scholarly journals Effectiveness of anti‐diabetic agents for treatment of gestational diabetes: A methodological quality assessment of meta‐analyses and network meta‐analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Razieh Bidhendi Yarandi ◽  
Mina Amiri ◽  
Fahimeh Ramezani Tehrani ◽  
Samira Behboudi‐Gandevani
Keyword(s):  
Gestational Diabetes ◽  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Meta Analyses

scholarly journals Prevalence of Poor Diabetes Self-Management Behaviors among Ethiopian Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta- Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teshome Tesfaye Habebo ◽  
Ebrahim Jaafari Pooyan ◽  
Ali Mohammad Mosadeghrad ◽  
Getachew Ossabo Babore ◽  
Blen Kassahun Dessu
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Glucose Monitoring ◽  
Blood Glucose Monitoring ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Management Behaviors

BACKGROUND: Diabetes has no cure so far, but appropriate self-management contributes to delay or control its progression. However, poor self-management by diabetic patients adds to disease burden. The pooled prevalence of overall, and its main components of poor self-management among Ethiopian diabetic patients remain elusive. Hence, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of poor diabetes self-management behaviors among diabetic patients in Ethiopia.METHOD: by using different combinations of search terms, we accessed articles done until February 15, 2020 through Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase databases. Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale was used for quality assessment, and STATA version 14 software along with the random-effects model was employed for statistical analyses. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA.) guideline was followed to report the results.RESULT: Twenty-one studies with 7,168 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The overall pooled prevalence of poor self-management behavior among diabetic patients in Ethiopia was 49.79% (95% CI: 43.58%, 56.01%). Based on subgroup analysis, the estimated magnitudes of poor selfmanagement by regions were 68.58% in Tigray, 55.46% in Harari, 54.74%, in Amhara, 40.90%, in SNNPRS and 37.06% in Addis Ababa. The worst (80.91%) and relatively better (24.65%) self-management components were observed on self-blood glucose monitoring and medication adherence, respectively.CONCLUSION: One in two diabetic patients in Ethiopia had poor self-management. Thus, we strongly recommend to the ministry of health and universities to train diabetes health educators, and the health facilities to deliver tailored diabetes health education.

scholarly journals Methodological quality assessment of network meta-analysis of drug interventions: implications from a systematic review

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 620-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda S Tonin ◽  
Helena H Borba ◽  
Leticia P Leonart ◽  
Antonio M Mendes ◽  
Laiza M Steimbach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Drug Interventions

scholarly journals Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma for the Improvement of Pain and Function in Rotator Cuff Tears: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis With Bias Assessment

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 2028-2041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Chen ◽  
Ian A. Jones ◽  
Ryan Togashi ◽  
Caron Park ◽  
C. Thomas Vangsness
Keyword(s):  
Rotator Cuff ◽  
Functional Outcomes ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Platelet Rich Plasma ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Vas Scores ◽  
Level 1 ◽  
Meta Analyses

Background: Many clinical trials have investigated the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to treat rotator cuff–related abnormalities. Several meta-analyses have been published, but none have focused exclusively on level 1 randomized controlled trials. Purpose: To assess the efficacy of PRP for rotator cuff–related abnormalities and evaluate how specific tendon involvement, the inclusion of leukocytes, and the use of gel/nongel formulations affect pain and functional outcomes. Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The literature was screened following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Baseline, short-term, and long-term data were extracted for the Constant score, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) score, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, retear rate, Simple Shoulder Test (SST), and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score. The 100-point modified Coleman Methodology Score (CMS) was used to assess methodological quality. Funnel plots and the Egger test were used to screen for publication bias, and sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of potential outliers. Results: A total of 18 level 1 studies were included in this review, 17 (1116 patients) of which could be included in quantitative analysis. The mean modified CMS was 79.4 ± 10.39. The Constant scores of patients who received PRP were significantly better short term (weighted mean difference [WMD], 2.89 [95% CI, 0.89-4.90]; P < .01) and long term (WMD, 2.66 [95% CI, 1.13-4.19]; P < .01). The VAS scores were significantly improved short term (WMD, –0.45 [95% CI, –0.75 to −0.15]; P < .01). Sugaya grade IV and V retears in PRP-treated patients were significantly reduced long term (odds ratio [OR], 0.34 [95% CI, 0.20-0.57]; P < .01). In PRP-treated patients with multiple tendons torn, there were reduced odds of retears (OR, 0.28 [95% CI, 0.13-0.60]; P < .01). Patients who received leukocyte-rich PRP had significantly better Constant scores compared with the leukocyte-poor PRP group, but there was no difference in VAS scores. Patients receiving PRP gel reported higher Constant scores compared with the controls, whereas those receiving nongel PRP treatments did not, although there was no difference in VAS scores. Long-term odds of retears were decreased, regardless of leukocyte content (leukocyte-poor PRP: OR, 0.36 [95% CI, 0.16-0.82]; leukocyte-rich PRP: OR, 0.32 [95% CI, 0.16-0.65]; all P < .05) or usage of gel (nongel: OR, 0.42 [95% CI, 0.23-0.76]; gel: OR, 0.17 [95% CI, 0.05-0.51]; all P < .01). Conclusion: Long-term retear rates were significantly decreased in patients with rotator cuff–related abnormalities who received PRP. Significant improvements in PRP-treated patients were noted for multiple functional outcomes, but none reached their respective minimal clinically important differences. Overall, our results suggest that PRP may positively affect clinical outcomes, but limited data, study heterogeneity, and poor methodological quality hinder firm conclusions.

scholarly journals A Critical Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses on Acupuncture for Poststroke Insomnia

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Jinke Huang ◽  
Manli Wu ◽  
Simin Liang ◽  
Xiaohui Qin ◽  
Min Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Acupuncture Treatment ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Evidence Quality ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Quality Evidence

Objectives. Acupuncture has increasingly been used for insomnia relief after stroke. We aimed to evaluate the methodological quality and summarize the evidence regarding the effectiveness of acupuncture for poststroke insomnia (PSI) from systematic reviews/meta-analyses (SRs/MAs). Methods. Eight databases were searched from inception through August 23, 2020. SRs/MAs on acupuncture treatment for PSI were included. Methodological quality assessment was performed using Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2), and evidence quality assessment was performed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Results. Six SRs/MAs on acupuncture treatment for PSI were included. The AMSTAR-2 showed that the methodological quality of all included SRs/MAs was rated as critically low. According to the evaluation results of GRADE, 38.9% (7/18) of outcomes were rated as very low-quality evidence, 22.2% (4/18) were low-quality evidence, and 8.9% (7/18) were moderate-quality evidence. Descriptive analysis results showed that acupuncture was an effective treatment modality for PSI. Conclusions. All included reviews indicated that acupuncture was more effective than the control group for the treatment of PSI, but the credibility of the results is limited owing to the generally low methodological and evidence quality of the included SRs/MAs. More high-quality evidence is needed to determine whether acupuncture is more effective than other treatments.

scholarly journals Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis in Spine Surgery—How Good Are They in Methodological Quality? A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
pp. 219256822090681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muthu Sathish ◽  
Ramakrishnan Eswar
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Spine Surgery ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Cochrane Database ◽  
Critical Flaw ◽  
Meta Analyses

Study Design: Systematic review. Objectives: To assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in spine surgery over the past 2 decades. Materials and Methods: We conducted independent and in duplicate systematic review of the published systematic reviews and meta-analyses between 2000 and 2019 from PubMed Central and Cochrane Database pertaining to spine surgery involving surgical intervention. We searched bibliographies to identify additional relevant studies. Methodological quality was evaluated with AMSTAR score and graded with AMSTAR 2 criteria. Results: A total of 96 reviews met the eligibility criteria, with mean AMSTAR score of 7.51 (SD = 1.98). Based on AMSTAR 2 criteria, 13.5% (n = 13) and 18.7% (n = 18) of the studies had high and moderate level of confidence of results, respectively, without any critical flaws. A total of 29.1% (n = 28) of the studies had at least 1 critical flaw and 38.5% (n = 37) of the studies had more than 1 critical flaw, so that their results have low and critically low confidence, respectively. Failure to analyze the conflict of interest of authors of primary studies included in review and lack of list of excluded studies with justification were the most common critical flaw. Regression analysis demonstrated that studies with funding and studies published in recent years were significantly associated with higher methodological quality. Conclusion: Despite improvement in methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in spine surgery in current decade, a substantial proportion continue to show critical flaws. With increasing number of review articles in spine surgery, stringent measures must be taken to adhere to methodological quality by following PRISMA and AMSTAR guidelines to attain higher standards of evidence in published literature.

scholarly journals Methodological Quality Assessment of Meta-analyses in Endodontics

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sereen Kattan ◽  
Su-Min Lee ◽  
Meetu R. Kohli ◽  
Frank C. Setzer ◽  
Bekir Karabucak
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Meta Analyses

scholarly journals Efficacy of Oral Ginger (Zingiber officinale) for Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen X. Chen ◽  
Bruce Barrett ◽  
Kristine L. Kwekkeboom
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Weighted Mean Difference ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Zingiber Officinale ◽  
Mean Difference ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Meta Analyses

This systematic review examines the efficacy of oral ginger for dysmenorrhea. Key biomedical databases and grey literature were searched. We included randomized controlled trials comparing oral ginger against placebo or active treatment in women with dysmenorrhea. Six trials were identified. Two authors independently reviewed the articles, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus with a third reviewer. We completed a narrative synthesis of all six studies and exploratory meta-analyses of three studies comparing ginger with placebo and two studies comparing ginger with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Ginger appeared more effective for reducing pain severity than placebo. The weighted mean difference on a 10 cm visual analogue scale was 1.55 cm (favoring ginger) (95% CI 0.68 to 2.43). No significant difference was found between ginger and mefenamic acid (an NSAID). The standardized mean difference was 0 (95% CI −0.40 to 0.41). Available data suggest that oral ginger could be an effective treatment for menstrual pain in dysmenorrhea. Findings, however, need to be interpreted with caution because of the small number of studies, poor methodological quality of the studies, and high heterogeneity across trials. The review highlights the need for future trials with high methodological quality.

scholarly journals Improving the transparency of meta-analyses with interactive web applications

2020 ◽  
pp. bmjebm-2019-111308
Author(s):  
Thomas P Ahern ◽  
Richard F MacLehose ◽  
Laura Haines ◽  
Deirdre P Cronin-Fenton ◽  
Per Damkier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Web Applications ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cancer Recurrence ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Summary Estimate ◽  
Specific Association ◽  
Meta Analyses

Increased transparency in study design and analysis is one proposed solution to the perceived reproducibility crisis facing science. Systematic review and meta-analysis—through which individual studies on a specific association are ascertained, assessed for quality and quantitatively combined—is a critical process for building consensus in medical research. However, the conventional publication model creates static evidence summaries that force the quality assessment criteria and analytical choices of a small number of authors onto all stakeholders, some of whom will have different views on the quality assessment and key features of the analysis. This leads to discordant inferences from meta-analysis results and delayed arrival at consensus. We propose a shift to interactive meta-analysis, through which stakeholders can take control of the evidence synthesis using their own quality criteria and preferred analytic approach—including the option to incorporate prior information on the association in question—to reveal how their summary estimate differs from that reported by the original analysts. We demonstrate this concept using a web-based meta-analysis of the association between genetic variation in a key tamoxifen-metabolising enzyme and breast cancer recurrence in tamoxifen-treated women. We argue that interactive meta-analyses would speed consensus-building to the degree that they reveal invariance of inferences to different study selection and analysis criteria. On the other hand, when inferences are found to differ substantially as a function of these choices, the disparities highlight where future research resources should be invested to resolve lingering sources of disagreement.

Associations between anger and chronic primary pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomonori Adachi ◽  
Keiko Yamada ◽  
Haruo Fujino ◽  
Kiyoka Enomoto ◽  
Masahiko Shibata
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Perceived Injustice ◽  
Qualitative Synthesis ◽  
Action Tendency ◽  
Comprehensive Search ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract Objectives Anger is a negative emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something, is rooted in an appraisal or attribution of wrongdoing, and is accompanied by an action tendency to undo the wrongdoing. Anger is prevalent in individuals with chronic pain, especially those with chronic primary pain. The associations between anger and pain-related outcomes (e.g., pain intensity, disability) have been examined in previous studies. However, to our knowledge, no systematic review or meta-analysis has summarized the findings of anger-pain associations through a focus on chronic primary pain. Hence, we sought to summarize the findings on the associations of anger-related variables with pain and disability in individuals with chronic primary pain. Methods All studies reporting at least one association between anger-related variables and the two pain-related outcomes in individuals with chronic primary pain were eligible. We searched electronic databases using keywords relevant to anger and chronic primary pain. Multiple reviewers independently screened for study eligibility, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment. Results Thirty-eight studies were included in this systematic review, of which 20 provided data for meta-analyses (2,682 participants with chronic primary pain). Of the included studies, 68.4% had a medium methodological quality. Evidence showed mixed results in the qualitative synthesis. Most anger-related variables had significant positive pooled correlations with small to moderate effect sizes for pain and disability. Conclusions Through a comprehensive search, we identified several key anger-related variables associated with pain-related outcomes. In particular, associations with perceived injustice were substantial.

P14.71 An assessment of the reporting and methodological quality of meningioma systematic reviews and meta-analyses

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. ii51-ii52
Author(s):  
A M George ◽  
S Gupta ◽  
S M Keshwara ◽  
M A Mustafa ◽  
C S Gillespie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Neurofibromatosis Type ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Measurement Tool ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract BACKGROUND Systematic reviews and meta-analyses constitute the highest level of research evidence and for a disease with limited clinical trial activity, are often relied upon to help inform clinical practice. This review of reviews evaluates both the reporting & methodological quality of meningioma evidence syntheses. MATERIAL AND METHODS Potentially eligible meningioma reviews published between 1st January 1990 and 31st December 2020 were identified from eight electronic databases. Inclusion required the study to meet the Cochrane guideline definition of a systematic review or meta-analysis. Reviews concerning neurofibromatosis type 2, spinal and pediatric meningiomas were excluded. The reporting and methodological quality of articles were assessed against the following modified guidelines: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR2) and the Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS) guidelines. RESULTS 117 systematic reviews were identified, 57 of which included meta-analysis (48.7%). The number of meningioma systematic reviews published each year has increased with 63 studies (53.9%) published between 01/2018 and 12/2020. A median of 17 studies (IQR 9–29) were included per review. Impact factor of journals publishing a systematic review with or without a meta-analysis was similar (median 2.3 vs 1.8, P=0.397). The mean PRISMA scores for systematic reviews with a meta-analysis was 21.11 (SD 4.1, 78% adherence) and without was 13.89 (SD 3.4, 63% adherence). Twenty-nine systematic reviews with meta-analysis (51%) and 11 without meta-analysis (18%) achieved greater than 80% adherence to PRISMA recommendations. Methodological quality assessment using AMSTAR2 revealed one study (0.9%) as high quality whilst 111 (94.8%) studies were graded as critically low. One hundred and two articles (87.2%) did not utilize a comprehensive search strategy as defined by the AMSTAR2 tool. Ninety-nine studies (84.6%) obtained a high level of concern for potential bias as per the ROBIS assessment. One hundred and eight articles (92.3%) failed to present information that a protocol had been established prior to study commencement and 76 articles (65.0%) did not conduct a risk of bias assessment. Across the three tools, domains relating to the establishment of a protocol prior to review commencement and conducting appropriate risk of bias assessments were frequently low scoring. CONCLUSION Overall reporting and methodological quality of meningioma systematic reviews was sub-optimal. Established critical appraisal tools and reporting guidelines should be utilized a priori to assist in producing high-quality systematic reviews.

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