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Editorial
Álvaro Nagib Atallah
Sao Paulo Med J/Rev Paul Med 1999; 117(5):183-4.
W henever it is necessary to obtain information
abo ut treatment, a co nsultatio n o f the Co chrane
Library will be very useful. This pro cedure can be
made via the CD-RO M o f the Co chrane Library o r
via internet (http:/ / www.epm.br/ co chrane). Thus,
the interested health pro fessio nal o r patient will be
able to explore various databases: 1 ) The Cochrane
Database of Systematic Reviews - Regularly updated
reviews o f the effects o f health care; 2 ) Database o f
Abstracts o f Reviews o f Effectiveness - Critical
a ssessments a nd structured a b stra cts o f g o o d
systematic reviews published elsewhere; 3 ) The
Co chrane Co ntro lled Trials Register - Biblio graphic
info rmatio n o n co ntro lled trials; 4 ) O ther so urces o f
info rmatio n o n the science o f reviewing research
and evidence-based health care. After explo ring
these information sources, the reader will understand
why the Co chrane Co llabo ratio n is co nsidered to
rival the human geno me pro ject in its impo rtance
fo r human health (Naylo r, 1 9 9 6 ).
Systematic reviews are co nsidered to be
first-level evidence in the clinica l decisio n-ma king
p ro c e ss. Syste ma tic re vie w s p re p a re d in
a cco rda nce with the Co chra ne Co lla b o ra tio n
Metho do lo g y aim to identify the best existing
evidence and the gaps in medical kno wledge that
deserve mo re research.
During the mo st re c e nt (the se ve nth)
The Cochrane Collaboration: share d e vide nce
for improving de cision-making in human he alth
Co llo quium o f the Co chrane Co llabo ratio n in Ro me
in O cto ber 1 9 9 9 , Dr. Richard Smith, the edito r o f
the BMJ, stated that Systematic Reviews are usually
mo re impo rtant than 9 0 % o f the papers published.
Aro und the w o rld , tho usa nd s o f he a th
pro fessio nals are preparing systematic reviews with
the fo llo wing c o mmitments: 1 ) To identify a ll
rando mized clinical trials, whether published o r
no t, and include then in the statistical summaries
called meta-analyses, when this is appro priate and
the quality is acceptable; and 2 ) To keep the
systematic review updated. In this way, the autho rs
beco me a real autho rity regarding that specific
subject and will be expected to o ffer updates to
o ther interested pro fessio nals wo rldwide.
184
Sao Paulo Med J/Rev Paul Med 1999; 117(5):183-4.
diseases, deep veno us thro mbo sis, hypertensio n
in pregnancy, mental diseases etc.
REFERENCES
Naylo r CD. Grey zo nes o f clinical practice: so me limits to evidence-based
medicine. Lancet 1995;345(8953):840-2.
Clarke M, Oxman AD, edito rs. Co chrane Reviewers’ Handbo o k 4.0 [updated July 1999]. In: Review Manager (RevMan) [Co mputer pro gram]. Versio n 4.0. Oxfo rd, England: The Co chrane Co llabo ratio n, 1999.
Álva ro N a gib Ata lla h, M D, PhD, M CE
Editor, Sã o Pa ulo M edica l Journa l
APPENDIX
As a appendix to the above editorial, readers, practitioners and
researchers may find it useful to have a list of the subjects and
authors of the Brazilian Collaborations accepted for publication
in the Co chrane Library as co mplete systematic reviews
(Cochrane Database of Complete Reviews) and Cochrane
Protocols (Cochrane Database of Protocols). During the Rome
Colloquium of the Cochrane Collaboration (O ctober 1 9 9 9 ), Dr.
Iain Chalmers showed that the Brazilian contribution to the
Cochrane Library has so far been greater than that of European
countries, except for United Kingdom and Netherlands.
Protocols
1. 5HT-1 ago nists fo r Generalized Anxiety Diso rder [pro to co l] Kapczinski F, Ribeiro L, Quevedo J, Iso lan L, Busnello JV, Gale C, Lima MS.
2. Amisulpride fo r schizo phrenia [pro to co l] Mo ta Neto JIS, Lima MS, So ares BGO. 3. Antibio tic pro phylaxis fo r mammalian bites [pro to co l] Medeiro s I, Saco nato
H, Bo rba, G.
4. Antibio tics fo r treating lepto spiro sis [pro to co l] Guidugli F, Castro AA, Atallah AN. 5. Antid e p re s s ants and p s yc ho the rap ie s fo r b ulim ia ne rvo s a [ p ro to c o l]
Bacaltchuk J, Hay P , Trefiglio R.
6. Antidepressants fo r Generalized Anxiety Diso rder [pro to co l] Kapczinski F, Schmitt R, Quevedo J, Busnello JV, Iso lan L, Gale C, Lima MS.
7. Benzo diazepines fo r Generalized Anxiety [pro to co l] Gale C, Kapczinski F, Busnello JV, Iso lan L, Quevedo J, Lima MS.
8. Carb am aze p ine fo r c o c aine d e p e nd e nc e [p ro to c o l] Lim a AR, Lim a MS, Churchill R, Farrell M.
9. Carbamazepine fo r Bipo lar Affective Diso rders [pro to co l] Bandeira CA, Lima MS, Geddes J, Guedes VP, Ho to pf M.
10. Cyc lo p ho s p ham id e ve rs us m e thylp re d nis o lo ne fo r s ys te m ic lup us erythemato sus [pro to co l] Trevisani VFM, Castro AA, Neves Neto JF, Atallah AN. 11. Cyclo spo rin A fo r ste ro id-re sistant ne phro tic syndro me [pro to co l] Ko ch
No gueira PC, Rivet C, Haugh MC, Cucherat M, Co chat P
12. Duratio n o f initial heparin treatment fo r deep-vein thro mbo sis [pro to co l] Castro AA, Clark OAC, Atallah AN, Burihan E
13. Educatio nal games fo r mental health pro fessio nals [pro to co l] Go mes M, Kelly S.
14. Gluco co rtico stero ids fo r alco ho lic hepatitis [pro to co l] Saco nato H, Di Sena V, Gluud C, Christensen E, Atallah A.
15. Inhaled ipratro pium bro mide fo r stable chro nic o bstructive pulmo nary disease [pro to co l] Lettieri S, Jardim JB, Cendo n S, Castro AA, Atallah AN. 16. Interventio ns fo r treating amo ebiasis [pro to co l] Saco nato H, Medeiro s IM,
So uza RMS.
17. Iro n therapy and psycho mo to r develo pment and co gnitive functio n in children under the age o f three with iro n deficiency anaemia [pro to co l] Martins S, Lo gan S, Gilbert R.
18. Mannito l fo r acute ischaemic stro ke and cerebral parenchymal haemo rrhage [pro to co l] Bereczki D, Liu M, do Prado GF, Fekete I.
19. Me chanical b o we l pre paratio n fo r e le ctive co lo re ctal surge ry [pro to co l] Guenaga KF, Mato s D, Castro AA, Atallah AN.
20. Mechanical versus manual suturing fo r anasto mo sis o f the large intestine [pro to co l] Lusto sa SAS, Mato s D, Atallah AN, Castro AA.
21. No n-neuro leptic medicatio ns impacting o n do pamine and no radrenaline fo r neuro leptic-induced tardive dyskinesia [pro to co l] So ares KVS, McGrath JJ. 22. Oral theo phylline fo r stable chro nic o bstructive pulmo nary disease [pro to co l]
Cendo n S, Lacasse Y, Castro AA, Jardim JR, Atallah AN, Go ldstein R, Jo nes PW. 23. Pharmaco lo gical treatments fo r neuro leptic-induced acute akathisia [pro to co l]
Lima AR, So ares KVS, Bacaltchuk J, Barnes TRE.
24. Pharmaco therapy fo r bulimia nervo sa [pro to co l] Bacaltchuk J, Hay P. 25. Pharmaco therapy fo r dysthymia [pro to co l] Lima MS, Ho to pf M.
26. Physo stigmine fo r Alzheimer’s disease [pro to co l] Co elho Filho JM, Birks J, Grimley Evans J.
27. Psycho therapies fo r Generalised Anxiety Diso rder [pro to co l] Kapczinski F, Margis R, Busnello JV, Iso lan L, Quevedo J, Gale C, Lima MS.
28. Sling o peratio ns fo r urinary inco ntinence in wo men [pro to co l] Bezerra CA, Bruschini H.
29. Surgery fo r Obsessive-Co mpulsive Diso rder [pro to co l] Lo pes AC, So ares KVS, Del Po rto JA.
30. To pical fluo ride fo r preventing dental caries in children and ado lescents [pro to co l] Marinho VCC, Sheiham A, Lo gan S, Higgins JPT.
31. Vitamin B6 fo r premenstrual syndro me [pro to co l] Iasco SM, Castro AA, Atallah AN
Reviews
1. Anticho linergic medicatio n fo r neuro leptic-induced tardive dyskinesia So ares KVS, McGrath JJ.
2. Benzo diazepines fo r neuro leptic-induced tardive dyskinesia McGrath JJ, So ares KVS. 3. Calcium supple me ntatio n during pre gnancy fo r pre ve nting hype rte nsive
diso rders and related pro blems Atallah AN, Ho fmeyr GJ, Duley L. 4. Cho linergic medicatio n fo r neuro leptic-induced tardive dyskinesia McGrath
JJ, So ares KVS.
5. Co gnitive behavio ur therapy fo r schizo phrenia Jo nes C, Co rmac I, Mo ta J, Campbell C.
6. Diltiazem, nifedipine, nimo dipine o r verapamil fo r neuro leptic-induced tardive dyskinesia So ares KVS, McGrath JJ.
7. Drugs versus placebo fo r dysthymia Lima MS, Mo ncrieff J.
8. Family interventio n fo r schizo phrenia Pharo ah FM, Mari JJ, Streiner D. 9. Fixed do se subcutaneo us lo w mo lecular weight heparins versus adjusted do se
unfractio nated heparin fo r veno us thro mbo embo lism van den Belt AGM, Prins MH, Lensing AWA, Castro AA, Clark OAC, Atallah AN, Burihan E.
10. Gamma-amino butyric-acid ago nist medicatio n fo r neuro leptic-induced tardive dyskinesia. So ares KVS, McGrath JJ, Deeks JJ
11. Interventio ns fo r treating schisto so miasis manso ni Saco nato H, Atallah A 12. Miscellaneo us treatments fo r neuro leptic-induced tardive dyskinesia McGrath
JJ, So ares KVS.
13. Neuro leptic reductio n and/o r cessatio n and neuro leptics as specific treatments fo r tardive dyskinesia McGrath JJ, So ares KVS.
14. Sulpiride fo r schizo phrenia So ares BGO, Fento n M, Chue P.
15. Vitamin E fo r neuro leptic-induced tardive dyskinesia So ares KVS, McGrath JJ. 16. Zuclo penthixo l acetate fo r acute schizo phrenia and similar serio us mental
illnesses Fento n M, Co utinho E, Campbell C.
