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Aims To report a systematic review of the psychometric properties of self-report instruments to identify the symptoms of anxiety in pregnancy to help clinicians and researchers select the most suitable instrument. Background Excessive anxiety in pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes, developmental and behavioural problems in infants and postnatal depression. Despite recommendations for routine psychological assessment in pregnancy, the optimal methods to identify anxiety in pregnancy have not been confirmed. Design Psychometric systematic review. Data sources A systematic literature search of the multiple databases (1990-September 2014). Review methods Identification of self-report instruments to measure anxiety in pregnancy using COSMIN guidelines to assess studies reporting a psychometric evaluation of validity and reliability. Results Thirty-two studies were included. Studies took place in the UK, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, Spain and the Netherlands. Seventeen different instruments were identified. Measures of validity were reported in 19 papers and reliability in 16. The overall quality of the papers was rated as fair to excellent using the COSMIN checklist. Only one paper scored excellent in more than one category. Conclusion Many instruments have been adapted for use in different populations to those for which they were designed. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale have been tested more frequently than other instruments, yet require further assessment to confirm their value for use in pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions (non-surgical and non-pharmacological) for a chronic mid-body Achilles tendinopathy. Materials and methods A search of published and grey literature databases was undertaken (January 1999 to January 2011). Two reviewers independently assessed the studies for eligibility using a strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. All eligible articles were assessed critically using the PEDro score. Data on cohort characteristics, diagnostic criteria, treatment intervention, outcome measures, and results were extracted. A narrative research synthesis method was adopted since there were insufficient data to conduct a meta-analysis. Results Two hundred and ninety studies were identified. Nine publications met the review inclusion criteria. Methodological quality was adequate for all nine studies; however, blinding was a limitation for most. Interventions investigated were; exercises (n = 2), low-level laser therapy (n = 1), low-energy shockwave treatment (SWT) (n = 3), air cast brace (n = 2), and insoles (n = 1). Some evidence exists for eccentric exercises in combination with SWT or laser. In contrast to other reviews, eccentric exercises alone were not found to be superior to other physiotherapy treatments. Conclusion There is an insufficient evidence to determine which method of physiotherapy is most appropriate for a chronic mid-body Achilles tendinopathy. Further well-designed randomized controlled trials assessing physiotherapy interventions with specific diagnostic criteria and appropriate outcome tools are required to determine the efficacy of physiotherapy for the condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]