Authors seldom report the most patient-important outcomes and absolute effect measures in systematic review abstracts
Author
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Agarwal, Arnav
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Johnston, Bradley
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Vernooij, Robin
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Carrasco Labra, Alonso
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Brignardello Petersen, Romina
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Neumann, Ignacio
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Akl, Elie
Author
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Sun, Xin
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Briel, Matthias
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Busse, Jason
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Ebrahim, Shanil
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Granados, Carlos
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Iorio, Alfonso
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Irfan, Affan
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Martínez García, Laura
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Mustafa, Reem
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Ramirez-Morera, Anggie
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Selva, Anna
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Solà, Ivan
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Sanabrai, Andrea
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Tikkinen, Kari
Author
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Vandvik, Per
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Zhang, Yuqing
Author
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Zazueta, Oscar
Author
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Zhou, Qi
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Schunemann, Holger J.
Author
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Guyatt, Gordon H.
Author
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Alonso Coello, Pablo
Admission date
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2018-12-20T15:25:11Z
Available date
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2018-12-20T15:25:11Z
Publication date
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2017
Cita de ítem
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Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, Volumen 81, January 2017, Pages 3-12.
Identifier
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18785921
Identifier
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08954356
Identifier
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10.1016/j.jclinepi.2016.08.004
Identifier
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https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/159183
Abstract
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Objectives
Explicit reporting of absolute measures is important to ensure treatment effects are correctly interpreted. We examined the extent to which authors report absolute effects for patient-important outcomes in abstracts of systematic review (SR).
Study Design and Setting
We searched OVID MEDLINE and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to identify eligible SRs published in the year 2010. Citations were stratified into Cochrane and non-Cochrane reviews, with repeated random sampling in a 1:1 ratio. Paired reviewers screened articles and recorded abstract characteristics, including reporting of effect measures for the most patient-important outcomes of benefit and harm.
Results
We included 96 Cochrane and 94 non-Cochrane reviews. About 117 (77.5%) relative measures were reported in abstracts for outcomes of benefit, whereas only 34 (22.5%) absolute measures were reported. Similarly, for outcomes of harm, 41 (87.2%) relative measures were provided in abstracts, compared with only 6 (12.8%) absolute measures. Eighteen (9.5%) abstracts reported both absolute and relative measures for outcomes of benefit, whereas only two (1.1%) abstracts reported both measures for outcomes of harm. Results were similar between Cochrane and non-Cochrane reviews.
Conclusion
SR abstracts seldom report measures of absolute effect. Journal editors should insist that authors report both relative and absolute effects for patient-important outcomes.