Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40474911›Full record

ArticleCochrane evidence synthesis and methods2023

How to develop rapid reviews of diagnostic tests according to experts: A qualitative exploration of researcher views.

Ingrid Arevalo-Rodriguez, Susan Baxter, Karen R Steingart, Andrea C Tricco, Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit, David Kaunelis, Pablo Alonso-Coello, Patrick M Bossuyt, Javier Zamora

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cochrane evidence synthesis and methods, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

9 authors.

Ingrid Arevalo-RodriguezClinical Biostatistics Unit Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal Madrid Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-7326-4504
Susan BaxterSchool of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) University of Sheffield Sheffield UK.
Karen R SteingartHonorary Research Fellow, Department of Clinical Sciences Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine Liverpool UK.
Andrea C TriccoLi Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital Unity Health Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada.
Barbara Nussbaumer-StreitCochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation University of Krems Krems Austria.
David KaunelisCanadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) Ottawa Ontario Canada.
Pablo Alonso-CoelloIberoamerican Cochrane Center-Servicio de Epidemiología Clínica y Salud Pública Biomedical Research Institute (IIB-Sant Pau) Barcelona Spain.
Patrick M BossuytDepartment of Epidemiology & Data Science, Amsterdam Public Health Amsterdam University Medical Centres Amsterdam The Netherlands.
Javier ZamoraClinical Biostatistics Unit Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal Madrid Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Rapid reviews (RRs) have been used to provide timely evidence for policymakers, health providers, and the public in several healthcare scenarios, most recently during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Despite the essential role of diagnosis in clinical management, data about how to perform RRs of diagnostic tests are scarce. We aimed to explore the views and perceptions of experts in evidence synthesis and diagnostic evidence about the value of methods used to accelerate the review process. Methods: We performed semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of experts in evidence synthesis and diagnostic evidence. We carried out the interviews in English between July and December 2021. Initial reading and coding of the transcripts were performed using NVIVO qualitative data analysis software. Results: Of a total of 23 invited experts, 16 (70%) responded. We interviewed all 16 participants representing key roles in evidence synthesis. We identified 14 recurring themes including the review question, characteristics of the review team, and use of automation, as the topics with the highest number of quotes. Some participants considered several methodological "shortcuts" to be ineffective or risky, such as automating quality appraisal, using only one reviewer for diagnostic data extraction and only performing descriptive analysis. The introduction of limits might depend on whether the test being assessed is a new test, the availability of alternative tests, the needs of providers and patients, and the availability of high-quality systematic reviews. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that organizational strategies (e.g., defining the review question, availability of a highly experienced team) may have a role in conducting RRs of diagnostic tests. Several methodological shortcuts were considered inadequate for accelerating the review process, though they need to be assessed in well-designed studies. Improved reporting of RRs would support evidence-based decision-making and help users of RRs understand their limitations.

Indexed as

accelerated methodsdiagnostic testsevidence synthesisrapid reviewssystematic reviews

Identifiers

PMID40474911
PMCPMC11795928

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.