Table of contents

Therapeutics

• Review: the levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine system prevents more pregnancies than intrauterine devices (IUDs) ≤250 mm² but not IUDs >250 mm²

  (1 September, 2001)
• Antibiotics did not prevent adverse outcomes after preterm, prelabour rupture of fetal membranes (1 September, 2001)
• Antibiotics did not prevent adverse outcomes in women in preterm labour with intact fetal membranes (1 September, 2001)
• Postexposure prophylaxis with inhaled zanamivir was efficacious for household contacts of people with influenza (1 September, 2001)
• Oseltamivir reduced new cases of influenza in household contacts of people with clinical or confirmed influenza (1 September, 2001)
• Direct observation of tuberculosis treatment did not promote higher cure rates than self administered treatment (1 September, 2001)
• Review: mefloquine prevents malaria but has adverse effects that limit its acceptability in adults not immune to malarial infection (1 September, 2001)
• Incidence of long term backache was similar between women receiving epidural analgesia during labour and those who did not (1 September, 2001)
• Radiography led to improved patient satisfaction but increased short term pain in patients with low back pain (1 September, 2001)
• Review: angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors are beneficial in type 1 diabetes mellitus and microalbuminuria regardless of baseline risk factor status (1 September, 2001)
• Review: oral anticoagulants plus antiplatelet agents reduce thromboembolism and all cause mortality for heart valve prostheses (1 September, 2001)
• A peer led asthma education programme in adolescents was more effective than no programme for improving quality of life (1 September, 2001)
• Review: some but not all topical antimicrobial agents improve the rate of healing of chronic wounds (1 September, 2001)
• Review: warfarin prevents stroke in non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation but has a higher risk for haemorrhage than other agents (1 September, 2001)
• Reduced sodium intake lowered blood pressure and need for antihypertensive medication (1 September, 2001)
• Permethrin (PER) plus trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) was better than PER but not TMP/SMX for head lice infestation in children (1 September, 2001)
• Review: smooth muscle relaxants improve symptoms and reduce pain in irritable bowel syndrome (1 September, 2001)
• A depression management programme reduced depression in frequent users of health care but did not reduce healthcare visits (1 September, 2001)
• A depression management programme increased depression free days and costs in depressed frequent users of general health care (1 September, 2001)
• Patient education to encourage graded exercise improved physical functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome (1 September, 2001)
• Cognitive behaviour therapy reduced fatigue severity and functional impairment in chronic fatigue syndrome (1 September, 2001)