Bmc Med Res Methodol
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Bmc Med Res Methodol · Sep 2019
ReviewA snapshot of pneumonia research activity and collaboration patterns (2001-2015): a global bibliometric analysis.
This article describes a bibliometric review of the scientific production, geographical distribution, collaboration, impact, and subject area focus of pneumonia research indexed on the Web of Science over a 15-year period. ⋯ Pneumonia research increased steadily over the 15-year study period, with Europe and North America leading scientific production. About a fifth of all papers reflected international collaborations, and these were most evident in papers from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
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Bmc Med Res Methodol · Aug 2019
Methods of identifying and recruiting older people at risk of social isolation and loneliness: a mixed methods review.
Loneliness and social isolation are major determinants of mental wellbeing, especially among older adults. The effectiveness of interventions to address loneliness and social isolation among older adults has been questioned due to the lack of transparency in identifying and recruiting populations at risk. This paper aims to systematically review methods used to identify and recruit older people at risk of loneliness and social isolation into research studies that seek to address loneliness and social isolation. ⋯ Findings from this study demonstrate the need for transparency in writing up the methods used to approach, assess and enrol older adults at risk of becoming socially isolated. None of the intervention studies included in this review justified their recruitment strategies. The ability of researchers to share best practice relies greatly on the transparency of research.
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Bmc Med Res Methodol · Aug 2019
Validation of diagnosis codes to identify side of colon in an electronic health record registry.
The use of real-world data to generate evidence requires careful assessment and validation of critical variables before drawing clinical conclusions. Prospective clinical trial data suggest that anatomic origin of colon cancer impacts prognosis and treatment effectiveness. As an initial step in validating this observation in routine clinical settings, we explored the feasibility and accuracy of obtaining information on tumor sidedness from electronic health records (EHR) billing codes. ⋯ ICD codes are a highly reliable indicator of tumor location when the specific location code is entered in the EHR. However, non-specific side of colon ICD codes are present for a sizable minority of patients, and structured data alone may not be adequate to support testing of some research hypotheses. Careful assessment of key variables is required before determining the need for clinical abstraction to supplement structured data in generating real-world evidence from EHRs.
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Bmc Med Res Methodol · Jul 2019
Ideal vs. real: a systematic review on handling covariates in randomized controlled trials.
In theory, efficient design of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involves randomization algorithms that control baseline variable imbalance efficiently, and corresponding analysis involves pre-specified adjustment for baseline covariates. This review sought to explore techniques for handling potentially influential baseline variables in both the design and analysis phase of RCTs. ⋯ While optimal reporting procedures and pre-specification of adjusted analyses for RCTs tend to be progressively more prevalent over time, we see the opposite effect on reported use of covariate-adaptive randomization methods.
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Bmc Med Res Methodol · Jun 2019
Single screening versus conventional double screening for study selection in systematic reviews: a methodological systematic review.
Stringent requirements exist regarding the transparency of the study selection process and the reliability of results. A 2-step selection process is generally recommended; this is conducted by 2 reviewers independently of each other (conventional double-screening). However, the approach is resource intensive, which can be a problem, as systematic reviews generally need to be completed within a defined period with a limited budget. The aim of the following methodological systematic review was to analyse the evidence available on whether single screening is equivalent to double screening in the screening process conducted in systematic reviews. ⋯ Single screening of the titles and abstracts of studies retrieved in bibliographic searches is not equivalent to double screening, as substantially more studies are missed. However, in our opinion such an approach could still represent an appropriate methodological shortcut in rapid reviews, as long as it is conducted by an experienced reviewer. Further research on single screening is required, for instance, regarding factors influencing the number of studies missed.