scholarly journals Learning spinal manipulation: A best-evidence synthesis of teaching methods*

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brynne E. Stainsby ◽  
Michelle C.S. Clarke ◽  
Jade R. Egonia
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Spinal Manipulative Therapy ◽  
Force Sensor ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Manipulative Therapy ◽  
Best Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Meta Analyses

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different reported methods used to teach spinal manipulative therapy to chiropractic students. Methods: For this best-evidence literature synthesis, 5 electronic databases were searched from 1900 to 2015. Eligible studies were critically appraised using the criteria of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Scientifically admissible studies were synthesized following best-evidence synthesis principles. Results: Twenty articles were critically appraised, including 9 randomized clinical trials, 9 cohort studies, and 2 systematic reviews/meta-analyses. Eleven articles were accepted as scientifically admissible. The type of teaching method aids included a Thrust in Motion cervical manikin, instrumented cardiopulmonary reanimation manikin, padded contact with a load cell, instrumented treatment table with force sensor/transducer, and Dynadjust instrument. Conclusions: Several different methods exist in the literature for teaching spinal manipulative therapy techniques; however, future research in this developing area of chiropractic education is proposed. It is suggested that various teaching methods be included in the regular curricula of chiropractic colleges to aid in developing manipulation skills, efficiency, and knowledge of performance.

scholarly journals Do dissatisfied patients have unrealistic expectations? A systematic review and best-evidence synthesis in knee and hip arthroplasty patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 226-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederique J. Hafkamp ◽  
Taco Gosens ◽  
Jolanda de Vries ◽  
Brenda L. den Oudsten
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Clinical Success ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Outcome Expectations ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Best Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Relationship

End-stage osteoarthritis is commonly treated with joint replacement. Despite high clinical success rates, up to 28% of patients are dissatisfied with the outcome. This best-evidence synthesis aimed to review studies with different forms of study design and methodology that examined the relationship between (fulfilment of) outcome expectations of hip and knee patients and satisfaction with outcome. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo, Cochrane, and Google Scholar to identify studies conducted up to November 2017. The methodological quality of studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. In this best-evidence synthesis systematic review, the following main results could be seen. In only half of all studies were preoperative expectations associated with level of satisfaction, while in almost all studies (93%), fulfilment of expectations was related to satisfaction. The effect of met expectations did not differ between hip and knee patients or study design. Fulfilment of expectations seems to be consistently associated with patient satisfaction with outcome. Emphasis in future research must be placed on the operationalization and measurement of expectations and satisfaction to determine the (strength of the) influence of these different forms of assessment on the (existence of the) relationship. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2020;5:226-240. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.5.190015

scholarly journals Recalibrating the risk of hamstring strain injury (HSI): A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis of risk factors for index and recurrent hamstring strain injury in sport

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (18) ◽  
pp. 1081-1088 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brady Green ◽  
Matthew N Bourne ◽  
Nicol van Dyk ◽  
Tania Pizzari
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Hamstring Strain ◽  
Best Evidence Synthesis ◽  
History Of

ObjectiveTo systematically review risk factors for hamstring strain injury (HSI).DesignSystematic review update.Data sourcesDatabase searches: (1) inception to 2011 (original), and (2) 2011 to December 2018 (update). Citation tracking, manual reference and ahead of press searches.Eligibility criteria for selecting studiesStudies presenting prospective data evaluating factors associated with the risk of index and/or recurrent HSI.MethodSearch result screening and risk of bias assessment. A best evidence synthesis for each factor and meta-analysis, where possible, to determine the association with risk of HSI.ResultsThe 78 studies captured 8,319 total HSIs, including 967 recurrences, in 71,324 athletes. Older age (standardised mean difference=1.6, p=0.002), any history of HSI (risk ratio (RR)=2.7, p<0.001), a recent HSI (RR=4.8, p<0.001), previous anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury (RR=1.7, p=0.002) and previous calf strain injury (RR=1.5, p<0.001) were significant risk factors for HSI. From the best evidence synthesis, factors relating to sports performance and match play, running and hamstring strength were most consistently associated with HSI risk. The risk of recurrent HSI is best evaluated using clinical data and not the MRI characteristics of the index injury.Summary/conclusionOlder age and a history of HSI are the strongest risk factors for HSI. Future research may be directed towards exploring the interaction of risk factors and how these relationships fluctuate over time given the occurrence of index and recurrent HSI in sport is multifactorial.

scholarly journals Network meta-analyses in reproductive medicine: challenges and opportunities

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 1723-1731
Author(s):  
Rui Wang ◽  
Anna Lene Seidler ◽  
Lisa Askie ◽  
Robert J Norman ◽  
Siladitya Bhattacharya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Medicine ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Recent Addition ◽  
Simultaneous Comparisons ◽  
Multiple Treatments ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract Network meta-analysis allows researchers to synthesise both direct and indirect evidence, thus enabling simultaneous comparisons of multiple treatments. A relatively recent addition to evidence synthesis in reproductive medicine, this approach has become increasingly popular. Yet, the underlying assumptions of network meta-analyses, which drive the validity of their findings, have been frequently ignored. In this article, we discuss the strengths and limitations of network meta-analyses. In addition, we present an overview of published network meta-analyses in reproductive medicine, summarize their challenges and provide insights into future research opportunities.

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.

A Stepwise Approach to Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses of Endovascular Interventions

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 805-817
Author(s):  
George A. Antoniou ◽  
Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai ◽  
Francesco Versaci ◽  
Stavros A. Antoniou
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Specific Topic ◽  
Stepwise Approach ◽  
Endovascular Interventions ◽  
Statistical Precision ◽  
Meta Analyses

The accrual of clinical studies poses important challenges to researchers and practitioners, especially in the field of endovascular therapy, where patient, lesion, technique, and device subtleties abound. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses may prove particularly fruitful in such settings by increasing statistical precision and bolstering external validity if the evidence base on a specific topic is consistent or by highlighting important discrepancies in the opposite scenario. However, mastering the correct approach to systematic review and meta-analysis is challenging for careful readers or for those interested in conducting such an evidence synthesis exercise. The present article highlights a stepwise approach to systematic reviews and meta-analyses, focusing on endovascular interventions, which will prove useful to anyone reading or wishing to synthesize the evidence base on endovascular topics to optimize decision making or shape future research efforts.

scholarly journals In Search of a Long-Awaited Consensus on Disciplinary Integration in STEM Education

Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 597
Author(s):  
David Aguilera ◽  
José Luis Lupiáñez ◽  
José Miguel Vílchez-González ◽  
Francisco Javier Perales-Palacios
Keyword(s):  
Stem Education ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Theoretical Foundation ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Stem Literacy ◽  
Disciplinary Integration ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Practice Of Science

The emergence of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in research and the practice of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education is today an unquestionable fact at international level. Despite the importance attached to STEM education, there is a lack of synthesized approaches to teaching the interdisciplinarity of STEM. This lack of synthesis can hinder a strong theoretical foundation for STEM education and possible new contributions. The purpose of this position paper is to contribute a theoretical framework for STEM education that enables the unification of criteria regarding disciplinary integration and associated teaching methods. The authors discuss disciplinary integration in STEM activities, the implication of STEM literacy, educational stage, and teaching method, and provide suggestions for future research.

scholarly journals The effectiveness of Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) In the management of nonspecific Low Back Pain (LBP)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scalella Roberto
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Treatment Protocol ◽  
Spinal Manipulative Therapy ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Low Back ◽  
The Real ◽  
Manipulative Therapy

A systematic review of a number of studies in order to verify the real effectiveness of Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) for management of nonspecific Low Back pain in order to relieve pain, improve function and diminish disability. It is known that the diagnosis of low back pain is a difficult matter, due to different causes related to it, not always readily apparent, considering the main distinction between specific and non-specific low back pain, in this review, a special attention has been dedicated on the second one. Despite many published randomized clinical trials, a substantial number of reviews and several clinical guidelines, the real effectiveness of this therapy to manage nonspecific low back pain is still minimal. Following the most recent North American Spine Society (NASS) guidelines, this review considers selected and high quality studies with more stringent criteria of evidence-based admissibility, and by the way, a special attention has been paid on the studies that, more than other, tried to assess the effect of spinal manipulation SMT compared to other kind of therapies in patients with nonspecific LBP. It should be noted that this study is designed to be a simple review of the best evidence based recommendations so it should not be seen as a standard of care, or a treatment protocol with type, frequency and duration of intervention available for everyone.

scholarly journals Does Cardiac Rehabilitation After an Acute Cardiac Syndrome Lead to Changes in Physical Activity Habits? Systematic Review

2015 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nienke ter Hoeve ◽  
Bionka M.A. Huisstede ◽  
Henk J. Stam ◽  
Ron T. van Domburg ◽  
Madoka Sunamura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Best Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Physical Activity Levels

BackgroundOptimal physical activity levels have health benefits for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and are an important goal of cardiac rehabilitation (CR).PurposeThe purpose of this study was to systematically review literature regarding short-term effects (&lt;6 months after completion of CR) and long-term effects (≥6 months after completion) of standard CR on physical activity levels in patients with ACS.Data SourcesPubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PEDro were systematically searched for relevant randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published from 1990 until 2012.Study SelectionRandomized clinical trials investigating CR for patients with ACS reporting physical activity level were reviewed.Data ExtractionTwo reviewers independently selected articles, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality. Results were summarized with a best evidence synthesis. Results were categorized as: (1) center-based/home-based CR versus no intervention, (2) comparison of different durations of CR, and (3) comparison of 2 types of CR.Data SynthesisA total of 26 RCTs were included. Compared with no intervention, there was, at most, conflicting evidence for center-based CR and moderate evidence for home-based CR for short-term effectiveness. Limited evidence and no evidence were found for long-term maintenance for center-based and home-based CR, respectively. When directly compared with center-based CR, moderate evidence showed that home-based CR has better long-term effects. There was no clear evidence that increasing training volume, extending duration of CR, or adding an extra intervention to CR is more effective.LimitationsBecause of the variety of CR interventions in the included RCTs and the variety of outcome measures in the included RCTs, pooling of data was not possible. Therefore, a best evidence synthesis was used.ConclusionsIt would appear that center-based CR is not sufficient to improve and maintain physical activity habits. Home-based programs might be more successful, but the literature on these programs is limited. More research on finding successful interventions to improve activity habits is needed.

Mastery Learning Reconsidered

1987 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert E. Slavin
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Mastery Learning ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Best Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Over Time

Several recent reviews and meta-analyses have claimed extraordinarily positive effects of mastery learning on student achievement, and Bloom (1984a , 1984b) has hypothesized that mastery-based treatments will soon be able to produce “2-sigma” (i.e., 2 standard deviation) increases in achievement. This article examines the literature on achievement effects of practical applications of group-based mastery learning in elementary and secondary schools over periods of at least 4 weeks, using a review technique, “best-evidence synthesis,” which combines features of meta-analytic and traditional narrative reviews. The review found essentially no evidence to support the effectiveness of group-based mastery learning on standardized achievement measures. On experimenter-made measures, effects were generally positive but moderate in magnitude, with little evidence that effects maintained over time. These results are discussed in light of the coverage versus mastery dilemma posed by group-based mastery learning.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document