Pillows.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: We aimed to know if treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with early mobilisation is as safe and effective as bed rest. MATERIAL AND METHOD: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane library (CCTR), Spanish Medical Index, and MD-Consult Virtual Library databases were searched. We also cross-checked bibliographies of the retrieved articles. The TESEO database of doctoral theses in Spain was also revised. We only searched for clinical trial articles comparing bed rest with early mobilization with respect to the incidence of objectively diagnosed pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients treated for DVT of lower limbs. The concordance coefficient was evaluated by statistical methods. We used relative risk and 95% confidence intervals. Selection bias was evaluated using funnel plot. RESULTS: Only three articles were included in the metaanalysis, with 296 patients randomized from 773 patients initially evaluated, with a follow-up of 9 days to 3 months. Quality rating ranged from 61.4 to 90% and the kappa index of concordance ranged from 0.78 to 0.93. The relative risks of PE between the two groups of treatment (early mobilization versus bed rest) were 1.31 (0.63-2.72), 1.50 (0.17-13.23), and 1.45 (0.56-3.75), respectively, and the global RR was 1.37 (0.78-2.40). CONCLUSIONS: The analyzed studies reveal that the treatment of DVT with early mobilization rather than bed rest neither increases the rate of PE nor increases the complication rate. New well designed, controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm the conclusions of this review.

Bed Rest↗

PubMed2004

Bed rest in singleton pregnancies for preventing preterm birth.

BACKGROUND: Bed rest in hospital or at home is widely recommended for the prevention of preterm birth. This advice is based on the observation that hard work and hard physical activity during pregnancy could be associated with preterm birth and with the idea that bed rest could reduce uterine activity. However, bed rest may have some adverse effects on other outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of prescription of bed rest in hospital or at home for preventing preterm birth in pregnant women at high risk of preterm birth. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register (July 2003), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2003), MEDLINE (July 2003), LILACS (July 2003), EMBASE (July 2003), POPLINE (July 2003) and bibliographies of relevant papers. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials with reported data that assess clinical outcomes in women at high risk of spontaneous preterm birth who were prescribed bed rest in hospital or at home for preventing preterm birth, and their babies. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers independently assessed eligibility, trial quality and extracted data. MAIN RESULTS: One study met the inclusion criteria (1266 women). This trial has uncertain methodological quality due to lack of reporting. Four hundred and thirty-two women were prescribed bed rest at home and a total of 834 women received a placebo (412) or no intervention (422). Preterm birth before 37 weeks was similar in both groups (7.9% in the intervention group versus 8.5% in the control group), and the relative risk was 0.92 with a 95% confidence interval from 0.62 to 1.37. No other results were available. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence, either supporting or refuting the use of bed rest at home or in hospital, to prevent preterm birth. Although bed rest in hospital or at home is widely used as the first step of treatment, there is no evidence that this practice could be beneficial. Due to the potential adverse effects that bed rest could have on women and their families, and the increased costs for the healthcare system, clinicians should not routinely advise women to rest in bed to prevent preterm birth. Potential benefits and harms should be discussed with women facing an increased risk of preterm birth. Appropriate research is mandatory. Future trials should evaluate both the effectiveness of bed rest, and the effectiveness of the prescription of bed rest, to prevent preterm birth.

Bed Rest↗