Abstract
BackgroundSearch filter development for adverse effects has tended to focus on retrieving studies of drug interventions. However, a different approach is required for surgical interventions.ObjectiveTo develop and validate search filters for medline and Embase for the adverse effects of surgical interventions.MethodsSystematic reviews of surgical interventions where the primary focus was to evaluate adverse effect(s) were sought. The included studies within these reviews were divided randomly into a development set, evaluation set and validation set. Using word frequency analysis we constructed a sensitivity maximising search strategy and this was tested in the evaluation and validation set.ResultsThree hundred and fifty eight papers were included from 19 surgical intervention reviews. Three hundred and fifty two papers were available on medline and 348 were available on Embase. Generic adverse effects search strategies in medline and Embase could achieve approximately 90% relative recall. Recall could be further improved with the addition of specific adverse effects terms to the search strategies.ConclusionWe have derived and validated a novel search filter that has reasonable performance for identifying adverse effects of surgical interventions in medline and Embase. However, we appreciate the limitations of our methods, and recommend further research on larger sample sizes and prospective systematic reviews.
Highlights
IntroductionThe aim of the search, for example, might be to develop a safety profile for an intervention with identification of the adverse effects as one of its primary objectives
Any intervention that has an effect can have an adverse effect
The full articles of potentially relevant systematic reviews were independently screened, with again discrepancies resolved by discussion and consensus
Summary
The aim of the search, for example, might be to develop a safety profile for an intervention with identification of the adverse effects as one of its primary objectives. In such instances reliance on generic adverse effects terms (such as ‘sideeffects’, ‘complications’, ‘harm’) becomes more imperative. Objective: To develop and validate search filters for MEDLINE and Embase for the adverse effects of surgical interventions. Methods: Systematic reviews of surgical interventions where the primary focus was to evaluate adverse effect(s) were sought. Conclusion: We have derived and validated a novel search filter that has reasonable performance for identifying adverse effects of surgical interventions in MEDLINE and Embase. We appreciate the limitations of our methods, and recommend further research on larger sample sizes and prospective systematic reviews
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
