Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31376175›Full record

SynthesisJournal of gastroenterology and hepatology2020

Heterogeneous outcome reporting in adult slow-transit constipation studies: Systematic review towards a core outcome set.

Stella C M Heemskerk, Adriënne H Rotteveel, Jarno Melenhorst, Stéphanie O Breukink, Merel L Kimman, Carmen D Dirksen

Open access · bronzeAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 21% 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Observational
  5. Article
  6. Article
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

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Stella C M HeemskerkDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1320-8084
Adriënne H RotteveelDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3395-0147
Jarno MelenhorstSchool of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Stéphanie O BreukinkSchool of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Merel L KimmanDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Carmen D DirksenDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Maastricht University · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimStandardizing evaluative outcomes and their assessment facilitates comparisons between clinical studies and provides a basis for comparing direct effects of different treatment options. The aim of this study was to systematically review types of outcomes and measurement instruments used in studies regarding treatment options for slow-transit constipation (STC) in adults.

methodsIn this systematic review of the literature, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO from inception through February 2018, for papers assessing any STC treatment in adult patients. Outcomes were systematically extracted and categorized in domains using the conceptual framework of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology filter 2.0. Outcome reporting was stratified by decade of publication, intervention, and study type.

resultsForty-seven studies were included in this systematic review. Fifty-nine different types of outcomes were identified. The outcomes were structured in three core areas and 18 domains. The most commonly reported domains were defecation functions (94%), gastrointestinal transit (53%), and health-care service use (51%). The most frequently reported outcomes were defecation frequency (83%), health-related quality of life (43%), and adverse events and complications (43%). In 62% of the studies, no primary outcome was defined, whereas in two studies, more than one primary outcomes were selected. A wide diversity of measurement instruments was used to assess the reported outcomes.

conclusionOutcomes reported in studies on STC in adults are heterogeneous. A lack of standardization complicates comparisons between studies. Developing a core outcome set for STC in adults could contribute to standardization of outcome reporting in (future) studies.

Indexed as

AdultConstipationDefecationFemaleGastrointestinal MotilityHumansMaleOutcome Assessment, Health CareQuality of LifeCore outcome setOMERACTOutcomesSlow-transit constipation

Identifiers

PMID31376175
PMCPMC7027471
OpenAlexW2966860069

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.