Hot topics ~ literature review January to July 1998.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Journal Article↗
SEARCH · PubMed Health
Results for “Review Literature as Topic”
Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Seclusion and restraint of children: a literature review.
TOPIC: Nurses' attitudes toward the use of seclusion and restraint with children. PURPOSE: To review recent literature concerning these controversial interventions, and to examine possible alternative therapeutic interventions. SOURCES: Selected published nursing and psychiatric literature 1987 to 1998. CONCLUSIONS: Staff have a positive attitude toward the use of seclusion and restraint. A theory of power and control may explain their use when many alternative, less restrictive interventions are available.
Attitude of Health Personnel↗
A critique of research on the use of activities with persons with Alzheimer's disease: a systematic literature review.
TOPIC: The topic of this paper concerns the use of therapeutic activities with persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD). PURPOSE: The purpose is to present a critique of the research on these activities, with an emphasis on methodology. ORGANIZING CONSTRUCT AND SCOPE: Nursing literature identifies a number of purposes for activities for persons with AD. Activities should be therapeutic, enhance quality of life, arrest mental decline, and generate and maintain self-esteem. Other purposes of activities for this population are to create immediate pleasure, re-establish dignity, provide meaningful tasks, restore roles, and enable friendships. Activities may be more important to the psychological state of well-being of persons with dementia than the general physical and social environments in which they live. SOURCES: The literature reviewed was identified with the use of computer data bases (Medline - 1991-March 2001; Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) - 1991-March 2001; and PsychLit - 1988-March 1999). In addition, data bases of Science Citation Index and Social Science Citation Indexes as they appear in the computer base, Web of Science, were searched for 1992-2001. The time period for each search was determined by the manner in which the literature was grouped for inclusion in the particular database. Hand searches of 11 selected journals included the years 1993-2001. The search dates were selected to reflect the time period when the largest number of studies on activities and AD have appeared in the professional literature. We critique a total of 33 studies. CONCLUSIONS: While researchers have demonstrated interest in the use of activities with persons with AD, theoretical and methodological difficulties, unclear findings and gaps exist, including a lack of emphasis on gender, ethnic, racial or cultural differences. Sampling issues involving diagnosis and staging complicate the research on individuals with AD. Case studies, single subject experimental designs, and tightly controlled quasi-experimental and experimental designs are needed to advance knowledge in this important area.
Alzheimer Disease↗
Pharmacology for post-traumatic stress disorder related to childhood sexual abuse: a literature review.
TOPIC: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to pharmacotherapy responses in general and specifically to noncombat symptomatology related to childhood sexual abuse. PURPOSE: To explore findings related to pharmacological advances in the treatment of PTSD and relate the findings to the treatment of childhood sexual abuse. SOURCES: Published literature. CONCLUSIONS: The literature on pharmacotherapy for PTSD in general and childhood trauma and PTSD in particular is small and inconsistent, but we need to be aware of any and all advances.
Adult↗
The value of systematic reviews in research.
Nurses may be deterred from using research to inform their practice because of the huge numbers of papers available on some topics. Literature reviews on a topic of interest may make the task easier. A systematic review aims to discover all the research undertaken on a subject and review all the results in a scientific manner. Systematic reviews may highlight findings not available from individual studies and can thus help to inform and improve practice.
Nurses↗
Writing up qualitative research...better.
The author presents his views for breaking from the traditional order ("Chapter Two" in many studies) and segregation of topics--literature review, theory, and method-in favor of integrating these components into a report only as needed. He urges researchers to consider alternative ways of satisfying the intent of a literature review. He questions whether traditional requirements result in theories being forced or presented prematurely, and raises the possibility of presenting mutltiple or cumulative theories toward the study's end. He notes that qualitative research is based on participant observation and the resulting insights and wonders whether an emphasis on methodology detracts from our studies. Engaging writing can result when writers are free to break with tradition and present their findings in discovery-oriented ways.
Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
Isolated dissections and dissecting aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery: topic and literature review.
Isolated dissections of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) are rare. Thus, no large series of cases have been reported in the literature. Due to limited knowledge regarding the natural history of these lesions and the lack of high-quality evidence supporting various treatment options, management is controversial and practice parameters are ill defined. In order to offer a comprehensive reference for the diagnosis and management of isolated PICA dissections, the authors reviewed the National Library of Medicine from 1966 to October 2001. Twenty-seven patients averaging 43.6 years of age and including 14 males and 13 females were reported. Subarachnoid hemorrhage occurred in 20 patients, and two died. Dissections were located in the proximal PICA in 22 patients and were three times more common on the left side (left:right=3:1). Six patients were managed conservatively, and four with endovascular techniques. Seventeen had open surgery: five underwent resection, two went through trapping, and two had proximal clipping. Wrapping with muscle was performed in two patients, encasement with Sundt clips in two, and four had occipital artery (OA)-PICA bypass surgery. A meticulous analysis of reported cases with regard to clinical and pathological features, management strategies, and outcomes is presented.
Adult↗
Teaching skills for accessing and interpreting information from systematic reviews/meta-analyses, practice guidelines, and the Internet.
Skills and practice related to accessing and interpreting clinical information from systematic reviews/meta-analyses, practice guidelines, and the Internet have been integrated into a new senior year elective designed to teach medical students how to critically appraise information from a variety of sources and evaluate it's applicability to patient care. Small groups of senior medical students under the direction of a multidisciplinary team (behavioral scientist, information specialist, physician) facilitate discussions of clinical articles using checklists designed to evaluate their quality. The central feature of the course is a demonstration of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), an electronic journal distributed by BMJ Publishing, and the requirement that students conduct a literature review on a topic of their choice and present an oral and written summary in the form of a "draft" meta-analysis. Students are provided with strategies to "surf" the Internet/WWW for information, e.g., practice guidelines/treatment protocols, descriptions of on-going clinical trials. A total of 52 students have participated to date. Students have selected project topics across a wide range of medical disciplines, including internal medicine, family practice, OB/GYN, pediatrics, surgery, neurology, emergency medicine, and psychiatry. The course is one of the most favorably evaluated of all senior electives and rated more favorably than the overall mean ratings for all electives combined on 8 of 9 scales, including "Quality of course overall" (4.39 vs. 3.92 on 5-point scale).
Computer Communication Networks↗
The relevance of plasminogen activators to neoplastic growth. A review of recent literature.
The topics reviewed in this article include transcriptional regulation of plasminogen activators, their relevance to differentiation, tumor progression, and to the metastatic spread of cancer. Recent information on the nature of cellular plasminogen activator receptors is also discussed. Particular attention is paid to the increasing number of observations indicating that several of the inducers of plasminogen activator synthesis utilize distinct regulatory pathways.
Humans↗
Systematic reviews: what do they involve?
Systematic reviews are a source of evidence to guide practice and identify the need for future research. This article gives an outline of the methods involved in conducting systematic reviews, including the identification of a review topic, searching literature, selecting studies to be reviewed and synthesising study findings.
Evidence-Based Medicine↗
The Texas Medication Algorithm Project antipsychotic algorithm for schizophrenia: 2003 update.
BACKGROUND: The Texas Medication Algorithm Project (TMAP) has been a public-academic collaboration in which guidelines for medication treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder were used in selected public outpatient clinics in Texas. Subsequently, these algorithms were implemented throughout Texas and are being used in other states. Guidelines require updating when significant new evidence emerges; the antipsychotic algorithm for schizophrenia was last updated in 1999. This article reports the recommendations developed in 2002 and 2003 by a group of experts, clinicians, and administrators. METHOD: A conference in January 2002 began the update process. Before the conference, experts in the pharmacologic treatment of schizophrenia, clinicians, and administrators reviewed literature topics and prepared presentations. Topics included ziprasidone's inclusion in the algorithm, the number of antipsychotics tried before clozapine, and the role of first generation antipsychotics. Data were rated according to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality criteria. After discussing the presentations, conference attendees arrived at consensus recommendations. Consideration of aripiprazole's inclusion was subsequently handled by electronic communications. RESULTS: The antipsychotic algorithm for schizophrenia was updated to include ziprasidone and aripiprazole among the first-line agents. Relative to the prior algorithm, the number of stages before clozapine was reduced. First generation antipsychotics were included but not as first-line choices. For patients refusing or not responding to clozapine and clozapine augmentation, preference was given to trying monotherapy with another antipsychotic before resorting to antipsychotic combinations. CONCLUSION: Consensus on algorithm revisions was achieved, but only further well-controlled research will answer many key questions about sequence and type of medication treatments of schizophrenia.
Algorithms↗
Salicylism from topical salicylates: review of the literature.
BACKGROUND: Although topical salicylates are widely used, toxicity from this route is rare. CASE REPORT: We present an unusual case of salicylism from a topical salicylate preparation in an 80-year-old woman. The patient was admitted to the dermatology service with a diagnosis of erythroderma and was treated with salicylate containing ointments. After six days of treatment the patient became confused and paranoid. A serum salicylate was 3.36 mmol/L (46 mg/dL). The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit were she was rehydrated and treated with bicarbonate and activated charcoal. RESULTS: Her serum salicylate fell to 1.90 mmol/L (26 mg/dL) over a two day period and she regained a normal mental status.
Acidosis↗
Silver sulfadiazine: an antibacterial agent for topical use in burns. A review of the literature.
Topical antibacterial treatment is of major importance in the burn patient. Silver sulfadiazine is an effective agent with low toxicity and few side effects. Deposition of silver in tissues, and absorption of sulfadiazine are both minimal. Present and future problems are represented by the emergence of resistant Gram negative bacilli, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The development of related metal sulfadiazines to be used against resistant bacteria is on an investigational stage, and clinical trials are few. Silver sulfadiazine may be used in a variety of other conditions than burns.
Administration, Topical↗
Synthesizing medical evidence: systematic reviews and metaanalyses.
Systematic reviews and metaanalyses have become increasingly popular ways of summarizing, and sometimes extending, existing medical knowledge. In this review the authors summarize current methods of performing metaanalyses, including the following: formulating a research question; performing a structured literature search and a search for trials not published in the formal medical literature; summarizing and, where appropriate, combining results from several trials; and reporting and presenting results. Topics such as cumulative and Bayesian metaanalysis and metaregression are also addressed. References to textbooks, articles, and Internet resources are also provided. The goal is to assist readers who wish to perform their own metaanalysis or to interpret critically a published example.
Bayes Theorem↗
The evidence base for gerontological nursing practice. Part 2: Making sense of the evidence.
This is the second of two articles exploring the meaning of 'evidence-based practice'. The first, in last month's issue, considered what is meant by 'evidence'. This month, Jan Draper examines how literature reviews can help nurses make sense of the variety of evidence available to them.
Aged↗
Meta-analysis in literature reviews.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Meta-Analysis as Topic↗
Knowledge translation and evidence-based perinatal/neonatal health care.
Knowledge translation is the process of bridging the gap between the overwhelming amount of research data/information/evidence and its critical appraisal, synthesis, dissemination, and application as knowledge by influential role models. Knowledge translation includes ongoing surveillance of the results of the implementation of new knowledge. By conducting research that is driven by relevant, well-defined questions and by using the most powerful study designs available, researchers generate valid new information that can later be translated into knowledge and applied in the clinical setting. Systematic reviews of the literature serve as good examples of knowledge management, when defined as "making proper use of the sum of what is known." Such reviews may identify that an intervention is effective without any harmful side effects, that it is noneffective, or that further research is warranted. Consumers of perinatal/neonatal health care or their ombudsmen should be encouraged to take part in setting the agenda and defining important outcomes for such research.
Diffusion of Innovation↗
The case against "the evidence": a different perspective on evidence-based medicine.
BACKGROUND: An evidenced-based approach to psychiatry is playing an increasingly prominent role in treatment decision-making for individual patients and for populations. Many doctors are now critical of the emphasis being placed on "the evidence" and concerned that clinical practice will become more constrained. AIMS: To demonstrate that evidence-based medicine is not new, sources of evidence are limited and psychosocial aspects of medicine are neglected in this process. METHOD: Some of the literature is reviewed. Ideas and arguments are synthesised into a critical commentary. RESULTS: These are considered under four headings: evidence-based medicine is not new; what evidence is acceptable; the doctor as therapist; and the emergence of a new utilitarian orthodoxy. CONCLUSIONS: It is agreed that a degree of professional consensus is necessary. However, too great an emphasis on evidence-based medicine oversimplifies the complex and interpersonal nature of clinical care.
Ethical Theory↗