Cochrane published reviews

Back Review Group

The Cochrane Back Review Group coordinates the publication of literature reviews of diagnosis, primary and secondary prevention and treatment of neck and back pain and other spinal disorders, excluding inflammatory diseases and fractures.

• Arthroplasty versus fusion in single-level cervical degenerative disc disease
• Botulinum toxin for subacute/chronic neck pain
• Botulinum toxin injections for low-back pain and sciatica
• Braces for idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents
• Exercises for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
• Exercises for mechanical neck disorders
• Manual material handling advice and assistive devices for preventing and treating back pain in workers
• Massage for mechanical neck disorders
• Patient education for neck pain
• Spinal manipulative therapy for acute low-back pain
• Total disc replacement for chronic back pain in the presence of disc degeneration
• Workplace interventions for neck pain in workers

Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group

The Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group produces systematic reviews of interventions, tested within randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials, for the:

• primary and secondary prevention of fractures, dislocations, and soft tissue injuries of the appendicular skeleton and associated soft tissues, and the prevention of complications or adverse effects of treatment;
• management (treatment and rehabilitation) of patients with fractures, dislocations, and soft tissue injuries of the appendicular skeleton and associated soft tissues
• Cold-water immersion (cryotherapy) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise
• Interventions for treating isolated diaphyseal fractures of the ulna in adults
• Manipulative interventions for reducing pulled elbow in young children
• Patellar taping for patellofemoral pain syndrome in adults
• Surgical versus conservative interventions for treating ankle fractures in adults
• Ultrasound and shockwave therapy for acute fractures in adults

Musculoskeletal Group

The Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group produces reliable, up-to-date reviews of interventions for the prevention, treatment or rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders in the form of systematic reviews.

• Antidepressants for pain management in rheumatoid arthritis
• Botulinum toxin for shoulder pain
• Cemented, cementless or hybrid fixation options in total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis and other non-traumatic diseases
• Combination therapy for pain management in inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, other spondyloarthritis)
• Continuous passive motion following total knee arthroplasty in people with arthritis
• Cryotherapy following total knee replacement
• Doxycycline for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip
• Febuxostat for treating chronic gout
• Image-guided versus blind glucocorticoid injection for shoulder pain
• Interventions for treating osteoarthritis of the big toe joint
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) for fibromyalgia syndrome
• Muscle relaxants for pain management in rheumatoid arthritis
• Neuromodulators for pain management in rheumatoid arthritis
• Opioid therapy for treating rheumatoid arthritis pain
• Pain management for inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and other spondyloarthritis) and gastrointestinal or liver comorbidity
• Pain management for rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular or renal comorbidity
• Safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin and paracetamol (acetaminophen) in people receiving methotrexate for inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, other spondyloarthritis)
• Tocilizumab for rheumatoid arthritis

Oral Health Group

The Cochrane Oral Health Group prepares, maintains, and disseminates systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials in oral health. Oral health is broadly conceived to include the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of oral, dental and craniofacial diseases and disorders.

• Adhesives for bonded molar tubes during fixed brace treatment
• Antibiotics to prevent complications following tooth extractions
• Arthroscopy for temporomandibular disorders
• Extraction of primary (baby) teeth for unerupted palatally displaced permanent canine teeth in children
• Fluoride supplements (tablets, drops, lozenges or chewing gums) for preventing dental caries in children
• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment
• Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition
• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies
• Interventions for the management of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis
• Interventions for tobacco cessation in the dental setting
• Interventions for treating oral lichen planus
• Irrigants for non-surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth
• Oral health advice for people with serious mental illness
• Parasympathomimetic drugs for the treatment of salivary gland dysfunction due to radiotherapy
• Preoperative analgesics for additional pain relief in children and adolescents having dental treatment
• Psychosocial interventions for the management of chronic orofacial pain
• Secondary bone grafting for alveolar cleft in children with cleft lip or cleft lip and palate
• Sedation versus general anaesthesia for provision of dental treatment in under 18 year olds
• Single crowns versus conventional fillings for the restoration of root filled teeth
• Single dose oral paracetamol (acetaminophen) for postoperative pain in adults
• Surgical removal versus retention for the management of asymptomatic impacted wisdom teeth
• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers)
• Treatments for adults with prominent lower front teeth