A low proportion of systematic reviews in physical therapy are registered: a survey of 150 published systematic reviews

Background

Systematic reviews provide the best evidence about the effectiveness of healthcare interventions. Although systematic reviews are conducted with explicit and transparent methods, discrepancies might occur between the protocol and the publication.

Epidemiology, quality, and reporting characteristics of systematic reviews of acupuncture interventions published in chinese journals

Abstract Background: Systematic reviews (SRs) of acupuncture have become increasingly popular in China in recent years and have been published in large numbers. This review provides the first examination of epidemiological characteristics of these SRs as well as compliance with the PRISMA and AMSTAR guidelines. Objectives: The study objectives were to examine epidemiological and reporting characteristics as well as methodological quality of SRs of acupuncture published in Chinese journals. Methods: Four (4) Chinese databases were searched (CBM, CSJD, CJFD, and Wanfang Database) for SRs of Traditional Chinese Medicine, from January 1978 through to December 2010. Data were extracted into Excel spreadsheets. The PRISMA and AMSTAR checklists were used to assess reporting characteristics and methodological quality, respectively. Results: A total of 88 SRs were identified; none of the reviews had been updated. Less than one third (27.3%) were written by clinicians and one third (35.2%) were reported in specialty journals. The impact factor of 53.4% of the journals published was 0. Information retrieval was not comprehensive in more than half (59.1%) of the reviews. Less than half (36.4%) reported assessing for publication bias. Though 97.7% of the reviews used the term "systematic review" or "meta-analysis" in the title, no reviews reported a protocol and none were updated even after they had been published after 2 or more years. Conclusions: Although many SRs of acupuncture interventions have been published in Chinese journals, the reporting quality is troubling. Thus, the most urgent strategy is to focus on increasing the standard of SRs of acupuncture interventions, rather than continuing to publish them in great quantity.     

基于WHO-FICs架构智力残疾儿童青少年身体活动与运动康复的健康结局：系统综述的系统综述

目的 基于世界卫生组织国际分类家族(WHO-FICs)构建智力残疾儿童青少年参与身体活动和运动康复的健康和功能结局的研究架构,系统分析智力残疾儿童青少年的主要健康与功能障碍表现、参与身体活动的方案以及健康和功能结局。 方法 运用《国际疾病分类第十一次修订本》(ICD-11)和《国际功能、残疾和健康分类》(ICF),对智力残疾儿童青少年身体活动干预方案以及健康与功能结局进行系统分析,构建智力残疾儿童青少年健康与功能状况、身体活动干预方案以及健康与功能结局架构。检索Scopus、PubMed、Embase、Web of Science、中国知网、维普、万方数据,收集建库至2022年8月18日公开发表的智力残疾儿童青少年参与身体活动与运动康复的健康及功能结局的系统综述,进行系统综述。 结果 最终纳入系统综述8篇,来自5个国家,包括190项随机对照试验和7 011例参与者,研究领域主要涉及智力障碍、儿童神经病学、康复科学、残疾与健康、适应性体育、特殊教育等,发表时间集中在2018年至2022年。常见的健康状况主要有唐氏综合征、孤独症谱系障碍、脆性X综合征、Prade-Willi综合征、智力障碍、认知障碍;身体活动干预形式分为体适能类、技能类和活动类3类,活动频率每周1~5次,活动强度为中-高强度,持续时间1周~1.5年;健康结局体现在智力功能和适应性行为、身体活动、心理行为健康与社会适应、整体生活质量和福祉方面。 结论 基于WHO-FICs构建了智力残疾儿童青少年参与身体活动和运动康复的健康效果的理论架构。智力残疾儿童青少年主要功能障碍表现为智力功能和适应性行为、活动和心理健康、生活质量和福祉3个层面。其中智力功能和适应性行为层面涉及概念性技能、社交性技能和实践性技能,活动和参与层面表现为低体育活动参与度、久坐和肥胖,活动能力低,没有发展基本运动能力和身体素质。生活质量和福祉层面涉及情绪和情感、自尊、一般自我概念、幸福感、友谊、与他人的关系或社会成熟度、生活质量和福祉等。身体活动方式可以分为体适能类、技能类和运动项目类。主要健康和功能结局主要表现在三个领域：智力功能与适应性行为,活动和参与以及心理行为健康与社会适应、生活质量和福祉。在智力功能和适应性行为领域,主要健康结局涉及认知功能(执行功能、认知可塑性、工作记忆等)、心理功能(情绪自我控制、自我价值和自尊)。在活动和参与领域,主要健康结局涉及体适能(肌力和肌耐力、速度、灵敏性)和动作技能(基本动作技能、平衡、核心稳定性),提高体育活动参与度,促进其更好地适应与赋能(社交、亲社会行为等),达成健康目标(降低疾病风险、缓解焦虑和抑郁、肥胖管理)。在心理行为健康与社会适应、生活质量和福祉领域,参与身体活动与运动康复可以提升儿童青少年整体的生活质量和福祉。     

Adherence to insulin and its association with glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND: Good glycaemic control improves outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes, but the extent to which this depends on adherence to insulin treatment is uncertain. AIM: To investigate the association between adherence to insulin and glycaemic control in insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes. DESIGN: Observational records-based study. METHODS: We studied all patients with type 2 diabetes who were resident in Tayside, Scotland from 1 January 1995 to 30 September 2001, and who were treated with insulin. Adherence to insulin treatment was measured as the annual number of days of insulin coverage on the recommended dose, calculated from the amount of drug dispensed at community pharmacies and the recommended dose level for each patient. The association between glycaemic control (HbA1c), and adherence was determined, as was the influence of covariates, including age, sex, duration of diabetes and number of injections per day. RESULTS: A total of 1099 people were studied: 574 (52%) males and 525 (48%) females, mean +/- SD age 62 +/- 12 years, diabetes duration 10 +/- 7 years. Median time in the study (time for which insulin was dispensed) was 1107 (range 366-2446) days. Insulin prescribed was 58.0 +/- 33.3 IU/day and insulin collected from pharmacies was 53.6 +/- 27.1 IU/day. Mean adherence to insulin was thus 70.6%+/-17.7%. Adherence to insulin (p = 0.0021), BMI (p = 0.0001) and diabetes duration (p = 0.0314) were all significant predictors of HbA1c. DISCUSSION: Adherence to insulin appears poor in these type 2 diabetes patients, and there was a significant relationship between adherence and long-term metabolic control.     

Clinical trial registry searches are under-utilized in systematic reviews from critical care journals: A bibliometric analysis

PurposePublication bias has a significant impact on the results of systematic reviews. Clinical trial registry searches, which include unpublished research, should be conducted when performing systematic reviews to reduce publication bias. We aimed to analyze the use of clinical trial registry searches in critical care systematic reviews.MethodsSystematic reviews published between 01/01/2010–02/18/2020 from the top 5 critical care journals were extracted from PubMed and screened for trial registry use. Additionally, of the studies not performing registry searches, we assessed ClinicalTrials.gov for potentially relevant trials that were missed by not performing a registry search.ResultsThree hundred and twenty six systematic reviews were analyzed, of which 37 (11.3%) performed trial registry searches. Of the studies not performing clinical trial registry searches, 56% had at least 1 potentially relevant trial that was missed.ConclusionsThe omission of relevant, unpublished clinical trial results may be negatively impacting the accuracy of critical care systematic reviews. We recommend all systematic reviewers conduct clinical trial registry searches to reduce publication bias.     

A systematic approach to erectile dysfunction in the cardiovascular patient: a consensus statement

Sexual activity is no more stressful to the heart when compared with a number of other natural daily activities, e.g. walking one mile on the level in 20 minutes. The cardiac risk of sexual activity in patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease is minimal in properly assessed and advised patients. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is common, affecting 10% of men aged 40-70 years and increases in frequency with age. ED and cardiovascular disease share many of the same risk factors and often coexist. ED in the diagnosed cardiovascular patient should be identified by routine questioning in general practice. Modern therapies can restore a sexual relationship in the majority of patients with ED and can lead to a substantial improvement in quality of life. The majority of patients assessed to be at low or intermediate cardiac risk, as defined later in this paper (Table 4), can be effectively managed in primary care. Primary care treatment for ED in patients defined as high risk can be initiated following a specialist opinion and/or confirmation that the patient's cardiovascular condition is stabilised. There is no evidence that currently licensed treatments for ED add to the overall cardiovascular risk in patients with or without diagnosed cardiovascular disease.     

Epidemiology,methodological and reporting characteristics of systematic reviews of nursing interventions published in China

The importance of systematic reviews (SRs) of nursing interventions' impact on practice makes their methodological quality and reporting characteristics especially important as it directly influence their utility for clinicians, patients and policy makers.The study aims to assess the methodological quality and reporting characteristics of SRs of nursing interventions in Chinese nursing journals. Three Chinese databases were searched for SRs of nursing interventions from inception to October 2011. The assessment of multiple systematic reviews (AMSTAR) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) statements were used to assess methodological quality and reporting characteristics. Seventy‐four SRs were included. The proportion of SRs complying with AMSTAR checklist items ranged from 0% to 82.4%. No SRs reported an ‘a priori’ design or conflict of interest. Only four items were found to be reported in more than 50% of the SRs: a list of included and excluded studies, the scientific quality of included studies, the appropriate use of methods to combine findings, and formulating conclusions appropriately. The majority of SRs of nursing interventions in China had major methodological and reporting flaws that limited their value to guide decisions. Chinese authors and journals should adopt and keep up with the AMSTAR and PRISMA statements to improve the quality of SRs in this field.