ArticleResearch synthesis methods2020
Searching practices and inclusion of unpublished studies in systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy.
Article in Research synthesis methods, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effectiveness of Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (ICBT) in Improving Weight-Loss and Psychosocial Well-Being Among Adults With High BMI: A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical nursing · 2026Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Omega-6 sparing effects of parenteral lipid emulsions-an updated systematic review and meta-analysis on clinical outcomes in critically ill patients.Critical care (London, England) · 2022Pooled it
- Large language model enhanced framework for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.BMJ digital health & AI · 2025Article
- Prognostic models for predicting clinical disease progression, worsening and activity in people with multiple sclerosis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Review
- Article
- Child maltreatment and resilience in adulthood: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2023Article
- Searching practices and inclusion of unpublished studies in systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy.Research synthesis methods · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionMany diagnostic accuracy studies are never reported in full in a peer-reviewed journal. Searching for unpublished studies may avoid bias due to selective publication, enrich the power of systematic reviews, and thereby help to reduce research waste. We assessed searching practices among recent systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy.
methodsWe extracted data from 100 non-Cochrane systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy indexed in MEDLINE and published between October 2017 and January 2018 and from all 100 Cochrane systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy published by December 2018, irrespective of whether meta-analysis had been performed.
resultsNon-Cochrane and Cochrane reviews searched a median of 4 (IQR 3-5) and 6 (IQR 5-9) databases, respectively; most often MEDLINE/PubMed (n = 100 and n = 100) and EMBASE (n = 81 and n = 100). Additional efforts to identify studies beyond searching bibliographic databases were performed in 76 and 98 reviews, most often through screening reference lists (n = 71 and n = 96), review/guideline articles (n = 18 and n = 52), or citing articles (n = 3 and n = 42). Specific sources of unpublished studies were searched in 22 and 68 reviews, for example, conference proceedings (n = 4 and n = 18), databases only containing conference abstracts (n = 2 and n = 33), or trial registries (n = 12 and n = 39). At least one unpublished study was included in 17 and 23 reviews. Overall, 39 of 2082 studies (1.9%) included in non-Cochrane reviews were unpublished, and 64 of 2780 studies (2.3%) in Cochrane reviews, most often conference abstracts (97/103).
conclusionSearching practices vary considerably across systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy. Unpublished studies are a minimal fraction of the evidence included in recent reviews.
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