EJPRM systematic continuous update on Cochrane reviews in rehabilitation: news from the 4th Issue 2008.

AIM

In 2007 a systematic review about the rehabilitation contents of the Cochrane Collaboration was published. That review was then continuously updated by systematically searching the new papers published in every Cochrane Issue. The aim of the present paper was to systematically review all the rehabilitation papers published in the 4th Issue of 2008 from the Cochrane Library.

METHODS

The author systematically searched all the paper of rehabilitative interest from the 4th Issue 2008 of the Cochrane Library. The papers have been divided in 3 groups: new reviews, updated reviews and protocols. Each group have been then divided in subgroups on the base of the topic.

RESULTS

The number of included papers was 27, including 7 new reviews, 11 updated reviews and 9 protocols. About updated reviews, 4 reviews changed conclusions on the base of the most recent RCTs.

CONCLUSIONS

The Cochrane Collaboration and its product, the Cochrane Library are really relevant instruments to improve evidence-based medicine (EBM) in medical practice and thus also in the rehabilitation field. The present paper can help REHABILITATION SPECIALISTS to easily retrieve the conclusions of the most relevant and updated reviews in order to change their clinical practice in a more rapid and effective way.