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Search review questions

Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.

Limit to evidence status or GRADE (optional)

806 questions in 76 reviews · ENT

current versions
No studies 293 · 36.4%Ungraded 6 · 0.7%Very low 244 · 30.3%Low 170 · 21.1%Moderate 85 · 10.5%High 8 · 1%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

QuestionEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Intervention NR
Communication Validated self‐report measure: verbal subscale of the CPHI scale from 0 to 5 (Demorest 1987) · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 588 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Adherence Number of people fitted with hearing aid/number of people who use the aids · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.06 [1, 1.12]1 study · 162 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Daily hours of hearing aid use Self‐reported or data‐logged average hours of use per day. Scale from: 0 to 12 hours · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted2 studies · 69 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Adverse effects · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Intervention NR
Quality of life Validated self‐report measures. IOI‐HA item 7 scale from: 1 to 5 · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted2 studies · 69 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Self‐reported hearing handicap Validated self‐report measures · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted3 studies · 88 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Daily hours of hearing aid use · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Intervention NR
Hearing aid benefit Validated self‐report measures (IOI‐HA item 4). Scale from: 1 to 5 · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted2 studies · 69 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Use of verbal communication strategy Validated self‐report measures (verbal subscale of the CPHI (Demorest 1987)). Scale from: 0 to 5 · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 34 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Adverse effects · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Intervention NR
Quality of life Validated self‐report measures. WHODAS 2.0 scale from: 0 to 100 · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 35 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Self‐reported hearing handicap Validated self‐report measure: HHIE (Ventry 1982) scale from 0 to 100 · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted2 studies · 87 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Hearing aid benefit · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Intervention NR
Communication Validated self‐report measure: verbal subscale of the CPHI (Demorest 1987) scale from 0 to 5 · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 52 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Adherence Number of people fitted with hearing aid/number of people who use the aids · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.02 [0.99, 1.05]2 studies · 686 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Daily hours of hearing aid use Average self‐reported or data‐logged hours of use per day. Scale from: 0 to 12 hours · adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids
Interventions to improve hearing aid use in adult auditory rehabilitation (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted4 studies · 700 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Rate of otorrhoea (episodes per year) · children (aged 6 months to 6 years) with ventilation tubes
Water precautions for prevention of infection in children with ventilation tubes (grommets) (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 172 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Rate of otorrhoea (episodes per year) · children (aged 3 months to 12 years) with ventilation tubes
Water precautions for prevention of infection in children with ventilation tubes (grommets) (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 92 participantsVery low
Betahistine vs placebo
Benefits · patients with symptoms of vertigo
Betahistine for symptoms of vertigo (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Betahistine vs placebo
Proportion of patients with improvement according to global judgement of patient subgrouped by diagnosis№ of participants: 606(11 RCTs) · patients with symptoms of vertigo
Betahistine for symptoms of vertigo (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.3 [1.05, 1.6]NRLow
Betahistine vs placebo
Harms · patients with symptoms of vertigo
Betahistine for symptoms of vertigo (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Betahistine vs placebo
Proportion of patients with adverse effects№ of participants: 819(12 RCTs) · patients with symptoms of vertigo
Betahistine for symptoms of vertigo (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.03 [0.76, 1.4]NRLow
Minimally invasive surgery vs radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy
Overall survival · patients with small‐volume primary oropharyngeal carcinoma
Minimally invasive surgery versus radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy for small‐volume primary oropharyngeal… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Minimally invasive surgery vs radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy
Locoregional control · patients with small‐volume primary oropharyngeal carcinoma
Minimally invasive surgery versus radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy for small‐volume primary oropharyngeal… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Minimally invasive surgery vs radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy
Progression‐free survival · patients with small‐volume primary oropharyngeal carcinoma
Minimally invasive surgery versus radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy for small‐volume primary oropharyngeal… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Minimally invasive surgery vs radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy
Gastrostomy rate (at 1 year) · patients with small‐volume primary oropharyngeal carcinoma
Minimally invasive surgery versus radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy for small‐volume primary oropharyngeal… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Minimally invasive surgery vs radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy
Tracheostomy rate · patients with small‐volume primary oropharyngeal carcinoma
Minimally invasive surgery versus radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy for small‐volume primary oropharyngeal… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Minimally invasive surgery vs radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy
Swallowing function (MDADI) · patients with small‐volume primary oropharyngeal carcinoma
Minimally invasive surgery versus radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy for small‐volume primary oropharyngeal… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Minimally invasive surgery vs radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy
Quality of life (EORTC QLQ‐C30 and H&N35) · patients with small‐volume primary oropharyngeal carcinoma
Minimally invasive surgery versus radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy for small‐volume primary oropharyngeal… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Therapeutic swallowing exercises vs treatment
Swallowing function/efficiency Measured using a rating of oropharyngeal swallowing efficiency (OPSE) quantifying the interaction of the speed of bolus movement and safety/efficiency in clearing material from the oropharynx Dysphagia is defined as ... · adults with advanced head and neck cancer
Therapeutic exercises for affecting post‐treatment swallowing in people treated for advanced‐stage head and… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 16 participantsVery low
Therapeutic swallowing exercises vs treatment
Adverse event: Weight loss (> 10%) Change in nutritional status reflected by a patient's weight measured at 6 weeks post‐treatment · adults with advanced head and neck cancer
Therapeutic exercises for affecting post‐treatment swallowing in people treated for advanced‐stage head and… (2016) · Cochrane
RR 0.62 [0.22, 1.71]1 study · 27 participantsVery low
Therapeutic swallowing exercises vs treatment
Adverse event: Weight loss (> 10%) Change in nutritional status reflected by a patient's weight during the study period 10 weeks post‐treatment · adults with advanced head and neck cancer
Therapeutic exercises for affecting post‐treatment swallowing in people treated for advanced‐stage head and… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 55 participantsVery low
Therapeutic swallowing exercises vs treatment
Adverse event: Weight change Patient's body weight 6 months before the start of treatment was retrieved from the patient's medical notes and "relative weight change" was calculated as the percentage weight change relative to the weight at week 0 6... · adults with advanced head and neck cancer
Therapeutic exercises for affecting post‐treatment swallowing in people treated for advanced‐stage head and… (2016) · Cochrane
MD 1.341 study · 120 participantsVery low
Therapeutic swallowing exercises vs treatment
Aspiration Scored as present, trace or absent, for any consistency 5 months post‐treatment · adults with advanced head and neck cancer
Therapeutic exercises for affecting post‐treatment swallowing in people treated for advanced‐stage head and… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 39 participantsVery low
Therapeutic swallowing exercises vs treatment
Penetration Scored as present, trace or absent, for any consistency 5 months post‐treatment · adults with advanced head and neck cancer
Therapeutic exercises for affecting post‐treatment swallowing in people treated for advanced‐stage head and… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 39 participantsVery low
Therapeutic swallowing exercises vs sham intervention
Adverse events: Dysphagia‐related complications Occurrence of dysphagia‐related complications: pneumonia, dehydration, mucositis and oral yeast infection · adults with advanced head and neck cancer
Therapeutic exercises for affecting post‐treatment swallowing in people treated for advanced‐stage head and… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 27 participantsVery low
Therapeutic swallowing exercises vs sham intervention
Adverse event: Weight loss (> 10%) Change in nutritional status reflected by a patient's weight at 6 weeks after treatment · adults with advanced head and neck cancer
Therapeutic exercises for affecting post‐treatment swallowing in people treated for advanced‐stage head and… (2016) · Cochrane
RR 0.62 [0.22, 1.71]1 study · 27 participantsVery low
Antibiotic eardrops (with or without a corticosteroid) vs oral antibiotics
Resolution of ear discharge at short‐term
Interventions for children with ear discharge occurring at least two weeks following grommet (ventilation… (2016) · Cochrane
RR 2.58 [1.27, 5.22]1 study · 42 participantsModerate
Antibiotic eardrops (with or without a corticosteroid) vs oral antibiotics
Adverse events
Interventions for children with ear discharge occurring at least two weeks following grommet (ventilation… (2016) · Cochrane
RR 0.37 [0.12, 1.09]3 studies · 705 participantsLow
Antibiotic eardrops (with or without a corticosteroid) vs oral antibiotics
Serious complications
Interventions for children with ear discharge occurring at least two weeks following grommet (ventilation… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 153 participantsVery low
Antibiotic eardrops (with or without a corticosteroid) vs oral antibiotics
Resolution of ear discharge at intermediate‐term
Interventions for children with ear discharge occurring at least two weeks following grommet (ventilation… (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.7 [1.38, 2.08]1 study · 153 participantsModerate
Antibiotic eardrops (with or without a corticosteroid) vs oral antibiotics
Duration of ear discharge
Interventions for children with ear discharge occurring at least two weeks following grommet (ventilation… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted2 studies · 232 participantsModerate
Antibiotic eardrops (with or without a corticosteroid) vs oral antibiotics
Tube blockage
Interventions for children with ear discharge occurring at least two weeks following grommet (ventilation… (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.2 [0.33, 4.45]2 studies · 121 participantsLow
Antibiotic eardrops (with or without a corticosteroid) vs oral antibiotics
Health‐related quality of life
Interventions for children with ear discharge occurring at least two weeks following grommet (ventilation… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Antibiotic eardrops (with or without a corticosteroid) vs oral antibiotics
Generic ‐ CHQ
Interventions for children with ear discharge occurring at least two weeks following grommet (ventilation… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 153 participantsLow
Antibiotic eardrops (with or without a corticosteroid) vs oral antibiotics
Disease‐specific ‐ OM‐6 (range 6 to 42)
Interventions for children with ear discharge occurring at least two weeks following grommet (ventilation… (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 153 participantsLow
Positive pressure therapy vs placebo
Proportion of days with vertigo in 4 weeks: vertigo scores > 2 · patients with Ménière's disease or syndrome
Positive pressure therapy for Ménière's disease or syndrome (2015) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 62 participantsModerate
Positive pressure therapy vs placebo
Cumulative vertigo scores after 4 months · patients with Ménière's disease or syndrome
Positive pressure therapy for Ménière's disease or syndrome (2015) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 68 participantsModerate
Positive pressure therapy vs placebo
Vertigo days in 4 months: vertigo scores > 2 · patients with Ménière's disease or syndrome
Positive pressure therapy for Ménière's disease or syndrome (2015) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 68 participantsModerate
Positive pressure therapy vs placebo
Vertigo frequency in the 8 weeks before and after 4 weeks of treatment · patients with Ménière's disease or syndrome
Positive pressure therapy for Ménière's disease or syndrome (2015) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 40 participantsModerate