Annual evidence updates - March 2010

The NHS Evidence Specialist Collections have been developed to identify and meet the information needs of particular communities of practice. They are web-based collections containing clinical and non-clinical information on the major health priority areas. Each specialist collection identifies and provides access to quality assessed information of relevance to the community that it serves.

An aspect of this involves the production of Annual Evidence Updates, which aim to highlight the best current evidence for selected healthcare topics. Annual Evidence Updates consist of the good quality evidence from a search of research evidence on a particular topic over a 12 month period, plus user-friendly summaries written by relevant experts, and links to guidelines, secondary research and primary research, if applicable. All information included in Annual Evidence Updates has been subject to rigorous selection criteria.

The calendar of Annual Evidence Updates until March 2010 is available here and the calendar covering April 2010 to March 2011 can be found here. The following Annual Evidence Updates are scheduled for March:

Acne vulgaris (NHS Evidence – skin disorders) 1st March
This is our fourth Annual Evidence Update on Acne Vulgaris. It includes the results of our search for new guidance and systematic reviews published since the last Annual Evidence Update in March 2009, and an overview of "what's new" by Professor Hywel Williams and Dr Emma Smith.

Dysmenorrhoea and endometriosis (NHS Evidence – women’s health) 1st March
Focusing on the investigation and management of both conditions these evidence updates aim to provide clinicians with up-to-date summaries of the latest evidence.

Multiple sclerosis (NHS Evidence – neurological conditions) 8th March
The Neurological Conditions Specialist Collection Project Team has carried out a systematic literature search on Multiple Sclerosis to identify all high level evidence published since the date of the last Multiple Sclerosis AEU in 2008, including guidelines, systematic reviews, health technology assessments and economic evaluations. Leading MS experts from around the UK have read and appraised these for their validity and relevance to the busy clinician. A list of the papers deemed worthy of inclusion, along with expert commentaries by our reviewers, will be freely available.

Prostate cancer (NHS Evidence – cancer) 8th March
This will be the third annual evidence update on prostrate cancer prepared by NHS Evidence – cancer. It will include the systematic reviews and guidance that have been published since March 2009.

Critical illness rehabilitation (NHS Evidence – surgery,anaesthesia, perioperative and critical care) 15th March
This update reviews evidence published between June 2008 and December 2009, using the NICE Guideline ‘Rehabilitation after critical illness’ (CG083) as its reference document. It covers the physical and non-physical consequences of critical illness including muscle weakness, anxiety and cognitive impairment. The evidence will be accompanied by peer-reviewed expert commentaries.

Hearing disorders (NHS Evidence – ENT and audiology) 15th March
Research on hearing disorders continues to proliferate and this evidence update will present a concise summary of the latest expert-reviewed primary and secondary research, combined with a list of current therapeutic uncertainties to prioritise future research. Multiple databases have been searched to capture all emerging evidence for the period January-December 2009.

Retinal vein occlusions (NHS Evidence – eyes and vision) 15th March
Guidance from The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and NICE formed the benchmark for the AEU and the following topics have been covered:

• Introduction
• Epidemiology
• Diagnosis
• Management of Central Retinal Vein Occlusion
• Management of Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

Topics will be supported by commentaries written by The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Retinal Vein Occlusion Guideline Group.

Inflammatory bowel disease (NHS Evidence – gastroenterology and liver diseases) 22nd March
This will be an update of last year’s AEU on inflammatory bowel disease.

Tuberculosis - on the move against TB (NHS Evidence – infections) 22nd March
The update has been timed to coincide with World TB Day on the 24^th of March. It will include the key guidance, systematic reviews and reports on tuberculosis that have been published in the last 12 months, along with expert commentaries and useful websites.

Annual evidence updates - February 2010

The NHS Evidence Specialist Collections have been developed to identify and meet the information needs of particular communities of practice. They are web-based collections containing clinical and non-clinical information on the major health priority areas. Each specialist collection identifies and provides access to quality assessed information of relevance to the community that it serves.

An aspect of this involves the production of Annual Evidence Updates, which aim to highlight the best current evidence for selected healthcare topics. Annual Evidence Updates consist of the good quality evidence from a search of research evidence on a particular topic over a 12 month period, plus user-friendly summaries written by relevant experts, and links to guidelines, secondary research and primary research, if applicable. All information included in Annual Evidence Updates has been subject to rigorous selection criteria.

The calendar of Annual Evidence Updates until March 2010 is available here and the calendar covering April 2010 to March 2011 can be found here. The following Annual Evidence Updates are scheduled for February:

Urinary incontinence (NHS specialist collections for kidney diseases and women's health) 1st February
This 2010 Evidence Update builds on the accumulated knowledge-base and provides up-to-date summaries of the latest evidence in the management of stress and urge urinary incontinence and overactive bladder. Specific topics include: sacral neuromodulation for urinary storage and voiding dysfunction; pharmacotherapy for stress urinary incontinence; the use of botulinum toxin in the management of overactive bladder syndrome (OAB), and conservative management of stress urinary incontinence.

The 2010 Annual Evidence Update on male urinary incontinence is also being launched in advance of the publication of the NICE guidelines on the Management of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men later this year. This AEU updates the high-quality evidence and commentaries on: post-prostatectomy and urinary incontinence; Botulinum Toxin A; conservative management; male and female quality of life studies; stress urinary incontinence and surgery; stress urinary incontinence and drug treatment; urgency urinary incontinence and surgery; and urgency urinary incontinence and drug treatment. We also present the RCTs and lower level evidence published in 2009 on Botulinum Toxin A and male urinary incontinence.

Tinnitus (ENT and audiology specialist collection) 8th February
Research on tinnitus continues to proliferate and this evidence update will present a concise summary of the latest expert-reviewed primary and secondary research, combined with a list of current therapeutic uncertainties to prioritise future research. Multiple databases have been searched to capture all emerging evidence for the period January-December 2009.

Chest pain (cardiovascular specialist collection) 22nd February
The 2010 Annual Evidence Update on chest pain seeks to identify key new systematic reviews and related documents published since the 2009 update and so identify the latest high quality evidence on this topic. The evidence will be accompanied by summaries from experts providing a commentary on the new evidence and whether this challenges current guidance/practice or identifies uncertainties in our knowledge on this topic.