Objective To assess the use of evidence-based research(EBR)approach in randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of acupuncture-related therapies for primary dysmenorrhea(PD).Methods PubMed,EMBASE,Cochrane Library,China Natio...Objective To assess the use of evidence-based research(EBR)approach in randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of acupuncture-related therapies for primary dysmenorrhea(PD).Methods PubMed,EMBASE,Cochrane Library,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Database,Chinese Biomedical Database,and China Science and Technology Journal Database were searched from January 2013 to December 2022 for RCTs of acupuncture on PD.The full text and references of each RCT were read to assess whether systematic reviews(SRs)or other types of studies with similar research questions and end-users’perspectives were cited to justify and design the trial.In addition,the discussion section were analyzed to evaluate whether trials placed the new result in the existing SRs to draw a conclusion.Multivariable logistic regression was used to find variables that associated with 3 aspects of EBR approach:(1)citing clinical studies for justification,(2)citing relevant studies that obtain the perspectives of end users,and(3)citing clinical studies for results discussion.Results Of 473 RCTs included,45.67%(216)of the trials cited relevant similar studies,21.56%(102)referenced to the studies that collected end-users’perspectives,and 10.99%(52)placed result in the context of the previous research.Few RCTs appropriately applied EBR approach.Among all the included studies,3.17%(15)of the trials used SRs to inform study questions but none of them used updated SRs with acceptable quality;1.05%(5)of the trials cited SRs of end-user’s perspectives in the justification and design of the study,and only 1 trial added results in existing SR to draw a conclusion.Year of publication,language,funding,registration,ethical approval and number of sites were significantly associated with 1 of the 3 aspects of EBR approach.Conclusions Few RCTs in acupuncture-related therapies for PD used the EBR approach to minimize research redundancy.Researchers,research institutes,funding agencies,ethics committees,journals and peer reviewers in acupuncture should make effo展开更多
AIM To assess the quality of and to critically synthesize the available data on hepatitis C infections in the Middle East and North Africa(MENA) region to map evidence gaps.METHODS We conducted an overview of systemat...AIM To assess the quality of and to critically synthesize the available data on hepatitis C infections in the Middle East and North Africa(MENA) region to map evidence gaps.METHODS We conducted an overview of systematic reviews(SRs) following an a priori developed protocol(CRD42017076736). Our overview followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and metaanalyses guidelines for reporting SRs and abstracts and did not receive any funding. Two independent reviewers systematically searched MEDLINE and conducted a multistage screening of the identified articles. Out of 5758 identified articles, 37 SRs of hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection in populations living in 20 countries in the MENA region published between 2008 and 2016 were included in our overview. The nine primary outcomes of interest were HCV antibody(anti-) prevalences and incidences in different at-risk populations; the HCV viremic(RNA positive) rate in HCV-positive individuals; HCV viremic prevalence in the general population(GP); the prevalence of HCV co-infection with the hepatitis B virus, human immunodeficiency virus, or schistosomiasis; the HCV genotype/subtype distribution; and the risk factors for HCV transmission. The conflicts of interest declared by the authors of the SRs were also extracted. Good quality outcomes reported by the SRs were defined as having the population, outcome, study time and setting defined as recommended by the PICOTS framework and a sample size > 100.RESULTS We included SRs reporting HCV outcomes with different levels of quality and precision. A substantial proportion of them synthesized data from mixed populations at differing levels of risk for acquiring HCV or at different HCV infection stages(recent and prior HCV transmissions). They also synthesized the data over long periods of time(e.g., two decades). Anti-HCV prevalence in the GP varied widely in the MENA region from 0.1%(study dates not reported) in the United Arab Emirates to 2.1%-13.5%(2003-2006) in Pakistan and 14.7%(2008) in Egypt. Data were no展开更多
基金Supported by Innovation Fund of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences(No.CI2021A03503)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81973968)China Center for Evidence Based Traditional Chinese Medicine(No.2020YJSZX-1)。
文摘Objective To assess the use of evidence-based research(EBR)approach in randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of acupuncture-related therapies for primary dysmenorrhea(PD).Methods PubMed,EMBASE,Cochrane Library,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Database,Chinese Biomedical Database,and China Science and Technology Journal Database were searched from January 2013 to December 2022 for RCTs of acupuncture on PD.The full text and references of each RCT were read to assess whether systematic reviews(SRs)or other types of studies with similar research questions and end-users’perspectives were cited to justify and design the trial.In addition,the discussion section were analyzed to evaluate whether trials placed the new result in the existing SRs to draw a conclusion.Multivariable logistic regression was used to find variables that associated with 3 aspects of EBR approach:(1)citing clinical studies for justification,(2)citing relevant studies that obtain the perspectives of end users,and(3)citing clinical studies for results discussion.Results Of 473 RCTs included,45.67%(216)of the trials cited relevant similar studies,21.56%(102)referenced to the studies that collected end-users’perspectives,and 10.99%(52)placed result in the context of the previous research.Few RCTs appropriately applied EBR approach.Among all the included studies,3.17%(15)of the trials used SRs to inform study questions but none of them used updated SRs with acceptable quality;1.05%(5)of the trials cited SRs of end-user’s perspectives in the justification and design of the study,and only 1 trial added results in existing SR to draw a conclusion.Year of publication,language,funding,registration,ethical approval and number of sites were significantly associated with 1 of the 3 aspects of EBR approach.Conclusions Few RCTs in acupuncture-related therapies for PD used the EBR approach to minimize research redundancy.Researchers,research institutes,funding agencies,ethics committees,journals and peer reviewers in acupuncture should make effo
文摘AIM To assess the quality of and to critically synthesize the available data on hepatitis C infections in the Middle East and North Africa(MENA) region to map evidence gaps.METHODS We conducted an overview of systematic reviews(SRs) following an a priori developed protocol(CRD42017076736). Our overview followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and metaanalyses guidelines for reporting SRs and abstracts and did not receive any funding. Two independent reviewers systematically searched MEDLINE and conducted a multistage screening of the identified articles. Out of 5758 identified articles, 37 SRs of hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection in populations living in 20 countries in the MENA region published between 2008 and 2016 were included in our overview. The nine primary outcomes of interest were HCV antibody(anti-) prevalences and incidences in different at-risk populations; the HCV viremic(RNA positive) rate in HCV-positive individuals; HCV viremic prevalence in the general population(GP); the prevalence of HCV co-infection with the hepatitis B virus, human immunodeficiency virus, or schistosomiasis; the HCV genotype/subtype distribution; and the risk factors for HCV transmission. The conflicts of interest declared by the authors of the SRs were also extracted. Good quality outcomes reported by the SRs were defined as having the population, outcome, study time and setting defined as recommended by the PICOTS framework and a sample size > 100.RESULTS We included SRs reporting HCV outcomes with different levels of quality and precision. A substantial proportion of them synthesized data from mixed populations at differing levels of risk for acquiring HCV or at different HCV infection stages(recent and prior HCV transmissions). They also synthesized the data over long periods of time(e.g., two decades). Anti-HCV prevalence in the GP varied widely in the MENA region from 0.1%(study dates not reported) in the United Arab Emirates to 2.1%-13.5%(2003-2006) in Pakistan and 14.7%(2008) in Egypt. Data were no
