Reviews

Evidence-based recommendations for the prescription of exercise for major depressive disorder
 Research has shown exercise to be efficacious as both a stand-alone and an augmentation therapy. As a result, exercise is now included in the American Psychiatric Association's treatment recommendations. The purpose of this article is to provide clinicians with a knowledge base to prescribe exercise to their patients. Rethorst CD, Trivedi MH. J Psychiatr Pract. 2013 May;19(3):204-12. Review. PMID: 23653077

Subcutaneous closure versus no subcutaneous closure after non-caesarean surgical procedures
There is currently evidence of very low quality which is insufficient to support or refute subcutaneous closure after non-caesarean operations. The use of subcutaneous closure has the potential to affect patient outcomes and utilisation of healthcare resources. Further well-designed trials at low risk of bias are necessary. Gurusamy KS, Toon CD, Davidson BR. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Jan 21;1:CD010425. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24446384

 

Systematic review of tibial nerve stimulation to treat faecal incontinence
PTNS and TTNS result in significant improvements in some outcome measures; however, TTNS was not superior to sham stimulation in a large, adequately powered, RCT. As no adequate RCT of PTNS versus sham has been conducted, conclusions cannot be drawn regarding this treatment. Horrocks EJ, Thin N, Thaha MA, Taylor SJ, Norton C, Knowles CH. Br J Surg. 2014 Jan 20. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24446127

The effect of testosterone replacement therapy on prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
This meta-analysis shows that regardless of the administration method, TRT is the short-term safety and does not promote prostate cancer development or progression but long-term data are warranted with justifiable end points. Cui Y, Zong H, Yan H, Zhang Y. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2014 Jan 21. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24445948

 

Effectiveness and complication rates of tension-free vaginal tape, transobturator tape, and tension-free vaginal tape-obturator in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence in a medium- to long-term follow up. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
The subjective and objective cure rates of stress urinary incontinence were similar among TVT, TOT, and TVT-O in a medium- to long-term follow up. The TVT had a higher risk of bladder perforation than TVT-O, and a lower risk of groin/thigh pain than TOT, and TVT-O had a lower risk of vaginal erosion rates than TOT. Tan PF, Yang LL, Ou RB, Tang P, Yang WJ, Huang JB, Wei W, Wei XH, Wang B, Xie KJ. Saudi Med J. 2014 Jan;35(1):20-32. PMID: 24445886

 

Fiber in the Treatment and Maintenance of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
There is limited weak evidence for the efficacy of fiber in improving disease outcomes in UC and pouchitis. The potential antiinflammatory role of fiber is intriguing and merits further investigation in adequately powered clinical trials. Excluding overt gastrointestinal obstruction, there was no evidence that fiber intake should be restricted in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Wedlake L, Slack N, Andreyev HJ, Whelan K. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2014 Jan 17. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24445775

Atropine Slows Myopia Progression More in Asian Than White Children by Meta-analysis
Atropine could significantly slow myopia progression in children, with greater effects in Asian than in white children. Randomized controlled trials and cohort studies provided comparable effects. Li SM, Wu SS, Kang MT, Liu Y, Jia SM, Li SY, Zhan SY, Liu LR, Li H, Chen W, Yang Z, Sun YY, Wang N, Millodot M. Optom Vis Sci. 2014 Jan 16. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24445721

Low-dose hydrocortisone therapy attenuates septic shock in adult patients but does not reduce 28-day mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Although low-dose hydrocortisone therapy ameliorates septic shock at 7 and 28 days, it does not reduce 28-day mortality. Wang C, Sun J, Zheng J, Guo L, Ma H, Zhang Y, Zhang F, Li E.

Anesth Analg. 2014 Feb;118(2):346-57. PMID: 24445635

Managing Expectations of Antibiotics for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections: A Qualitative Study
Real-world family physicians use indirect methods to explore expectations for treatment and, on the basis of their physical examination, build an argument for reassuring the patient or parent. In contrast to proposed models in the communication literature, interventions to promote appropriate antibiotic prescribing might include a focus on training in communication skills that (1) integrates these indirect methods as part of building collaborative physician-patient relationships and (2) uses the running commentary of examination findings to facilitate participation in clinical decisions. Mustafa M, Wood F, Butler CC, Elwyn G. Ann Fam Med. 2014 January-February;12(1):29-36. PMID: 24445101