Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire Research Articles

Effects of task shifting from primary care physicians to nurses: a protocol for an overview of systematic reviews

IntroductionTask-shifting from primary care physicians (PCPs) to nurses is one option to better and more efficiently meet the needs of the population in primary care and to overcome PCP shortages....

Current knowledge on the association between cardiovascular and periodontal disease: an umbrella review.

Periodontal disease (PD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are among the most common pathologies in the world and their relationship has long been studied. Both conditions lead to a chronic inflammatory process with degenerative characteristics and their biunivocal correlation is now well established. The aim of this umbrella review on cardiovascular and periodontal disease was to evaluate the real degree of association between these two pathological conditions. We conducted a comprehensive literature search on PubMed/Medline and in the Cochrane Library for systematic reviews focused on clinical evidence regarding the relationship between PD and CVD. The internal validity of systematic reviews and meta-analyses was formally analyzed using the Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire (OQAQ) Tool. The umbrella review was planned in accordance with current international recommendations and was described as specified by the PRISMA Guidelines. Thirty-one systematic reviews, including 8 meta-analyses for a total of 507 clinical studies and over 3,549,966 patients were included. PD resulted to be associated with a higher risk of developing CVD (acute coronary syndrome, acute myocardial infarction) and cerebrovascular diseases (ischemic stroke); however, if the treatment of periodontitis reduces the risk of CVD events related is yet to be investigated. To date, the relationship between CVD and PD provides heterogeneous data. There is an association between PD and CVD, but a causal relationship cannot be established. Further research with properly designed long-term follow-up studies are needed in order to examine various physiopathological aspects of their association.

Incidence of Different Types of Intracanal Fracture of Nickel–Titanium Rotary Instruments: A Systematic Review

The aim of this systemic review is to investigate these parameters by analyzing the characteristics of fractured instruments to determine which is the most relevant mechanical stress that induces intracanal separation in vivo. The fracture of nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) instruments is a result of flexural fatigue and torsional fatigue. An electronic search was conducted in MEDLINE database, Web of Science, and Cochrane following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Data were collected and the key features from the included studies were extracted. Overview quality assessment questionnaire scoring assessed the quality of the articles. A total of 12 articles were selected, where the lowest score was 13. Considering Ni-Ti rotary instruments, this overall evaluation comprehends 939 broken instruments with an incidence of fracture of 5%. Out of the 12 selected articles, 10 studies revealed that flexural failure was the predominant mode (range of 62-92%). It appears that motion plays an important role when it comes to mechanisms of fracture. The majority of defects found in hand-operated instruments were in the form of torsional failure. Although the major cause of separation of rotary instruments is flexural fatigue, smaller instruments show more torsional fracture than the larger instruments. The average fragment length was found to be 2.5 mm and 3.35 mm, respectively, for torsional failure and flexural failure. The risk of bias depends on fractographic analysis. Flexural fatigue is the predominant mode of fracture in rotary Ni-Ti instruments. The type of motion and size of the instrument seem to affect the mechanism of fracture. Fragment length may show a strong association with the type of fracture mechanism. This systemic review found that flexural fatigue is the most relevant mechanical stress that induces intracanal separation in vivo. Moreover, in clinical practice, the fragment length might be an excellent indicator of the type of fracture.

COVID 19-How is the Exposure of the Pediatric Population? A Systematic Review Protocol

Solid information on exposure and how to treat COVID-19 in pediatric patients is not yet conclusive in the literature, because of this it is necessary to make a critical analysis of the available data in order to provide common points on the theme in question. This systematic review protocol is registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42020181835) and aims through searches in the Databases PubMed, Google Scholar, LILACS and CINAHL, to group the studies published with the theme COVID-19 and pediatric between 2019 and 2020. The MeSH descriptors: COVID-19, child and children will be used in English and Chinese. Observational research, clinical trials and literature reviews will be included, where the study sample was composed of pediatric patients of both sexes aged between 6 and 17 years. The Rayyan QCRI tool® will be used to manage revision data. The analysis of the feasibilities of observational studies will be done by the Loney scale, clinical trials by the Cocharne scale and review studies by the Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire (OQAQ). The authors intend that the study is completed in the second semester of 2021. The choice of the theme is justified because the results of the future research are useful for the elaboration of public health measures that offer the promotion of effective treatment during the recovery of pediatric patients infected with COVID-19.

A Methodological and Reporting Quality Assessment of Systematic Reviews/Meta-Analyses about Chinese Medical Treatment for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

Objective To access the methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews (SRs)/meta-analyses (MAs) about Chinese medical treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Methods The PubMed, Wanfang Data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical (CBM), Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to June 2020. Two researchers independently screened the literature considering the eligibility criteria. Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire (OQAQ), Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2), and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to assess the methodological and reporting quality of the included reports. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to evaluate the level of evidence in each report. Results Thirty-three SRs/MAs met the inclusion criteria. The OQAQ results showed that defects in the methodological quality of 17/32 reports were major, with scores of 3 points. Analyzing a single item as the object, search strategies (item 2), and risk of bias in individual studies (item 4) was considered poor. The AMSTAR 2 results showed that 25.4% of the items were not reported, and 7.8% of the items were only partially reported. The overall assessment of AMSTAR 2 showed the majority of systematic reviews and meta-analyses were of low/very low (31/33, 93.9%) methodological quality, with a lack of protocol registration and excluded study list. The PRISMA results showed that 19.9% of items were not reported, and 15.2% of items were only partially reported, due to a lack of protocol registration and study selection methods. The methodological and reporting quality of the included studies was generally poor. Evidence evaluation with GRADE showed that most (31/33) of the included studies had low or very low levels of evidence. Conclusion The methodological and reporting quality of SRs/MAs about Chinese medical treatment for GERD is generally poor. The main problems included incomplete search strategies, risk of bias in individual studies, the lack of protocol registration and excluded study list, and incorrect study selection methods.

Development of an assessment and intervention protocol for postpartum hemorrhage in the mainland of China: an evidence-based method and Delphi consult

Abstract Objective Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of maternal death. Although guidelines have been updated, those with detailed protocols are limited for nursing practice. This study aims at establishing an early assessment and intervention protocol as a toolkit for PPH for midwives and obstetrical nurses. Methods Employing the evidence-based method, a systematic Internet search of guidelines was conducted and appraisal of literatures was conducted with AGREE system and Oxman-Guyatt Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire (OQAQ), according to which a protocol draft was therefore developed. Then, a two-round modified Delphi method was utilized to reach a consensus of the protocol built on best practices. Selection criteria for each intervention measure included consensus level with a threshold of 70%, mean of importance (M) >3.5, and coefficient of variation (CV) <0.25. Reliability of experts’ opinion was calculated by positive coefficient and authoritative coefficient. Items without consistency were enlisted in the second-round consult. When all items met the selection criteria, the protocol would be finally formulated. Results A 122-measure protocol was established, including prevention, assessment, and intervention of PPH. With a panel of 14 experts participated in the consult, the positivity coefficient was 0.93 and 1.00 for two rounds, respectively, and the authority coefficient was 0.88. After a two-round consult and revision of the draft, the final program was formulated, containing 5 first-level indexes and 14 second-level indexes with a total item of 120. Conclusions The PPH protocol, based on high-quality evidences, was formulated with a two-round Delphi method, which can provide insight for midwives and obstetrical nurses to effectively deal with PPH.

Quality assessment of systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in Saudi journals from 1997 to 2017.

Objectives:To assess the quality of the meta-analyses (MAs) and systematic reviews (SRs) in Saudi journals indexed in PubMed using 2 scales: A MeaSurement tool to assess systematic reviews (AMSTAR) and the overview quality assessment questionnaire (OQAQ).Methods:This study focused on SRs/MAs published in 8 Saudi journals. We investigated, screened, and extracted the data, which included recording the main topic of each SRs/MAs and the date of publication. Furthermore, we assessed the quality of each included SRs/MAs using the AMSTAR and the OQAQ. The reviews concluded in January 2018.Results:The search uncovered 201 unique articles; of these, the researchers screened 110 full texts and included 103 in this review. Most of the included studies were published in Saudi Medical Journal (50 articles, 48.5%), followed by Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology (21 articles, 20.4%), and Annals of Saudi Medicine (16 articles, 15.5%). The main topics in these published articles were gastroenterology (20 articles, 19.5%), followed by oncology (14 articles, 13.7%), and pharmacology (9 articles, 8.7%). The AMSTAR and the OQAQ scales showed that most SRs/MAs were of medium quality.Conclusion:Quality of SRs and MAs published in Saudi journals was distributed in all categories (low, medium, and high) and it can be improved using critical evaluation by authors, journal editors, and readers.PROSPERO REG. NO. CRD: 42018102210

Methodological Quality Assessment of Meta-analyses and Systematic Reviews of the Relationship Between Periodontal and Systemic Diseases

ObjectivesThe aims of this article are to identify all the published systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) that studied the relationship between periodontal and systemic diseases and to assess their quality using 2 scales (the Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire [OQAQ] and A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews [AMSTAR] checklist). MethodsFor SRs and MAs to be included, they should have investigated one of the following systemic diseases: pulmonary conditions, cardiac conditions, endocrine conditions, cancer, blood disorders, psychological conditions, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and several other diseases. Two investigators screened MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The tools used to evaluate quality were the AMSTAR scale and OQAQ. The protocol was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018102208). ResultsThe search strategy found 691 unique articles, 42 of which met the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. Diabetes mellitus was the most investigated disease (14 out of 42 studies), followed by obesity (11 studies) and cardiovascular diseases (5 studies). A total of 40 reviews reported on the characteristics of included studies, and, as per the AMSTAR scale, 39 reviews had an a priori design. The number of reviews that fulfilled the status of publication criterion was the lowest (7 reviews only), followed by the number used in the assessment of publication bias (11 reviews). The number of high-quality reviews was higher with the OQAQ than with the AMSTAR checklist (33 vs 25 studies), but the AMSTAR showed a higher number of medium-quality reviews than the OQAQ (14 vs 6 studies). Both showed the same number of low-quality reviews. ConclusionsHigh-quality SRs and MAs are crucial to understanding the relationship between systemic and periodontal diseases. Medical practitioners must be able to inform patients about oral health and specific periodontal health concerns.

Systematic review adherence to methodological or reporting quality

BackgroundGuidelines for assessing methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews (SRs) were developed to contribute to implementing evidence-based health care and the reduction of research waste. As SRs assessing a cohort of SRs is becoming more prevalent in the literature and with the increased uptake of SR evidence for decision-making, methodological quality and standard of reporting of SRs is of interest. The objective of this study is to evaluate SR adherence to the Quality of Reporting of Meta-analyses (QUOROM) and PRISMA reporting guidelines and the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire (OQAQ) quality assessment tools as evaluated in methodological overviews.MethodsThe Cochrane Library, MEDLINE®, and EMBASE® databases were searched from January 1990 to October 2014. Title and abstract screening and full-text screening were conducted independently by two reviewers. Reports assessing the quality or reporting of a cohort of SRs of interventions using PRISMA, QUOROM, OQAQ, or AMSTAR were included. All results are reported as frequencies and percentages of reports and SRs respectively.ResultsOf the 20,765 independent records retrieved from electronic searching, 1189 reports were reviewed for eligibility at full text, of which 56 reports (5371 SRs in total) evaluating the PRISMA, QUOROM, AMSTAR, and/or OQAQ tools were included. Notable items include the following: of the SRs using PRISMA, over 85% (1532/1741) provided a rationale for the review and less than 6% (102/1741) provided protocol information. For reports using QUOROM, only 9% (40/449) of SRs provided a trial flow diagram. However, 90% (402/449) described the explicit clinical problem and review rationale in the introduction section. Of reports using AMSTAR, 30% (534/1794) used duplicate study selection and data extraction. Conversely, 80% (1439/1794) of SRs provided study characteristics of included studies. In terms of OQAQ, 37% (499/1367) of the SRs assessed risk of bias (validity) in the included studies, while 80% (1112/1387) reported the criteria for study selection.ConclusionsAlthough reporting guidelines and quality assessment tools exist, reporting and methodological quality of SRs are inconsistent. Mechanisms to improve adherence to established reporting guidelines and methodological assessment tools are needed to improve the quality of SRs.

Reevaluation of the methodological quality in meta-analyses of accelerated rehabilitation on recovery after surgery for colorectal cancer

Objective: To evaluate the methodological quality and impacts on outcomes for systematic reviews (SRs) of accelerated rehabilitation versus traditional control for colorectal surgery. Methods: We comprehensively searched six databases and additional websites to collect SRs, or meta-analysis from inception to July 2016. The Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire (OQAQ) was applied for quality assessment of the included studies, the tools recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration was applied for quality assessment for RCT and CCT and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was applied to assess observational study. The relative ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were integrated using Review Manager 5.3 software. Results: Fourteen meta-analyses were included in total. The mean OQAQ score was 3.8 with 95% CI 3.2 to 4.3. Only three meta-analyses were assessed as good quality. Two studies misused statistical models. A total of 42 primary studies referenced by meta-analyses were included, of which, 25 RCTs were levelled grade B and 1 CCT was levelled grade C. An estimated mean NOS score of 16 observation studies was 6.75 (totally scored 9 with 95% CI 6.4 to 7.1), of which, 10 studies scored ≥7 were high quality, 6 studies scored 6 were moderate quality. Conclusions: Currently, the overall quality of meta-analyses about comparing the effects and safety between accelerated rehabilitation and traditional control for colorectal surgery is fairly poor and the evidence level is lower. Health providers should apply the evidence with caution in clinical practice.

GRADE in Systematic Reviews of Acupuncture for Stroke Rehabilitation: Recommendations based on High-Quality Evidence.

Systematic reviews (SRs) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated acupuncture’s effectiveness in stroke rehabilitation. The current study reviews the quality of evidence in SRs of acupuncture in stroke rehabilitation, and rates the strength of recommendation for its use based on this evidence using the GRADE (grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluations) approach. A comprehensive literature search was performed using multiple databases (e.g., Medline, Embase) with advanced search strategies. Two authors independently selected articles, collected data, and assessed the methodological quality of each identified SR according to AMSTAR (a measurement tool to assess systematic reviews) and OQAQ (Oxman and Guyatt’s overview quality assessment questionnaire). Outcomes related to stroke rehabilitation were evaluated. SRs of high methodological quality (AMSTAR score ≥9 and OQAQ score ≥7) were graded using GRADE. Ultimately, acupuncture yields benefits in stroke rehabilitation (neurological function improvement: RR = 1.34; swallowing improvement: RR = 1.61, 1.49, 1.07; disability: SMD = 0.49 or 0.07). Poor evidentiary quality and insufficient information about harm led to weak recommendations. In conclusion, acupuncture may improve stroke rehabilitation, as the GRADE approach indicated a weak recommendation for acupuncture’s usage in this context.

Reevaluation of Meta-analysis on prophylactic drug management for recurrence of febrile seizures

Objective To explore the efficiency and safety of drugs to prevent the recurrence of febrile seizures (FS). Methods Relevant literatures were searched via PubMed, EMBASE/SCOPUS, EBSCO-CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from December 1997 to November 2014 using the following keywords: febrile seizure OR febrile convulsion, recurrence, prevention OR prophylaxis, medicine OR medication. Publication type was limited to Meta-analysis. Extract the relevant information of Meta-analysis, such as characteristics of objects, types of study design, number of clinical trials, number of cases, search strategies, databases, information of methodology (methods of randomization, concealment, blinding, withdrawal and exit), follow-up time, heterogeneity analysis, subgroup analysis and outcome assessment, etc. Quality of Reporting of Meta-analyses (QUOROM) and Oxman-Guyatt Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire (OQAQ) were used to assess the quality of included Meta-analyses. Jadad decision was used to assess inclusion and exclusion criteria, search strategies, effectiveness evaluation, data extraction and data analysis, to explore reliable evidence of evidence-based medicine. Results Eventually, four Meta-analyses were included after screening of all the literatures that can be searched out. Among those Meta-analyses, the Meta-analysis of Offringa and Newton (2012) was relatively more reliable. The results suggesed that no clinically important benefits were found in administering intermittent oral or rectal diazepam, oral phenobarbitone, phenytoin, valproate, pyridoxine, buprofen, diclofenac and acetominophen to children with FE. Only one clinical trial reported that intermittent oral clobazam could reduce the recurrence of FE in comparing with placebo at 6-month follow-up ( RR = 0.360, 95% CI: 0.200-0.640; P = 0.000), but it should be verified by more randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Among 4 Meta-analyses included in this study, the Meta-analyses of Rosenbloom (2013), Masuko (2003) and Rantala (1997) did not mention the problems of publication bias; in the Meta-analysis of Offringa and Newton (2012), a funnel plot was applied for evaluation of this problem, however, no quantitative analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of publication bias on the validity of conclusions and no further processing was mentioned. Conclusions In view of good prognosis of recurrent FE, unsure efficacy of preventive medicine and high risk of adverse drug reactions, it should not be routinely recommended the use of antiepileptic drugs, antipyretic drugs or pyridoxine to prevent the recurrence of FE. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2015.08.011

Primary prevention of anxiety disorders in primary care: A systematic review

ObjectiveAnxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in primary care and have significant social, economic, and interpersonal costs. Primary care is an ideal setting to prevent the appearance of anxiety disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of primary prevention interventions in anxiety disorders in the adult population receiving primary health care. MethodsA literature search was carried out in four databases—PubMed, PsycInfo, Cochrane, and Web of Science—from January 1980 to November 2013. Clinical trials and systematic reviews published in English and non-English languages and that evaluated the efficacy and/or cost-effectiveness of interventions of primary prevention for anxiety in primary care in the general adult population were included. Risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane Risk Bias Tool and Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire. ResultsNo high-quality research was identified that studied primary prevention of anxiety disorders in the adult population in the primary care setting. The few studies that exist focus on the child–adolescent population or on other types of interventions, usually as secondary prevention. ConclusionThis study emphasizes the need for the development of high-quality clinical trials on the prevention of anxiety disorders in primary care.

Telemonitoring can assist in managing cardiovascular disease in primary care: a systematic review of systematic reviews

BackgroundThere has been growing interest regarding the impact of telemonitoring and its ability to reduce the increasing burden of chronic diseases, including chronic cardiovascular disease (CVD), on healthcare systems. A number of randomised trials have been undertaken internationally and synthesised into various systematic reviews to establish an evidence base for this model of care. This study sought to synthesise and critically evaluate this large body of evidence to inform clinicians, researchers and policy makers.MethodsA systematic review of systematic reviews investigating the impact of telemonitoring interventions in the primary care management of CVD was conducted. Reviews were included if they explored primary care based telemonitoring in either CVD, heart failure or hypertension, were reported in the English language and were published between 2000 and 2013. Data was extracted by one reviewer and checked by a second reviewer using a standardised form. Two assessors then rated the quality of each review using the Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire (OQAQ).ResultsOf the 13 included reviews, four focused on telemonitoring interventions in hypertension or CVD management and the remaining 9 reviews investigated telemonitoring in HF management. Seven reviews scored a five or above on the OQAQ evidencing good quality reviews. Findings suggest that telemonitoring can contribute to significant reductions in blood pressure, decreased all-cause and HF related hospitalisations, reduced all-cause mortality and improved quality of life. Telemonitoring was also demonstrated to reduce health care costs and appears acceptable to patients.ConclusionTelemonitoring has the potential to enhance primary care management of CVD by improving patient outcomes and reducing health costs. However, further research needs to explore the specific elements of telemonitoring interventions to determine the relative value of the various elements. Additionally, the ways in which telemonitoring care improves health outcomes needs to be further explored to understand the nature of these interventions.

Self-Directed Interventions to Promote Weight Loss: A Systematic Review of Reviews

BackgroundA wide range of self-directed weight-loss interventions are available, providing users with a variety of tools delivered through various formats to regulate weight-related behavior patterns. However, it is unclear how effective self-directed interventions are and how they promote weight loss and weight maintenance.ObjectiveA systematic review of reviews was conducted to examine the effectiveness of such interventions and to identify intervention content associated with effectiveness.MethodsMEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library for systematic reviews were searched from 2000-2012 for reviews of the effectiveness of self-directed interventions on weight loss and weight maintenance in adults. Two reviewers used predefined inclusion criteria to select relevant reviews and assess their quality using the Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire (OQAQ). We extracted data on effectiveness and on relationships between intervention characteristics and effectiveness.ResultsTwenty reviews were included and quality assessed. Findings relevant to self-directed interventions, including interactive websites, smartphone applications, and text messaging (short message service, SMS) were summarized. Findings were mixed but promising. For example, one review of Internet-based interventions found that, when used in conjunction with standard weight loss programs, these interventions resulted in a significant average increase in weight loss of 1.5 kg over evaluation periods. Unfortunately, only 7 of 20 reviews were of high methodological quality according to OQAQ scores, and only 4 employed meta-analyses. Few reviews linked intervention content to effectiveness.ConclusionsCurrent evidence suggests that self-directed interventions can independently promote weight loss and can augment interventions involving personal contact. Particular change techniques and delivery modes including individualized feedback, email counseling, and online social support appear to enhance effectiveness. Further reviews of the content of self-directed weight-loss intervention studies are needed to clarify which change techniques delivered through which delivery formats optimize intervention effectiveness.

Neuraxial blockade for the prevention of postoperative mortality and major morbidity: an overview of Cochrane systematic reviews

Various beneficial effects derived from neuraxial blocks have been reported. However, it is unclear whether these effects have an influence on perioperative mortality and major pulmonary/cardiovascular complications. Our primary objective was to summarize Cochrane systematic reviews that assess the effects of neuraxial blockade on perioperative rates of death, chest infection and myocardial infarction by integrating the evidence from all such reviews that have compared neuraxial blockade with or without general anaesthesia versus general anaesthesia alone for different types of surgery in various populations. Our secondary objective was to summarize the evidence on adverse effects (an adverse event for which a causal relation between the intervention and the event is at least a reasonable possibility) of neuraxial blockade. Within the reviews, studies were selected using the same criteria. A search was performed in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews on July 13, 2012. We have (1) included all Cochrane systematic reviews that examined participants of any age undergoing any type of surgical (open or endoscopic) procedure, (2) compared neuraxial blockade versus general anaesthesia alone for surgical anaesthesia or neuraxial blockade plus general anaesthesia versus general anaesthesia alone for surgical anaesthesia and (3) included death, chest infection, myocardial infarction and/or serious adverse events as outcomes. Neuraxial blockade could consist of epidural, caudal, spinal or combined spinal-epidural techniques administered as a bolus or by continuous infusion. Studies included in these reviews were selected on the basis of the same criteria. Reviews and studies were selected independently by two review authors, who independently performed data extraction when data differed from one of the selected reviews. Data were analysed by using Review Manager Version 5.1 and Comprehensive Meta Analysis Version 2.2.044. Nine Cochrane reviews were selected for this overview. Their scores on the Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire varied from four to six of a maximal possible score of seven. Compared with general anaesthesia, neuraxial blockade reduced the zero to 30-day mortality (risk ratio [RR] 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.53 to 0.94; I(2) = 0%) based on 20 studies that included 3006 participants. Neuraxial blockade also decreased the risk of pneumonia (RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.79; I(2) = 0%) based on five studies that included 400 participants. No difference was detected in the risk of myocardial infarction between the two techniques (RR 1.17, 95% CI 0.57 to 2.37; I(2) = 0%) based on six studies with 849 participants. Compared with general anaesthesia alone, the addition of a neuraxial block to general anaesthesia did not affect the zero to 30-day mortality (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.51; I(2) = 0%) based on 18 studies with 3228 participants. No difference was detected in the risk of myocardial infarction between combined neuraxial blockade-general anaesthesia and general anaesthesia alone (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.44 to 1.09; I(2) = 0%) based on eight studies that included 1580 participants. The addition of a neuraxial block to general anaesthesia reduced the risk of pneumonia (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.98; I(2) = 9%) after adjustment for publication bias and based on nine studies that included 2433 participants. The quality of the evidence was judged as moderate for all six comparisons.No serious adverse events (seizure or cardiac arrest related to local anaesthetic toxicity, prolonged central or peripheral neurological injury lasting longer than one month or infection secondary to neuraxial blockade) were reported. The quality of the reporting score of complications related to neuraxial blocks was nine (four to 12 (median range)) of a possible maximum score of 14. Compared with general anaesthesia, a central neuraxial block may reduce the zero to 30-day mortality for patients undergoing surgery with intermediate to high cardiac risk (level of evidence, moderate). Further research is required.

An Overview of Systematic Reviews of Shenmai Injection for Healthcare

Shenmai injection (SMI) is widely applied in clinical practice as an organ protector. This overview is to evaluate the current evidence from systematic reviews (SRs) of SMI for healthcare. The literature searches were carried out in 6 databases without language restrictions until December 2012. The quality of the primary studies from the respective SRs was evaluated by using Jadad score. The overview quality assessment questionnaire (OQAQ) was used to evaluate the methodological quality of all included SRs. Twenty eligible SRs were identified. They reported a wide range of conditions, including SMI for cardio/cerebrovascular diseases, viral myocarditis, tumor chemotherapy, and adverse drug reactions. Most of the primary studies were of good quality only in 1 SR of non-small-cell lung cancer. According to the OQAQ scores, the quality of included SRs was variable and six reviews were of high quality with a score of 5 points. Two SRs showed that SMI had low adverse drug reaction occurrence. In conclusion, there is mixed evidence to support efficacy of SMI for an adjunct therapy to tumor chemotherapy and premature evidence for the use of SMI for cardio/cerebrovascular disorders and viral myocarditis. SMI seems generally safe for clinical application. Further large sample-size and well-designed RCTs are needed.

Buyang huanwu decoction for healthcare: evidence-based theoretical interpretations of treating different diseases with the same method and target of vascularity.

Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) is a famous herbal prescription that has been used to treat stroke for centuries. Recent studies reported that the use of BHD had been extended to treat various kinds of disorders according to the TCM syndrome theory of Treating Different Diseases with the Same Method (TDDSM). Here, an overview of systematic reviews (SRs) of BHD for healthcare was conducted to interpret the TCM theory of TDDSM and its target of vascularity in an evidence-based manner. Literature searches were carried out in 5 databases to search SRs of BHD for any indication up to August 2013. Thirteen eligible SRs were identified which reported a wide range of vascular conditions. Based on the Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire scores, the quality of included SRs was varied, with an average score of 4 points. We found that there is premature evidence for the use of BHD for healthcare, whereas BHD was well tolerable in all patients. BHD can be used to treat many disorders with the same therapeutic principle of invigorating Qi to activate blood circulation, which is essentially a manifestation of the TDDSM and is likely to account for targeting the specific pathogenesis of vascular diseases.

P154 Development of the Documentation And Appraisal Review Tool (Dart) For Systematic Reviews

BackgroundSystematic reviews are the foundation for evidence-based guidelines. Rigorous standards exist, but there is wide variation in implementation, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive quality assessment tool for systematic...

Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: Is Current Management Evidence Based? An Empirical Analysis of Systematic Reviews

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health and socioeconomic problem worldwide with a high rate of death and long-term disability. Previous studies have summarized evidence from large-scale randomized trials, finding no intervention showing convincing efficacy for acute TBI management. The present empirical study set out to assess another crucial component of evidence base-systematic review, which contributes a lot to evidence-based health care, in terms of clinical issues, methodological aspects, and implication for practice and research. A total of 44 systematic reviews pertaining to therapeutic interventions for acute TBI were identified through electronic database searching, clinical guideline retrieval, and expert consultation, of which 21 were published in Cochrane Library and 23 in peer-reviewed journals. Their methodological quality was generally satisfactory, with the median Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire score of 5.5 (interquartile range 2-7). Cochrane reviews are of better quality than regular journal reviews. Twenty-nine high-quality reviews provided no conclusive evidence for the investigated 22 interventions except for an adverse effect of corticosteroids. Less than one-third of the component trials were reported with adequate allocation concealment. Additionally other methodological flaws in design-for example, ignoring heterogeneity among the TBI population-also contributed to the failure of past clinical research. Based on the above findings, evidence from both systematic reviews and clinical trials does not fully support current management of acute TBI. Translating from laboratory success to clinical effect remains an unique challenge. Accordingly it may be the time to rethink the way in future practice and clinical research in TBI.