Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27280023›Full record

ArticleBMC hematology2016

A systematic review of using and reporting survival analyses in acute lymphoblastic leukemia literature.

Chatree Chai-Adisaksopha, Alfonso Iorio, Christopher Hillis, Wendy Lim, Mark Crowther

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC hematology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
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

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Chatree Chai-AdisaksophaDepartments of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada ; Departments of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
Alfonso IorioDepartments of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada ; Departments of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
Christopher HillisDepartments of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada ; Departments of Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
Wendy LimDepartments of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
Mark CrowtherDepartments of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada ; Departments of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
McMaster University · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundsSurvival analysis is commonly used to determine the treatment effect among acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients who undergo allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) or other treatments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use and reporting of survival analyses in these articles.

methodsWe performed a systematic review by searching the MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane library databases from inception to April 2015. Clinical trials of patients with ALL comparing allo-SCT compared to another treatment were included. We included only studies that used survival analysis as a part of the statistical methods.

resultsThere were 14 studies included in the review. Sample size estimation was described in 4 (29 %) studies. Only 4 (29 %) studies reported the list of covariates assessed in the Cox regression and 6 (43 %) studies provided a description of censorship. All studies reported survival curves using the Kaplan-Meier method. The comparisons between groups were investigated using the log-rank test and Wilcoxon test. Crossing survival curves were observed in 11(79 %) studies. The Cox regression model was incorporated in 10 (71 %) studies. None of the studies assessed the Cox proportional hazards assumption or goodness-of-fit.

conclusionsThe use and reporting of survival analysis in adult ALL patients undergoing allo-SCT have significant limitations. Notably, the finding of crossing survival curves was common and none of the studies assessed for the proportional hazards assumption. We encourage authors, reviewers and editors to improve the quality of the use and reporting of survival analysis in the hematology literature.

Indexed as

Acute lymphoblastic leukemiaMortalityRegression analysisSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID27280023
PMCPMC4898350
OpenAlexW2418468339

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.