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Elsman EBM, Mokkink LB, Abma IL, Aiyegbusi OL, Chiarotto A, Haywood KL, Matvienko-Sikar K, Oosterveer DM, Pool JJM, Swinkels-Meewisse IEJ, Offringa M, Terwee CB. Methodological quality of 100 recent systematic reviews of health-related outcome measurement instruments: an overview of reviews. Qual Life Res 2024; 33:2593-2609. [PMID: 38961010 PMCID: PMC11452433 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-024-03706-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Systematic reviews evaluating and comparing the measurement properties of outcome measurement instruments (OMIs) play an important role in OMI selection. Earlier overviews of review quality (2007, 2014) evidenced substantial concerns with regards to alignment to scientific standards. This overview aimed to investigate whether the quality of recent systematic reviews of OMIs lives up to the current scientific standards. METHODS One hundred systematic reviews of OMIs published from June 1, 2021 onwards were randomly selected through a systematic literature search performed on March 17, 2022 in MEDLINE and EMBASE. The quality of systematic reviews was appraised by two independent reviewers. An updated data extraction form was informed by the earlier studies, and results were compared to these earlier studies' findings. RESULTS A quarter of the reviews had an unclear research question or aim, and in 22% of the reviews the search strategy did not match the aim. Half of the reviews had an incomprehensive search strategy, because relevant search terms were not included. In 63% of the reviews (compared to 41% in 2014 and 30% in 2007) a risk of bias assessment was conducted. In 73% of the reviews (some) measurement properties were evaluated (58% in 2014 and 55% in 2007). In 60% of the reviews the data were (partly) synthesized (42% in 2014 and 7% in 2007); evaluation of measurement properties and data syntheses was not conducted separately for subscales in the majority. Certainty assessments of the quality of the total body of evidence were conducted in only 33% of reviews (not assessed in 2014 and 2007). The majority (58%) did not make any recommendations on which OMI (not) to use. CONCLUSION Despite clear improvements in risk of bias assessments, measurement property evaluation and data synthesis, specifying the research question, conducting the search strategy and performing a certainty assessment remain poor. To ensure that systematic reviews of OMIs meet current scientific standards, more consistent conduct and reporting of systematic reviews of OMIs is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen B M Elsman
- Department of Epidemiology & Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1089a, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lidwine B Mokkink
- Department of Epidemiology & Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1089a, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Inger L Abma
- IQ Health, Radboud Institute of Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Olalekan Lee Aiyegbusi
- Centre for Patient Reported Outcomes Research, Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Alessandro Chiarotto
- Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kirstie L Haywood
- Warwick Applied Health, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | | | | | - Jan J M Pool
- University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Martin Offringa
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Caroline B Terwee
- Department of Epidemiology & Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1089a, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Brandt M, Danneels L, Meirezonne H, Van Oosterwijck J, Willems T, Matheve T. Clinically assessed lumbopelvic sensorimotor control tests in low back pain: are they actually valid? A systematic review according to COSMIN guidelines. Musculoskelet Sci Pract 2024; 71:102953. [PMID: 38604022 DOI: 10.1016/j.msksp.2024.102953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impairments in lumbopelvic sensorimotor control (SMC) are thought to be one of the underlying mechanisms for the recurrence and persistence of low back pain (LBP). As such, lumbopelvic SMC tests are frequently included in the clinical examination of patients with LBP. OBJECTIVE To evaluate convergent and known-groups validity of clinically assessed lumbopelvic SMC tests in patients with LBP according to COSMIN guidelines. DESIGN Systematic review METHODS: Five electronic databases were searched until December 2023. Studies examining convergent or known-groups validity of lumbopelvic SMC tests assessed via inspection or palpation in patients with LBP were included. Known-groups validity had to be assessed between patients with LBP and pain-free persons. Two independent researchers appraised risk of bias and quality of evidence (QoE) using the COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist and modified GRADE approach, respectively. Results for known-groups validity were reported separately for single tests and test-clusters. RESULTS Twelve studies (946 participants) were included. Three studies investigated convergent validity of three single tests. Regarding known-groups validity, six studies evaluated six single tests and four studies investigated two test-clusters. For only one test, both convergent and known-groups were assessed. The QoE for tests showing sufficient convergent or known-groups validity was (very) low, whereas QoE was moderate for single tests or test-clusters with insufficient known-groups validity. CONCLUSION All clinically assessed lumbopelvic SMC tests with sufficient convergent or known-groups validity had (very) low QoE. Therefore, test outcomes should be interpreted cautiously and strong reliance on these outcomes for clinical decision-making can currently not be recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiel Brandt
- Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Lieven Danneels
- Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. https://twitter.com/DanneelsLieven
| | - Hannes Meirezonne
- Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. https://twitter.com/Hmeirezo
| | - Jessica Van Oosterwijck
- Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; Pain in Motion International Research Group, Belgium. https://twitter.com/Jessica_V_O
| | - Tine Willems
- Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Thomas Matheve
- Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, UHasselt, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium. https://twitter.com/ThomasMatheve
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