Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39487499›Full record

ArticleSystematic reviews2024

Semi-automated title-abstract screening using natural language processing and machine learning.

Maximilian Pilz, Samuel Zimmermann, Juliane Friedrichs, Enrica Wördehoff, Ulrich Ronellenfitsch, Meinhard Kieser, Johannes A Vey

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Systematic reviews, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. 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.

Maximilian PilzUniversity of Heidelberg - Institute of Medical Biometry, Heidelberg, Germany. maximilian.pilz@itwm.fraunhofer.de.ORCID 0000-0002-9685-1613
Samuel ZimmermannUniversity of Heidelberg - Institute of Medical Biometry, Heidelberg, Germany.
Juliane FriedrichsMedical Faculty of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg - Department of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Enrica WördehoffMedical Faculty of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg - Department of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Ulrich RonellenfitschMedical Faculty of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg - Department of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Meinhard KieserUniversity of Heidelberg - Institute of Medical Biometry, Heidelberg, Germany.
Johannes A VeyUniversity of Heidelberg - Institute of Medical Biometry, Heidelberg, Germany.

Funding

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung 01KG2106
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTitle-abstract screening in the preparation of a systematic review is a time-consuming task. Modern techniques of natural language processing and machine learning might allow partly automatization of title-abstract screening. In particular, clear guidance on how to proceed with these techniques in practice is of high relevance.

methodsThis paper presents an entire pipeline how to use natural language processing techniques to make the titles and abstracts usable for machine learning and how to apply machine learning algorithms to adequately predict whether or not a publication should be forwarded to full text screening. Guidance for the practical use of the methodology is given.

resultsThe appealing performance of the approach is demonstrated by means of two real-world systematic reviews with meta analysis.

conclusionsNatural language processing and machine learning can help to semi-automatize title-abstract screening. Different project-specific considerations have to be made for applying them in practice.

Indexed as

Abstracting and IndexingMachine LearningNatural Language ProcessingAlgorithmsHumansSystematic Reviews as TopicAutomatizationLanguage modelsMachine learningMeta analysisNatural language processingSystematic reviewTitle-abstract screening

Identifiers

PMID39487499
PMCPMC11529237

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.