Cochrane · systematic review · CD010655
Interventions for leg cramps in pregnancy
Luo, L, Zhou, K, Zhang, J, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2020 · Cochrane Library
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
17
current version
GRADE rated
16
No studies
0
Included studies
NR
No studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 1 · 5.9%Very low 6 · 35.3%Low 10 · 58.8%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%
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.
Questions and results
Show all 2 versionsOral magnesium compared with placebo/no treatment for treating leg cramps in pregnancy
Population: treating leg cramps in pregnancy
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Frequency of leg cramps during treatment Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 38 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Frequency of leg cramps after treatment: never Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | RR 5.66 [1.35, 23.68] | 1 study · 69 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Frequency: 50% reduction in number of leg cramps Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | RR 1.42 [1.09, 1.86] | 1 study · 86 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Intensity of pain during treatment: mean total scale points The degree of pain was noted in the form, on a scale from 0 to 4 measured over 4 days and nights (0 = no pain, 1 = light pain, 2 = medium pain, 3=strong pain, 4=extreme pain) Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 38 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Intensity of pain: 50% reduction in pain score 100‐mm visual analogue scale (0 = no pain, 100 = worst pain) Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | RR 1.43 [0.99, 2.06] | 1 study · 86 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision |
Intensity of pain: visual analogue scale 100 mm Visual analogue scale where 0=insignificant and 100 = extremely painful. Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 69 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Duration of leg cramps: persisting symptoms after night‐time cramps Always Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | RR 0.23 [0.05, 0.98] | 1 study · 69 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Duration of leg cramps: persisting symptoms after night‐time cramps Sometimes Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | RR 0.59 [0.19, 1.83] | 1 study · 69 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision |
Composite outcome: symptoms of leg cramps (intensity and frequency) Partial improvement: decrease in intensity and frequency Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | RR 1.07 [0.71, 1.61] | 1 study · 42 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision |
Composite outcome: symptoms of leg cramps (intensity and frequency) Complete recovery: no leg cramps after treatment Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | RR 3 [0.68, 13.2] | 1 study · 42 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision |
Side effects ‐ nausea Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | RR 1.83 [0.75, 4.51] | 1 study · 86 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Side effects ‐ diarrhoea Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | RR 6 [0.75, 47.76] | 1 study · 86 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Side effects ‐ any Oral magnesium vs placebo/no treatment | RR 0.96 [0.36, 2.52] | 1 study · 45 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Oral calcium compared with no treatment for treating leg cramps in pregnancy
Population: treating leg cramps in pregnancy
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Frequency of leg cramps after treatment: never Oral calcium vs no treatment | RR 8.59 [1.19, 62.07] | 1 study · 43 participants | Very low |
Frequency of leg cramps after treatment Oral calcium vs no treatment | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 60 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Oral vitamin B compared with no treatment for treating leg cramps in pregnancy
Population: treating leg cramps in pregnancy
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Frequency of leg cramps after treatment Oral vitamin B vs no treatment | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Oral calcium compared with oral vitamin C for leg cramps in pregnancy
Population: leg cramps in pregnancy
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Frequency of leg cramps after treatment: never Oral calcium vs oral vitamin C | RR 1.33 [0.53, 3.38] | 1 study · 60 participants | Very low |