SynthesisBMJ open2024
Conducting observational analyses with the target trial emulation approach: a methodological systematic review.
Synthesis in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07508865 (Sustainable Anesthesia in Myocardial Revascularization Surgery), which is not on this map. Cited by 8 papers.
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
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.
Sustainable Anesthesia in Myocardial Revascularization Surgery: a Non-randomized Interventional Study
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Active Monitoring versus Surgical Excision for Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia.Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.) · 2026Observational
- Evaluating bias in target trial emulation for heart failure across statistical and deep learning methods.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Target trial emulation: bridging observational studies and randomized trials for health decision-making.Journal of comparative effectiveness research · 2026Article
- Association of dual SGLT-2 inhibitor and GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy with colon cancer risk in post-polypectomy patients with diabetes: a target trial emulation.Diabetology & metabolic syndrome · 2026Article
- Patient and public involvement and engagement in target trial emulation framework: a scoping review protocol.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Mapping eligibility criteria in oncology target trial emulations using real-world data: a scoping review.BMC medical research methodology · 2026Article
- Design and Implementation of Observational Studies Emulating a Target Trial.JAMA network open · 2026Article
- Uptake and 24-month Outcomes of Dolutegravir- Versus Lopinavir-based Second-line Antiretroviral Therapy for People With HIV in South Africa: A Retrospective Cohort Study and Emulated Target Trial.Open forum infectious diseases · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTarget trial emulation is an approach that is increasingly used to improve transparency in observational studies and help mitigate biases. For studies declaring that they emulated a target trial, we aimed to evaluate the specification of the target trial, examine its consistency with the observational emulation and assess the risk of bias in the observational analysis.
designMethodological systematic review reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. DATA SOURCES: The database MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online) was interrogated for all studies published from 1 January 2021 to 3 July 2022. We performed an additional manual search of 20 general medical and specialised journals that spanned the same period. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: All studies that declared emulating a hypothetical or real randomised trial were eligible. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two independent reviewers performed the whole systematic review process (screening and selection of studies, data extraction and risk of bias assessment). The main outcomes were the definition of the key protocol components of the target trial and its emulation, consistency between the target trial and its emulation and risk of bias according to the ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies - of Interventions) tool.
resultsAmong the selected sample of 100 studies, 24 (24%) did not specify the target trial. Only 40 studies (40%) provided detailed information on all components of the target trial protocol. Eligibility criteria, intervention strategies and outcomes were consistent between the target trial and its emulation in 35 studies (46% of those specifying the target trial). Overall, 28 studies (28%) exhibited serious risk of bias and 41 (41%) had misalignments in the timing of eligibility assessment, treatment assignment and the start of follow-up (time-zero). As compared with studies that did not specify the target trial, those that did specify the trial less frequently seemed to have both time-zero issues (39% vs 52%) and serious risk of bias (26% vs 33%).
conclusionsOne-quarter of studies declaring that they emulated a target trial did not specify the trial. Target trials and their emulations were particularly inconsistent for studies emulating a real randomised trial. Risk of methodological issues seemed lower in observational analyses that specified versus did not specify the target trial.
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