(1966May,2003), CBM (1979May,2003), The Cochrane Library Issue 2, 2003 and handsearched 8 related Chinese journals. Randomized controlled trials(RCT) comparing PPC versus placebo/no treatment for chronic hepatitis were included with no restrictions of blinding, language and publication. Two reviewers independently performed data extraction and assessed the quality . Data were entered and analyzed by RevMan 4.2 software supplied by the Cochrane Collaboration .Results Six high quality trials involving 568 patients were included. Four studies involving 451 patients showed the clinical effective rate of PPC for chronic hepatitis was 52.5% while the control group was 37.5% with statistical difference [RR1.81,95%CI(1.41,2.33),Z=4.69, Plt;0.00001].A meta-analysis involving three studies with 100 patients showed the PPC can statically improve histopathology of chronic hepatitis comparing with control group [RR 2.58,95%CI (1.61,4.15),Z=3.91,Plt;0.0001].No serious adverse events were reported.Conclusions PPC is a safe medicine used for treating chronic viral hepatitis and may relieve clinical symptoms and signs.At the same time ,it has positive effect on hepatic histopathology for patients .However ,more high quality clinical trials are required.
Objectives The aim of the review was to assess the effectiveness of anti-reflux therapy for patients with hoarseness, in the absence of other identifiable causes, whether or not a definitive diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal and gastro-oesophageal reflux has been made. This was assessed by evaluation of prospective randomised controlled studies that were identified by a systematic review of the literature. Both medical and surgical treatments were evaluated. Method The Cochrane ENT Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2005), MEDLINE (1966 to 2005), EMBASE (1974 to 2005) and conference proceedings were searched with prespecified terms. The date of the last search was September 2005.Randomised controlled trials recruiting patients with hoarseness in the absence of other identifiable causes, such as malignancy, cord palsy or nodules, whether or not a definitive diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal and gastro-oesophageal reflux has been made. Data collection and analysis Three reviewers examined the search results and identified studies before deciding which would be included in the review. Results 302 potential studies were identified by the search strategy. No trials were identified which met our inclusion criteria. Six randomised controlled trials were identified in which some, but not all patients presented with hoarseness, and were treated with proton pump inhibition. As we could not determine with certainty whether all these patients had hoarseness among the other laryngeal symptoms, these were excluded. However, these studies suggest a significant placebo response, which is comparable to the benefit derived from anti-reflux therapy in some studies. As no trials met our criteria, we are unable to reach any firm conclusions regarding the effectiveness of anti-reflux treatment for hoarseness. Conclusions There is a need for high quality randomised controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-reflux therapy for patients with hoarseness which may be due to laryngopharyngeal and gastro-oesophageal reflux.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy of intravertebral analgesia for external cephalic version. Methods We electronically searched The Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2009), PubMed (1980 to 2009), Ovid MEDLINE (1950 to 2009), Ovid EBM Database (1991 to 2009), EMbase (1980 to 2009), CBM (1978 to 2009) and CNKI (1979 to 2009) to collect literature about intravertebral analgesia for external cephalic version. We screened randomized controlled trials (RCTs) according to the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data and evaluated the quality of the included studies, and then performed meta-analyses by using RevMan 5.0.13 software. Results Seven RCTs involving 620 women met the inclusion criteria. Five trials were of relatively high quality, and 1 of low quality and 2 not clear. The result of meta-analyses showed that intravertebral analgesia was superior in external cephalic version with a RR 1.53 and 95%CI 1.24 to 1.88. Conclusion Intravertebral analgesia can increase the successful rate of external cephalic version in the treatment of breech presentation compared with intravenous medicine for systematic use or no analgesia.
ObjectivesTo systematically review the efficacy of Bailing capsule for autoimmune antibodies in Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT).MethodsPubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CBM, WanFang Data and CNKI databases were electronically searched to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on Bailing capsule in treatment of HT from inception to January 2019. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies, then, meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software.ResultsA total of 7 RCTs involving 428 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that the changes of TGAb and TPOAb in Bailing capsule combined with Euthyrox group were higher than that in control group (MD=−228.91, 95%CI −398.61 to −59.20, P=0.008; MD=−158.19, 95%CI −222.44 to −93.94, P<0.000 01); the changes of TGAb and TPOAb in Bailing capsule combined with Iodine modification diet group were higher than that in control group(MD=−499.27, 95%CI −540.39 to −458.15, P<0.000 01; MD=−407.37, 95%CI −448.60 to −366.14, P<0.000 01).ConclusionsCurrent evidence shows that Bailing capsule combined with other therapies can decrease the levels of TGAb and TPOAb in HT patients. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high-quality studies are required to verify the above conclusion.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the trend of tuberculosis among Chinese students. MethodsPubMed, Web of Science, EMbase, CBM, WanFang Data and CNKI databases were electronically searched to collect cross-sectional studies on the incidence and trend of tuberculosis among students in China from inception to August 2021. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies; then, meta-analysis was performed by using Stata 15.0 software. ResultsA total of 97 cross-sectional studies were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that: the overall incidence of tuberculosis among students in China was 18.63 per 100 000 persons. The incidence in the northwest, south, northeast, north, east, central, and southwest 46.81, 11.22, 24.38, 12.77, 12.03, 18.95, and 39.26 per 100 000 persons, respectively. The incidence among university students, senior high school students, junior school students, and primary school students 38.17, 33.84, 8.85, and 1.68 per 100 000 persons, respectively. ConclusionCurrent evidence shows that the incidence of tuberculosis among students in China is high. Among them, the incidence rate of tuberculosis in the central and western regions, universities and high school students is relatively high.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of latanoprost versus travoprost for primary open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and ocular hypertension (OH). Methods All the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about treating primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension with latanoprost and travoprost were collected by searching MEDLINE, EMbase, OVID and CNKI. The assessment of methodological quality and data extraction of the included studies were performed independently by two reviewers, and the meta-analysis was conducted with RevMan 5.0 software. Results A total of 13 RCTs involving 1 433 patients were included. The results of meta-analyses showed that, a) At the second week, travoprost showed greater intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering efficacy compared with latanoprost (WMD= –1.47, 95%CI –2.62 to –0.33). At the first month (WMD= –0.50, 95%CI –1.52 to 0.52) and the sixth month (WMD= –0.12, 95%CI –0.85 to 0.61), the difference of IOP reduction between latanoprost and travoprost group was not significant; and b) The latanoprost-treated group showed fewer reported conjunctival congestion than the travoprost-treated group (OR=0.47, 95%CI 0.35 to 0.63). The difference in adverse events of eye pain (OR=0.55, 95%CI 0.27 to 1.12) and iris or skin depigmentation (OR=1.25, 95%CI 0.53 to 2.92) between latanoprost and travoprost group was not significant. Conclusion Latanoprost and travoprost are comparable in lowering IOP for OAG and OH patients. Latanoprost shows greater ocular tolerability with lower incidence of side effects as conjunctival congestion. This conclusion is not powerful enough in proof due to the medium methodology quality of the included studies, so a large number of high-quality RCTs with large sample are needed for objectively, entirely and precisely evaluating the efficacy.