Evidence-based pain management and palliative care in Issue One for 2006 of The Cochrane Library

Abstract

The Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews is published quarterly. It now contains 2608 complete reviews, 1592 protocols of reviews and 5859 one page summaries of systematic reviews published in the general medical literature. In addition there are citations of over 470,000 randomised controlled trials, 20 methodology reviews and 7615 cited papers in the Cochrane methodology register. The health technology assessment database contains 5378 citations. This edition of the Library contains 83 new reviews of which the three have potential relevance for practitioners in pain and palliative medicine. These address opioids for the management of breakthrough (episodic) pain in cancer patients, perioperative ketamine for acute postoperative pain, and superficial heat or cold for low back pain.