NHS Evidence - Eyes on Evidence February 2013

. . . providing easy access to a comprehensive evidence base for everyone in health and social care who takes decisions about treatments or the use of resources.  A monthly bulletin is produced, Eyes on Evidence; the issue for February 2013 includes:

  1. Weight management in pregnancy.  A systematic review and meta-analysis shows weight management interventions in pregnancy are effective in reducing maternal weight gain without any adverse risk to the unborn child, but weight reduction is modest.
  2. Physiotherapy treatment for Parkinson's disease   A systematic review shows that physiotherapy has benefits for people with Parkinson's disease across a range of functions. How and when physiotherapy should be delivered in this patient group is still unclear and there is insufficient evidence to suggest that any one method of physiotherapy is more effective than another.
  3. Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia with oral antiseptics.  A systematic review shows a beneficial effect of oral antiseptic use in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Questions remain on the frequency and technique of administration.
  4. Benzodiazepines and the risk of dementia.  An observational study suggests that use of an array of hypnotics and anxiolytics (mainly benzodiazepines and 'Z drugs') are associated with an increased risk of dementia.
  5. Citalopram for the treatment of depression.  A systematic review confirms previous evidence and guidance that citalopram is a suitable first-choice drug option for the acute treatment of moderate to severe depression in terms of efficacy and tolerability

Website:  NHS Eyes on Evidence