Existing evidence on noise induced hearing loss and tinnitus in the military and other occupational groups

This report was commissioned for the ‘HearWell Collaboration’ – an international collaboration with the aim of developing a comprehensive and relevant research portfolio in the areas of prevention, ultra-early detection and treatment of Noise Induced Hearing loss (NIHL) and tinnitus. The report outlines the existing evidence for a range of issues relating to NIHL and tinnitus pertaining primarily to a military population. The report covers: • The prevalence and incidence of NIH and tinnitus • The detection of NIHL and tinnitus • The impact of NIHL and tinnitus on Quality-of-Life (living with HL) • The impact of NIHL and tinnitus on the ability to work of military personnel. • The cost implications of NIHL and tinnitus and the cost-effectiveness of screening and prevention programmes For each of these issues, the volume and nature of the existing secondary evidence (e.g. systematic reviews) and primary evidence was ascertained and key findings and methodological issues reported. This report aims to inform decisions about future research priorities

Body image dissatisfaction in patients with inflammatory bowel disease:a systematic review protocol

Abstract Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a debilitating chronic disease characterised by inflammation and ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract. It is associated with a range of debilitating symptoms and reduced quality of life. People living with IBD may also be at risk of body image dissatisfaction (BID). BID is a distorted and negative view of the physical self, which in turn can adversely affect mental health and quality of life. To date, there have been no systematic reviews of the evidence on BID in IBD patients. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to clarify the evidence base on BID in *IBD patients including (i) the tools used to measure BID, (ii) the prevalence and severity of BID, (iii) the risk factors associated with BID and (iv) the relationship between BID and quality of life. Methods Bibliographic databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL) will be searched using a sensitive search strategy aiming to identify any quantitative study reporting on body image in the context of IBD. This will be supplemented by searches of ongoing trials registers and checking of reference lists. Studies will be assessed for eligibility using predetermined selection criteria for each question. Data will be extracted using a predefined data extraction form, and risk of bias (quality) of included studies will be assessed based on checklists appropriate to the study designs identified. Key methodological steps will be undertaken in duplicate to minimise bias and error. Synthesis will be undertaken separately for the different systematic review sub-questions. Given the anticipated heterogeneity of evidence on each question, it is likely that synthesis will be mostly narrative. Discussion To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first systematic review to collate the existing evidence on BID in IBD patients. Understanding the impact of BID, its relationship with quality of life, and which patients may be at greater risk, may ultimately lead to the development of interventions to prevent or treat BID and to better patient care. Any gaps in the identified evidence will help to inform the research agenda in this area. Systematic review registration PROSPERO: (CRD42018060999)

Protocol for a systematic review of the impact of resuscitation fluids on the microcirculation after haemorrhagic shock in animal models

BACKGROUND: Modern resuscitation strategies following haemorrhagic shock are influenced by global haemodynamic parameters such as blood pressure and cardiac output. Microcirculatory dysfunction in this context may persist even after restoration of satisfactory global parameters. Additional monitoring of the microcirculatory function may therefore be warranted in order to facilitate goal-directed therapy at a tissue oxygenation level. Although such a phenomenon is recognised in the case of sepsis, clinical evidence regarding the behaviour of the microcirculation following the delivery of resuscitation fluids after haemorrhagic shock is sparse. A summation of the current state of pre-clinical evidence is justified in order to direct avenues for future clinical research. METHODS/DESIGN: Systematic review methodology will be utilised in order to identify relevant studies, assess for bias, and extract data for analysis. Medical databases will be searched to find pre-clinical studies that monitor the microcirculatory function following haemorrhagic shock and subsequent fluid resuscitation. Different fluid types (e.g. blood products, crystalloid, and colloid fluids) will be compared. The search strategy will combine terms for the animal model, resuscitation fluid, and microcirculatory parameters. Randomised and non-randomised experiments, as well as case series, will be eligible for inclusion. Specific quality assessment tools for pre-clinical research will be used depending on study design. A combination of narrative and meta-analysis techniques will be used for the synthesis of data. DISCUSSION: The choice of type, sequence, and quantity of resuscitation fluid following haemorrhagic shock is controversial, and the optimal strategy for restoration of microcirculatory function is yet unknown. A detailed examination of pre-clinical data regarding the microcirculation is timely and will enable a focussed approach to clinical research for the improvement of resuscitation following haemorrhagic shock. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: Collaborative Approach to Meta Analysis and Review of Animal Data from Experimental Studies (CAMARADES) ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13643-015-0113-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

A systematic review of the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture for allergic rhinitis

BACKGROUND: Allergies cause a considerable burden to both sufferers and the National Health Service. There is growing interest in acupuncture as a treatment for a range of conditions. Since acupuncture may modulate the immune system it could be a useful treatment for allergic rhinitis (AR) sufferers. We therefore assessed the evidence for the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with AR by performing a systematic review of the literature. METHODS: Searches (to 2007) were conducted in all major databases for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of AR. No limits were placed on language. Studies were included if they compared acupuncture to a sham or inactive acupuncture treatment (placebo) with or without standard care. Meta-analysis was performed where feasible. RESULTS: Seven relevant RCTs were included after screening and application of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The trials were generally of poor quality as assessed by a modified Jadad scale, with the exception of two studies which scored highly. A wide variety of outcomes was measured but most assessed symptom severity on a visual analogue scale. A meta-analysis failed to show any summary benefits of acupuncture treatment for symptom severity scores or serum IgE measures which could not have been accounted for by chance alone. Acupuncture was not associated with any additional adverse events in the trials. CONCLUSION: There is currently insufficient evidence to support or refute the use of acupuncture in patients with AR. A large well conducted RCT, which overcomes identified methodological problems in the existing RCTs, would be required to resolve this question.West Midlands purchasers levy to the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Birmingha

The clinical effectiveness of different parenting programmes for children with conduct problems : a systematic review of randomised controlled trials

Background Conduct problems are common, disabling and costly. The prognosis for children with conduct problems is poor, with outcomes in adulthood including criminal behaviour, alcoholism, drug abuse, domestic violence, child abuse and a range of psychiatric disorders. There has been a rapid expansion of group based parent-training programmes for the treatment of children with conduct problems in a number of countries over the past 10 years. Existing reviews of parent training have methodological limitations such as inclusion of non-randomised studies, the absence of investigation for heterogeneity prior to meta-analysis or failure to report confidence intervals. The objective of the current study was to systematically review randomised controlled trials of parenting programmes for the treatment of children with conduct problems. Methods Standard systematic review methods were followed including duplicate inclusion decisions, data extraction and quality assessment. Twenty electronic databases from the fields of medicine, psychology, social science and education were comprehensively searched for RCTs and systematic reviews to February 2006. Inclusion criteria were: randomised controlled trial; of structured, repeatable parenting programmes; for parents/carers of children up to the age of 18 with a conduct problem; and at least one measure of child behaviour. Meta-analysis and qualitative synthesis were used to summarise included studies. Results 57 RCTs were included. Studies were small with an average group size of 21. Meta-analyses using both parent (SMD -0.67; 95% CI: -0.91, -0.42) and independent (SMD -0.44; 95% CI: -0.66, -0.23) reports of outcome showed significant differences favouring the intervention group. There was insufficient evidence to determine the relative effectiveness of different approaches to delivering parenting programmes. Conclusion Parenting programmes are an effective treatment for children with conduct problems. The relative effectiveness of different parenting programmes requires further research

Regional versus general anaesthesia in elderly patients undergoing surgery for hip fracture:protocol for a systematic review

BACKGROUND: With an ageing population, the incidence of hip fractures requiring surgery is increasing. Post-operative delirium is common following hip fracture surgery. Delirium is associated with high mortality and morbidity, poor long-term functional outcomes and institutionalisation. There is some evidence to suggest that perioperative intervention, specifically the anaesthetic technique employed, may reduce the incidence of delirium in this population. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the impact of anaesthesia type on post-operative delirium. METHOD: We will conduct a systematic literature review using Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library (CENTRAL) bibliographic databases and the ZETOC and Web of Science websites. Authors of these trials will be invited to contribute unpublished data. PROSPERO register and clinical trial registers will also be searched to identify any ongoing reviews and trials. Eligible studies will assess the incidence of post-operative delirium in patients having regional or general anaesthesia for hip fracture surgery. The primary outcome of interest will be post-operative delirium; secondary outcomes will include mortality, measures of functional outcome, quality of life, length of hospital stay, discharge location and adverse events. Two reviewers will independently screen references identified by electronic literature searches. Two independent reviewers will extract data from studies fulfilling our inclusion criteria using a piloted data extraction form. Methodological quality and bias of included randomised controlled trials will be assessed using the ‘Cochrane Collaborations tool for assessing risk of bias’; for non-randomised studies, this will be assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Data on similar outcomes will be pooled when possible. Where possible, meta-analysis will be undertaken using Review Manager (RevMan version 5.3) software. DISCUSSION: This systematic review will provide an updated evidence base with which to guide clinical practice and research for this group of challenging patients. If the anaesthetic technique employed is shown to reduce the incidence of post-operative cognition dysfunction, then this may lead to a change in evidence-based practice, influence future guidelines and support further randomised controlled trial research. There is no known effective treatment for delirium, creating the urgent need for research into delirium prevention. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42015020166 ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13643-016-0246-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Interventions to improve latent and active tuberculosis treatment completion rates in underserved groups in low incidence countries:a scoping review

BACKGROUND: People in underserved groups have higher rates of tuberculosis (TB) and poorer treatment outcomes compared with people with no social risk factors.OBJECTIVES: This scoping review aimed to identify interventions that improve TB treatment adherence or completion rates.ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Studies of any design focusing on interventions to improve adherence or completion of TB treatment in underserved populations in low incidence countries.SOURCES OF EVIDENCE: MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched (January 2015 to December 2023).CHARTING METHODS: Piloted data extraction forms were used. Findings were tabulated and reported narratively. Formal risk of bias assessment or synthesis was not undertaken.RESULTS: 47 studies were identified. There was substantial heterogeneity in study design, population, intervention components, usual care and definition of completion rates. Most studies were in migrants or refugees, with fewer in populations with other risk factors (eg, homelessness, imprisonment or substance abuse). Based on controlled studies, there was limited evidence to suggest that shorter treatment regimens, video-observed therapy (compared with directly observed therapy), directly observed therapy (compared with self-administered treatment) and approaches that include tailored health or social support beyond TB treatment may lead to improved outcomes. This evidence is mostly observational and subject to confounding. There were no studies in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller populations, or individuals with mental health disorders and only one in sex workers. Barriers to treatment adherence included a lack of knowledge around TB, lack of general health or social support and side effects. Facilitators included health education, trusted relationships between patients and healthcare staff, social support and reduced treatment duration.CONCLUSIONS: The evidence base is limited, and few controlled studies exist. Further high-quality research in well-defined underserved populations is needed to confirm the limited findings and inform policy and practice in TB management. Further qualitative research should include more people from underserved groups.</p