To improve proper application of evidence in clinical practice．six relevant problems were reviewed．The problems included：① How to evaluate and use evidence from systenaatic reviews of randomized controlled trials?② How to evaluate and use evidence from randomized controlled trials?③ How to evaluate and use evidence from non—randomized controled trials?④ How to evaluate and use evidence from case series?⑤ How to evaluate and use expert opinions?⑥ How to evaluate and use chnical practice guidelines?
This article reviews the progress, problems and future development of evidence-based neurology; introduces sources of clinical evidence and evidence-based recommendations on some common neurological disorders from the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. It promotes high quality clinical research to provide good evidence and the use of current best evidence in patient care.
To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of anticoagulants in ischaemic stroke primary or secondary prevention and treatment, we searched The Cochrane Library and MEDLINE to find high quality evidence and summarized the available evidence. The results showed that routine immediate anticoagulant therapy in patients with acute ischaemic stroke should not be recommended because it increased the risk of hemorrhage with ineffective reduction to the risk of death or disability. For the high risk group with cardiogenic embolism, anticoagulant therapy could safely and effectively reduce the incidence of stroke or other vascular events. However, for non-cardiogenic embolism group, anticoagulant therapy was hard to balance the benefits and harms.
Hot flashes are a common syndrome in postmenopausal women. The treatment is complex and different for specific patients. A clinical case and hormonal replacement therapy selection are provided to show evidence-based practice in this field.
Patients with early Parkinson＇s disease should be treated rationally in order to improve their quality of life and reduce the motor complications. The early employment of drugs which provides sustained central dopamine agonism and dopaminergic neuroprotection may reach this aim to some extent. Evidence of effective therapy in early Parkinson＇s disease will be introduced including： dopamine agonists, monoamine oxidase inhibitor 13, coenzymeQ10, L-dopa and a gait training.
Objective The primary objective was to determine whether Danshen agents can improve functional outcome without causing undue harm in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Secondary objectives were to assess the effect of Danshen agents on impairment and on the quality of life. Methods Searches were performed in the Cochrane Stroke Group Specialized Trial Register, Trials Register of the Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field, Chinese Stroke Trials Register and data from the pharmaceutical company. In addition, we searched the electronic bibliographic databases: Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CENTRAL/CCTR) Issue 1, 2002, MEDLINE (1996 to 2002), EMBASE (1980 to 2002), China Biological Medicine Database (1978 to 2002). We handsearched ten Chinese journals potentially related to our question. Two reviewers selected studies, assessed quality of studies, extracted data independently. The primary outcomes of death or dependency at the end of long term follow-up(at least three months) and adverse events were assessed. Secondary outcome measures included: measures of neurological deficit at the end of treatment, death from all causes within the first two weeks of treatment and during the whole follow-up period and quality of life. Results Eight potentially eligible trials were identified, of which three trials (304 patients) were included. Two trials were excluded and three trials were waiting for assessment. Number of death and dependency at the end of long term follow-up (at least three months) were not reported in the three included trials. Only one trial reported the adverse events. Three trials measured neurological deficit at the end of treatment. Danshen agents were associated with a significant improvement in neurological deficit (RR 1.07, 95%CI 1.01 to 1.14). There was no death and during the whole treatment period and there was no assessment on quality of life. Conlusions There were too few patients and outcome events to draw reliable conclusions from the present data. The methodological quality of all included studies was poor. Further high quality randomised controlled trials should be performed.
Objectives To study the relationship between matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in ischemic stroke patients and provide evidence for the further clinical studies, thrombolytic therapy selection, and application of MMP inhibitors to clinical practice to extend the windows for thrombolytic therapy. Methods The studies on relationship between MMP-9 and hemorrhagic transformation in ischemic stroke were identified, in which HT was followed-up based on plasma level of MMP-9 or comparison of plasma level of MMP-9 was conducted based on HT or not, regardless of language of publication and type of design. MEDLINE (1966-Jan. 2006), EMBASE (1966-Apr. 2006), CNKI (1977-Feb.2006), and Wanfang database (1989-2005) were searched and the references lists of eligible studies were manually searched. Two reviewers independently evaluated the quality of studies and extracted data. The data were analyzed using the RevMan 4.2. and SPSS11.0 softwares. Results Six trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria, including 558 patients, 130 of them developed hemorrhagic transformation. The heterogeneity between studies was statistically significant; (Plt;0.0001). We didn’t pool the data of studies of plasma MMP-9 level. Most of the studies showed that the plasma MMP-9 level in HT or in a certain type of HT was higher than that in non-HT patients. The result of subgroup analysis showed that the plasma MMP-9 level was independently associated with HT, summary OR=14.45, 95%CI (4.90, 43.65). Conclusions The values of plasma MMP-9 in HT or in a certain type of HT are higher than that in non-HT. MMP-9 may independently be a risk of hemorrhagic transformation. The sample size of the included studies is small. So the conclusions need to be confirmed with further studies.
Objective To explore an approach of evidence-based treatment for acute hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage. Methods (1) Thoroughly evaluating the patient’s condition. (2) Formulating clinical problems. (3) We searched The Cochrane Library (Issue 1, 2006), Ovid EBM REVIEWS (2001 to 2006), MEDLINE (1980 to 2006) and CNKI (1994 to 2006) for evidence. (4) Assessing evidence. (5) Applying evidence. Results Total 13 relevant studies were retrieved. Results indicated that all kinds of interventions for the treatment of hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage showed different degrees of efficacy, including the Stroke Unit, blood pressure control, mannitol, hemostyptic and neuroprotective agents, promotion of blood circulation and resolving of blood stasis, stereotactic aspiration etc. However, the effects of other interventions need further validation except Stroke Units which had higher quality evidence. Based on the patient’ specific conditions, we recommended the following evidence-based treatment plan: immediate transfer to the Stroke Unit; sequential application of reptilase (within 6 h), citicoline (within 24 h), mannitol and Compound Danshen Injection (after 24 h); temporary withhold of enalapril meleate; monitoring of blood pressure, ECG, renal function and electrolytes; and if intracranial hemorrhage occurs again during the treatment, stereotactic aspiration should be applied. Conclusions Through evidence-based method, an individualized treatment plan could obviously improve the treatment effectiveness and reduce the incidence of adverse effects in patients with hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage.
Objective To make an evidence-based remedy for a patient with cerebral veins and sinuses thrombosis (CVST), who had an unsatisfactory response to routine treatment. Methods We searched the Cochrane Library (Issue 3, 2005), PubMed (1966 to 2005), CNKI (1979 to 2005) and VIP (1989 to 2005) to identify systematic reviews (SRs), randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials (CCTs) and prospective cohort studies about efficacy and safety of anticoagulants and thrombolysis therapy for CVST. Results We found 1 systematic review, 3 RCTs and 8 prospective cohort studies about anticoagulation therapy and 2 SRs and 1 CCT about thrombolysis therapy. Routine anticoagulation and thrombolysis for patients with CVST are not recommended due to insufficient evidence. Anticoagulation appeared to be safer and could prevent pulmonary embolism. According to the current evidence, the patient’s status and will, anticoagulants were given. His symptoms relieved and he had no subsequent hemorrhages or pulmonary embolism. Conclusion Patients with CVST should receive anticoagulation treatment with monitoring of de novo hemorrhages and the index of hemostasis and coagulation. Large-sample RCTs comparing the effect and safety of anticoagulant with placebo and RCTs comparing the effect and safety of anticoagulation therapy with that of endovascular thrombolysis therapy in high-risk patients are needed.