A descriptive analysis of child-relevant systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Systematic reviews (SRs) are considered an important tool for decision-making. There has been no recent comprehensive identification or description of child-relevant SRs. A description of existing child-relevant SRs would help to ide...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
BMC
2010-05-01
|
Series: | BMC Pediatrics |
Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2431/10/34 |
id |
doaj-4ed5d1902f3b4fc485f6d2a29e336713 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-4ed5d1902f3b4fc485f6d2a29e3367132020-11-25T01:33:48ZengBMCBMC Pediatrics1471-24312010-05-011013410.1186/1471-2431-10-34A descriptive analysis of child-relevant systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic ReviewsThomson DeniseTjosvold LisaChisholm AnnabrittKlassen JeffreyBow SimonKlassen Terry PMoher DavidHartling Lisa<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Systematic reviews (SRs) are considered an important tool for decision-making. There has been no recent comprehensive identification or description of child-relevant SRs. A description of existing child-relevant SRs would help to identify the extent of available child-relevant evidence available in SRs and gaps in the evidence base where SRs are required. The objective of this study was to describe child-relevant SRs from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR, Issue 2, 2009).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>SRs were assessed for relevance using pre-defined criteria. Data were extracted and entered into an electronic form. Univariate analyses were performed to describe the SRs overall and by topic area.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The search yielded 1666 SRs; 793 met the inclusion criteria. 38% of SRs were last assessed as up-to-date prior to 2007. Corresponding authors were most often from the UK (41%). Most SRs (59%) examined pharmacological interventions. 53% had at least one external source of funding. SRs included a median of 7 studies (IQR 3, 15) and 679 participants (IQR 179, 2833). Of all studies, 48% included only children, and 27% only adults. 94% of studies were published in peer-reviewed journals. Primary outcomes were specified in 72% of SRs. Allocation concealment and the Jadad scale were used in 97% and 25% of SRs, respectively. Adults and children were analyzed separately in 12% of SRs and as a subgroup analysis in 14%. Publication bias was assessed in only 14% of SRs. A meta-analysis was conducted in 68% of SRs with a median of 5 trials (IQR 3, 9) each. Variations in these characteristics were observed across topic areas.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We described the methodological characteristics and rigour of child-relevant reviews in the CDSR. Many SRs are not up-to-date according to Cochrane criteria. Our study describes variation in conduct and reporting across SRs and reveals clinicians' ability to access child-specific data.</p> http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2431/10/34 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Thomson Denise Tjosvold Lisa Chisholm Annabritt Klassen Jeffrey Bow Simon Klassen Terry P Moher David Hartling Lisa |
spellingShingle |
Thomson Denise Tjosvold Lisa Chisholm Annabritt Klassen Jeffrey Bow Simon Klassen Terry P Moher David Hartling Lisa A descriptive analysis of child-relevant systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews BMC Pediatrics |
author_facet |
Thomson Denise Tjosvold Lisa Chisholm Annabritt Klassen Jeffrey Bow Simon Klassen Terry P Moher David Hartling Lisa |
author_sort |
Thomson Denise |
title |
A descriptive analysis of child-relevant systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |
title_short |
A descriptive analysis of child-relevant systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |
title_full |
A descriptive analysis of child-relevant systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |
title_fullStr |
A descriptive analysis of child-relevant systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |
title_full_unstemmed |
A descriptive analysis of child-relevant systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |
title_sort |
descriptive analysis of child-relevant systematic reviews in the cochrane database of systematic reviews |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
BMC Pediatrics |
issn |
1471-2431 |
publishDate |
2010-05-01 |
description |
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Systematic reviews (SRs) are considered an important tool for decision-making. There has been no recent comprehensive identification or description of child-relevant SRs. A description of existing child-relevant SRs would help to identify the extent of available child-relevant evidence available in SRs and gaps in the evidence base where SRs are required. The objective of this study was to describe child-relevant SRs from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR, Issue 2, 2009).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>SRs were assessed for relevance using pre-defined criteria. Data were extracted and entered into an electronic form. Univariate analyses were performed to describe the SRs overall and by topic area.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The search yielded 1666 SRs; 793 met the inclusion criteria. 38% of SRs were last assessed as up-to-date prior to 2007. Corresponding authors were most often from the UK (41%). Most SRs (59%) examined pharmacological interventions. 53% had at least one external source of funding. SRs included a median of 7 studies (IQR 3, 15) and 679 participants (IQR 179, 2833). Of all studies, 48% included only children, and 27% only adults. 94% of studies were published in peer-reviewed journals. Primary outcomes were specified in 72% of SRs. Allocation concealment and the Jadad scale were used in 97% and 25% of SRs, respectively. Adults and children were analyzed separately in 12% of SRs and as a subgroup analysis in 14%. Publication bias was assessed in only 14% of SRs. A meta-analysis was conducted in 68% of SRs with a median of 5 trials (IQR 3, 9) each. Variations in these characteristics were observed across topic areas.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We described the methodological characteristics and rigour of child-relevant reviews in the CDSR. Many SRs are not up-to-date according to Cochrane criteria. Our study describes variation in conduct and reporting across SRs and reveals clinicians' ability to access child-specific data.</p> |
url |
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2431/10/34 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT thomsondenise adescriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT tjosvoldlisa adescriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT chisholmannabritt adescriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT klassenjeffrey adescriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT bowsimon adescriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT klassenterryp adescriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT moherdavid adescriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT hartlinglisa adescriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT thomsondenise descriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT tjosvoldlisa descriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT chisholmannabritt descriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT klassenjeffrey descriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT bowsimon descriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT klassenterryp descriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT moherdavid descriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews AT hartlinglisa descriptiveanalysisofchildrelevantsystematicreviewsinthecochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews |
_version_ |
1725075706625392640 |