Data extraction Data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers on disease causing dyspnoea, intervention (opioid used and dosage), study methodology, and results. Study quality was assessed using the 5 point Jadad scale and the Cochrane Collaboration criteria for concealment. Main outcome measure was a subjective assessment of dyspnoea. In studies of patients at rest, the breathlessness measure...

OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy of Ginkgo biloba for the prevention of dementia in individuals without dementia. MATERIAL AND METHOD English databases including Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO, were searched, and randomized double-blind controlled studies comparing Ginkgo biloba with placebo in prevention of dementia were considered. Two trials met inclusion criteria. Metho...

AIM To evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) through meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. METHODS We searched MEDLIINE, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from 1966 to February 2013 for double-blind, placebo-controlled trials investigating the efficacy of acupuncture in the management of I...

PURPOSE To conduct a systematic review of the literature evaluating tai chi exercise as an intervention for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) or with CVD risk factors (CVDRF). METHODS We searched (1) MEDLINE, CAB Alt HealthWatch, BIOSIS previews, Science Citation Index, EMBASE, and Social Science Citation Index from inception through October 2007; (2) Chinese Medical Database, China ...

OBJECTIVE To systematically investigate the scientific evidence relating to electrothermal and phototherapeutic methods for the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). METHODS The search for reports on interventions using electrothermal and phototherapy for FMS was carried out in the Pubmed, Medline, Lilacs, Scielo, ISI Web of Knowledge, PEDro and Cochrane Collaboration databases. Randomize...

BACKGROUND Whether Tai Chi benefits patients with osteoarthritis remains controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of Tai Chi exercise for pain, stiffness, and physical function in patients with osteoarthritis. METHODS A computerized search of PubMed and Embase (up to Sept 2012) was performed to identify relevant studies. The outcome measures were pain, stiffness...

M e t h o d s Data sources: MEDLINE and EMBASE/ Excerpta Medica (to December 2006), Cochrane Library, National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials and US Food and Drug Administration Web sites, and reference lists. Study selection and assessment: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with ≥ 500 patients that compared the combination of ARB and ACE-I with standard therapy that included ACE-I for ...

Many therapies have been proposed for the management of neuropathic pain, and they include the use of different antiepileptic drugs. However, the lack of high quality studies indicates that results on the different neuropathic disorders under study do not recommend a particular drug treatment. This study makes a systematic review of the published literature on the use of several antiepileptic d...

Several meta-analyses comparing early functional rehabilitation and traditional immobilization following surgical Achilles tendon repair after acute rupture have been published. However, they have led to conflicting conclusions. The aims of this systematic review were to select high-quality meta-analyses from multiple discordant meta-analyses and to provide a postoperative rehabilitation strate...