METHODS AND RESULTS: Stable HF patients were recruited (n = 15) and completed (n = 12) 8 weeks of yoga classes. Data collected were: safety (cardiac and orthopedic adverse events); physical function (strength, balance, endurance, flexibility); and psychological function (quality of life [QOL], depression scores, mindfulness) before and after 8 weeks of yoga classes.

RESULTS: Mean age was 52.4 + or - 11.6 with three-fourths (n = 9) being male and Caucasian. No participant had any adverse events. Endurance (P < .02) and strength (upper P = .04 and lower body P = .01) significantly improved. Balance improved by 13.6 seconds (26.9 + or - 19.7 to 40.0 + or - 18.5; P = .05). Symptom stability, a subscale of QOL, improved significantly (P = .02). Although no subject was depressed, overall mood was improved. Subjects subjectively reported improvements in overall well-being.

CONCLUSIONS: Yoga practice was safe, with participants experiencing improved physical function and symptom stability. Larger studies are warranted to provide more nonpharmacological options for improved outcomes in patients with HF.

Howie-Esquivel J, Lee J, Collier G, Mehling W, Fleischmann K. J Card Fail. 2010 Sep;16(9):742-9. Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. jill.howie-esquivel@nursing.ucsf.edu

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review attempted to answer the question: What is the effectiveness of hypnosis (with or without sedation) for behaviour management of children who are receiving dental care in order to allow successful completion of treatment? Null hypothesis: Hypnosis has no effect on the outcome of dental treatment of children.

SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), and PsycINFO. Electronic and manual searches were performed using controlled vocabulary and free text terms with no language restrictions. Date of last search: 11th June 2010.

SELECTION CRITERIA: All children and adolescents aged up to 16 years of age. Children having any dental treatment, such as: simple restorative treatment with or without local anaesthetic, simple extractions or management of dental trauma.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Information regarding methods, participants, interventions, outcome measures and results were independently extracted, in duplicate, by two review authors. Authors of trials were contacted for details of randomisation and withdrawals and a quality assessment was carried out. The methodological quality of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed using the criteria described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions 5.0.2.

MAIN RESULTS: Only three RCTs (with 69 participants) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Statistical analysis and meta-analysis were not possible due to insufficient number of studies.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Although there are a considerable number of anecdotal accounts indicating the benefits of using hypnosis in paediatric dentistry, on the basis of the three studies meeting the inclusion criteria for this review there is not yet enough evidence to suggest its beneficial effects.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Aug 4;8:CD007154. Al-Harasi S, Ashley PF, Moles DR, Parekh S, Walters V. Military Dental Centre, PO Box 454, PC 121, Seeb, Oman.