Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32599184›Full record

SynthesisWorld neurosurgery2020

Early Responses of Neurosurgical Practice to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: A Rapid Review.

John Gerrard Hanrahan, Charlotte Burford, Gideon Adegboyega, Marios Nicolaides, Louis Boyce, Kendra Wong, Michail Sideris

Open access · greenAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in World neurosurgery, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 25% 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, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

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

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

John Gerrard HanrahanDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Surgery, Lister Hospital, Stevenage, United Kingdom. Electronic address: john.hanrahan@nhs.net.
Charlotte BurfordDepartment of Surgery, East Kent University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Kent, United Kingdom.
Gideon AdegboyegaBart's and the London Medical School, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Marios NicolaidesBart's and the London Medical School, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Louis BoyceBart's and the London Medical School, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Kendra WongDepartment of Surgery, Lister Hospital, Stevenage, United Kingdom.
Michail SiderisWomen's Health Research Unit, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Queen Mary University of London · GBLister Hospital · GBEast Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe novel coronavirus and subsequent pandemic have drastically transfigured health care delivery. Surgical specialties have seen severe alterations or reductions to practice, with neurosurgery being one example in which staff and resource reallocation has occurred to meet wider public health needs. This review summarizes the published evidence detailing early experiences and changes to neurosurgical practice in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

methodsA systematic review was conducted up until April 21, 2020 in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, by searching Medline, EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Central, and Web of Science Core Collection databases. Individual studies were qualitatively assessed to outline core themes detailing changes to practice. Iterative analysis allowed themes to be developed and applied to all studies included in the review.

resultsIn total, 13 themes from 18 studies were identified, grouped into 3 overriding themes: logistics, human resources, and clinical delivery. Studies originated from 3 of the most affected countries (United States, China, and Italy), comprising expert opinions, letters to the editor, editorials, case reports, or perspective pieces. The commonest themes discussed include cancellation of elective operations, reduction in outpatient services, and pandemic rotas.

conclusionsThis review summarizes the early responses of the neurosurgical community to the COVID-19 pandemic and presents a menu of interventions to be considered in future pandemic response, or in recurrent outbreaks of COVID-19. Whilst our review is limited by the low quality of evidence and rapid rate of change in our understanding of COVID-19, it provides a valuable summary of initial responses by the neurosurgical community to a global pandemic.

Indexed as

Coronavirus InfectionsCOVID-19HumansNervous System DiseasesNeurosurgeryNeurosurgical ProceduresPandemicsPneumonia, ViralCOVID-19Global healthHealth systemsPandemic responsePublic health systems

Identifiers

PMID32599184
PMCPMC7318941
OpenAlexW3037183815

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.