Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33875014›Full record

SynthesisSystematic reviews2021

LOCATE: a prospective evaluation of the value of Leveraging Ongoing Citation Acquisition Techniques for living Evidence syntheses.

Michelle Gates, Sarah A Elliott, Allison Gates, Meghan Sebastianski, Jennifer Pillay, Liza Bialy, Lisa Hartling

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Systematic reviews, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. 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.

Michelle GatesAlberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, 4-486C Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1C9, Canada. mgates1@ualberta.ca.ORCID 0000-0002-9941-9981
Sarah A ElliottAlberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, 4-488A Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1C9, Canada.
Allison GatesAlberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, 4-482C Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1C9, Canada.
Meghan SebastianskiAlberta Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) SUPPORT Unit Knowledge Translation Platform, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, 4-486D Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T6H 1C9, Canada.
Jennifer PillayAlberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, 4-488D Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1C9, Canada.
Liza BialyAlberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, 4-486A Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1C9, Canada.
Lisa HartlingAlberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, 4-472 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1C9, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLiving systematic reviews (LSRs) can expedite evidence synthesis by incorporating new evidence in real time. However, the methods needed to identify new studies in a timely manner are not well established.

objectivesTo explore the value of complementary search approaches in terms of search performance, impact on results and conclusions, screening workload, and feasibility compared to the reference standard.

methodsWe developed three complementary search approaches for a systematic review on treatments for bronchiolitis: Automated Full Search, PubMed Similar Articles, and Scopus Citing References. These were automated to retrieve results monthly; pairs of reviewers screened the records and commented on feasibility. After 1 year, we conducted a full update search (reference standard). For each complementary approach, we compared search performance (proportion missed, number needed to read [NNR]) and reviewer workload (number of records screened, time required) to the reference standard. We investigated the impact of the new trials on the effect estimate and certainty of evidence for the primary outcomes. We summarized comments about feasibility.

resultsVia the reference standard, reviewers screened 505 titles/abstracts, 24 full texts, and identified four new trials (NNR 127; 12.4 h). Of the complementary approaches, only the Automated Full Search located all four trials; these were located 6 to 12 months sooner than via the reference standard but did not alter the results nor certainty in the evidence. The Automated Full Search was the most resource-intensive approach (816 records screened; NNR 204; 17.1 h). The PubMed Similar Articles and Scopus Citing References approaches located far fewer records (452 and 244, respectively), thereby requiring less screening time (9.4 and 5.2 h); however, each approach located only one of the four new trials. Reviewers found it feasible and convenient to conduct monthly screening for searches of this yield (median 15-65 records/month).

conclusionsThe Automated Full Search was the most resource-intensive approach, but also the only to locate all of the newly published trials. Although the monthly screening time for the PubMed Similar Articles and Scopus Citing Articles was far less, most relevant records were missed. These approaches were feasible to integrate into reviewer work processes. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/6M28H .

Indexed as

Prospective StudiesHumansPubMedEvidence-based medicineEvidence synthesisKnowledge synthesisLiterature searchingLiving systematic reviewMethodsSystematic reviewUpdating

Identifiers

PMID33875014
PMCPMC8056603

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.