Evidence map›Paper›PMID 17364192›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of clinical pharmacology2007

Illusions of objectivity and a recommendation for reporting data mining results.

Manfred Hauben, Lester Reich, Charles M Gerrits, Muhammad Younus

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of clinical pharmacology, 2007. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Manfred HaubenDepartment of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, Valhalla, NY, USA.
Lester Reich
Charles M Gerrits
Muhammad Younus

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveData mining algorithms (DMAs) are being applied to spontaneous reporting system (SRS) databases in the hope of obtaining timely insights into post-licensure safety data. Some DMAs have been characterized as "objective" screening tools. However, there are numerous available modifiable configuration parameters to choose from, including choice of vendor, that may affect results. Our objective is to compare the data mining results on pre-selected drug-event combinations (DECs) between two commonly used software programs using similar protocols.

methodsTwo DMAs, using three thresholds, were retrospectively applied to the USFDA safety database through Q2 2005 to a set of eight pre-selected DECs.

resultsDifferences between the two vendors were found for the number of cases associated with a signal of disproportionate reporting (SDR), first year of SDRs, and the magnitude of the SDR scores for the selected DECs. These were deemed to be potentially significant for 45.8% (11/24) of the data points.

conclusionThe observed differences between vendors could partially be explained by their differing methods of data cleaning and transformation as well as by the specific features of individual algorithms. The choices of vendors and available data mining configurations maximize the exploratory capacity of data mining, but they also raise questions about the claimed objectivity of data mining results and can make data mining exercises susceptible to confirmation bias given the exploratory nature of data mining in pharmacovigilance. When reporting results, the vendor and all data mining configuration details should be specified.

Indexed as

AlgorithmsDrug-Related Side Effects and Adverse ReactionsAdverse Drug Reaction Reporting SystemsCommerceDatabases, FactualData Interpretation, StatisticalHumansProduct Surveillance, PostmarketingReproducibility of ResultsRetrospective StudiesSoftwareUnited StatesUnited States Food and Drug Administration

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.