1
|
Arevalo-Rodriguez I, Muñoz E, Buitrago-Garcia D, Nuñez-González S, Montero-Oleas N, Garzón V, Pardo-Hernandez H, Bonfill X. Quality assessment of controlled clinical trials published in Orthopaedics and Traumatology journals in Spanish: An observational study through handsearching and evidence mapping. SAGE Open Med 2018; 6:2050312118801710. [PMID: 30302249 PMCID: PMC6170956 DOI: 10.1177/2050312118801710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Few Orthopaedics and Traumatology journals from Latin America and Spain are indexed in major databases; controlled clinical trials published in these journals cannot be exhaustively retrieved using electronic literature searches. We aimed to identify, describe and assess the quality of controlled clinical trials published in Orthopaedics and Traumatology journals from Latin America and Spain through handsearching and evidence mapping methods. We identified controlled clinical trials published in eligible Orthopaedics/Traumatology journals in Spanish until July 2017 by handsearching. Data were extracted for controlled clinical trials main characteristics and the Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the controlled clinical trials methodological quality. In addition, we mapped the main findings of these trials. As a result, we assessed 5631 references in 29 eligible journals of which 57 were controlled clinical trials (1.0%). Controlled clinical trials were published between 1995 and 2017 at a rate of 2.5 per year. Journals from Spain and Mexico published around 63% of the controlled clinical trials identified. The median sample size of patients enrolled was 60 (range = 30-300 participants). About conditions assessed, 38.5% of controlled clinical trials assessed issues related to knee conditions, 15.7% about hip and 10.5% about trauma or spine. The risk of bias domains most affected was selective reporting bias and random sequence generation. In addition, only two and seven trials had low risk of bias in all items related to participant/personnel and outcome assessment blindings, respectively. More than 40% of studies did not report differences on benefits/harms between the interventions assessed. As a conclusion, the number of controlled clinical trials published in Orthopaedics/Traumatology journals from Latin America and Spain is low. These controlled clinical trials had important methodological shortcomings and were judged as unclear or high risk of bias. These trials are now available in CENTRAL for their potential inclusion in systematic reviews and other documents of synthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Arevalo-Rodriguez
- Centro de Investigación en Salud Pública y Epidemiología Clínica (CISPEC), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial, Quito, Ecuador.,Clinical Biostatistics Unit, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal (IRYCIS), CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Edgar Muñoz
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud-FUCS, Hospital de San José Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Diana Buitrago-Garcia
- Centro de Investigación en Salud Pública y Epidemiología Clínica (CISPEC), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Solange Nuñez-González
- Centro de Investigación en Salud Pública y Epidemiología Clínica (CISPEC), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Nadia Montero-Oleas
- Centro de Investigación en Salud Pública y Epidemiología Clínica (CISPEC), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Vanessa Garzón
- Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute (IIB Sant Pau), CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hector Pardo-Hernandez
- Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute (IIB Sant Pau), CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Bonfill
- Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute (IIB Sant Pau), CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Loezar C, Madrid E, Jahr C, Daviu A, Ahumada H, Pardo-Hernandez H, Keller E, Bonfill X. Identification and description of controlled clinical trials published in Spanish Ophthalmology Journals. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2018; 25:436-442. [PMID: 30081705 DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2018.1503688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Properly conducted controlled clinical trials (CCTs) provide the highest level of evidence for optimising decision-making in healthcare. Electronic search strategies do not exhaustively retrieve them, because of issues related to indexing, exclusion of journals in languages other than English, among others. A handsearch approach is therefore warranted. We aimed to identify all CCTs published in Ophthalmology journals in Spain, to describe their main features, and to submit them to the Cochrane Register of CCTs (CENTRAL). METHODS After identifying all Spanish Ophthalmology Journals, we conducted a systematic handsearch following Cochrane guidelines. When appropriate, results were compared against electronic searches. A descriptive analysis was completed, including risk of bias assessment. RESULTS We identified 18 eligible journals; 10 074 original articles, editorials, letters to the editor, abstracts and conference proceedings were assessed via handsearching for inclusion. Of these, 136 were subject to title and abstract screening, after which 102 were classified as CCTs. We identified three articles via electronic searches that had not been detected via handsearch, for a total of 105 CCTs. Among these, the most investigated pathologies were cataracts (32/105; 30.5%) and glaucoma (23/105 21.9%). Regarding risk of bias, 104/105 (99.0%) were deemed as "high risk of bias", mainly due to flaws in sequence generation and allocation concealment. 15/105 (14.3%) mentioned conflicts of interest, half of which had something to declare. No CCT reported adherence to CONSORT. CONCLUSION Spanish Ophthalmology journals publish a low number of CCTs, with limited methodological quality. Handsearching was more sensitive than the electronic searching. Abbreviations CCT: Controlled clinical trial.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristobal Loezar
- a School of Medicine , Universidad de Valparaiso , Valparaiso , Chile.,b Cochrane Chile , Santiago , Chile.,c Ophthalmology Service , Carlos van Buren Hospital , Valparaiso , Chile.,d Interdisciplinary Centre for Health Studies-CIESAL, Universidad de ValparaIso , Valparaiso , Chile
| | - Eva Madrid
- a School of Medicine , Universidad de Valparaiso , Valparaiso , Chile.,b Cochrane Chile , Santiago , Chile.,d Interdisciplinary Centre for Health Studies-CIESAL, Universidad de ValparaIso , Valparaiso , Chile
| | - Catalina Jahr
- a School of Medicine , Universidad de Valparaiso , Valparaiso , Chile
| | - Antonio Daviu
- a School of Medicine , Universidad de Valparaiso , Valparaiso , Chile
| | - Herman Ahumada
- a School of Medicine , Universidad de Valparaiso , Valparaiso , Chile
| | - Hector Pardo-Hernandez
- e Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Institute of Biomedical Research (IIB Sant Pau) , Barcelona , Spain.,f CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP) , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Eva Keller
- a School of Medicine , Universidad de Valparaiso , Valparaiso , Chile.,c Ophthalmology Service , Carlos van Buren Hospital , Valparaiso , Chile
| | - Xavier Bonfill
- e Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Institute of Biomedical Research (IIB Sant Pau) , Barcelona , Spain.,f CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP) , Barcelona , Spain.,g Servei d'Epidemiologia i Salut Pública , Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau , Barcelona , Spain.,h Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pardo-Hernandez H, Urrútia G, Barajas-Nava LA, Buitrago-Garcia D, Garzón JV, Martínez-Zapata MJ, Bonfill X. BADERI: an online database to coordinate handsearching activities of controlled clinical trials for their potential inclusion in systematic reviews. Trials 2017; 18:273. [PMID: 28610638 PMCID: PMC5470310 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-017-2023-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systematic reviews provide the best evidence on the effect of health care interventions. They rely on comprehensive access to the available scientific literature. Electronic search strategies alone may not suffice, requiring the implementation of a handsearching approach. We have developed a database to provide an Internet-based platform from which handsearching activities can be coordinated, including a procedure to streamline the submission of these references into CENTRAL, the Cochrane Collaboration Central Register of Controlled Trials. METHODS We developed a database and a descriptive analysis. Through brainstorming and discussion among stakeholders involved in handsearching projects, we designed a database that met identified needs that had to be addressed in order to ensure the viability of handsearching activities. Three handsearching teams pilot tested the proposed database. Once the final version of the database was approved, we proceeded to train the staff involved in handsearching. RESULTS The proposed database is called BADERI (Database of Iberoamerican Clinical Trials and Journals, by its initials in Spanish). BADERI was officially launched in October 2015, and it can be accessed at www.baderi.com/login.php free of cost. BADERI has an administration subsection, from which the roles of users are managed; a references subsection, where information associated to identified controlled clinical trials (CCTs) can be entered; a reports subsection, from which reports can be generated to track and analyse the results of handsearching activities; and a built-in free text search engine. BADERI allows all references to be exported in ProCite files that can be directly uploaded into CENTRAL. To date, 6284 references to CCTs have been uploaded to BADERI and sent to CENTRAL. The identified CCTs were published in a total of 420 journals related to 46 medical specialties. The year of publication ranged between 1957 and 2016. CONCLUSIONS BADERI allows the efficient management of handsearching activities across different countries and institutions. References to all CCTs available in BADERI can be readily submitted to CENTRAL for their potential inclusion in systematic reviews.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hector Pardo-Hernandez
- Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute (IIB Sant Pau), Carrer Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, Pavelló 18, Ground Floor, Barcelona, Spain. .,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Gerard Urrútia
- Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute (IIB Sant Pau), Carrer Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, Pavelló 18, Ground Floor, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leticia A Barajas-Nava
- Evidence-Based Medicine Research Unit, Hospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gómez (HIMFG), Health National Institute, Iberoamerican Cochrane Network, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Diana Buitrago-Garcia
- Division of Research, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Hospital San José/Hospital Infantil de San José, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Julieth Vanessa Garzón
- Division of Research, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Hospital San José/Hospital Infantil de San José, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - María José Martínez-Zapata
- Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute (IIB Sant Pau), Carrer Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, Pavelló 18, Ground Floor, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.,Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Xavier Bonfill
- Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute (IIB Sant Pau), Carrer Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, Pavelló 18, Ground Floor, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bonfill X, Urrútia G, Roqué M, Martínez MJ, Pardo-Hernández H, Osorio D, Pardo J, Serón P, Tzanova M, Solà I. Latin American Clinical Epidemiology Network Series – Paper 3: Cochrane develops widely in Latin America and strengthens ties with LatinCLEN. J Clin Epidemiol 2017; 86:84-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2016.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Revised: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
5
|
Analysis of the Quality of Clinical Trials Published in Spanish-Language Dermatology Journals Between 1997 and 2012. ACTAS DERMO-SIFILIOGRAFICAS 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.adengl.2015.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|
6
|
Sanclemente G, Pardo H, Sánchez S, Bonfill X. Analysis of the Quality of Clinical Trials Published in Spanish-Language Dermatology Journals Between 1997 and 2012. ACTAS DERMO-SIFILIOGRAFICAS 2015; 107:44-54. [PMID: 26546026 DOI: 10.1016/j.ad.2015.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2015] [Revised: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The value of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) undertaken to identify an association between an intervention and an outcome is determined by their quality and scientific rigor. OBJECTIVE To assess the methodological quality of RCTs published in Spanish-language dermatology journals. METHODS By way of a systematic manual search, we identified all the RCTs in journals published in Spain and Latin America between 1997 (the year in which the CONSORT statement was published) and 2012. Risk of bias was evaluated for each RCT by assessing the following domains: randomization sequence generation, allocation concealment, blinding of patients and those assessing outcomes, missing data, and patient follow-up. Source of funding and conflict of interest statements, if any, were recorded for each study. RESULTS The search identified 70 RCTs published in 21 journals. Most of the RCTs had a high risk of bias, primarily because of gaps in the reporting of important methodological aspects. The source of funding was reported in only 15 studies. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS In spite of the considerable number of Spanish and Latin American journals, few RCTs have been published in the 15 years analyzed. Most of the RCTs published had serious defects in that the authors omitted methodological information essential to any evaluation of the quality of the trial and failed to report sources of funding or possible conflicts of interest for the authors involved. Authors of experimental clinical research in dermatology published in Spain and Latin America need to substantially improve both the design of their trials and the reporting of results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G Sanclemente
- Grupo de Investigación Dermatológica (GRID), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
| | - H Pardo
- Centro Cochrane Iberoamericano, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, España
| | - S Sánchez
- Grupo de Investigación Dermatológica (GRID), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - X Bonfill
- Centro Cochrane Iberoamericano, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| |
Collapse
|