Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41322874›Full record

ReviewCureus2025

Association of Use of GRADE, Protocol Registration, and Journal Impact Factor With Reporting and Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews Published in Rehabilitation Journals: A Meta-Epidemiological Study.

Takahiro Tsuge, Norio Yamamoto, Yosuke Tomita, Akikazu Hagiyama, Daijo Shiratsuchi, Masatsugu Okamura, Takao Kaneko, Kosuke Suzuki, Yuki Nakashima, Shunsuke Taito and 1 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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

11 authors.

Takahiro TsugeRehabilitation, Kurashiki Medical Center, Kurashiki, JPN.
Norio YamamotoOrthopedic Surgery, Minato Medical Coop-Kyoritsu General Hospital, Nagoya, JPN.
Yosuke TomitaPhysical Therapy, Faculty of Health Care, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Takasaki, JPN.
Akikazu HagiyamaPhysical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, JPN.
Daijo ShiratsuchiPhysical Therapy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, JPN.
Masatsugu OkamuraRehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, JPN.
Takao KanekoRehabilitation, Yamagata Prefectural Central Hospital, Yamagata, JPN.
Kosuke SuzukiRehabilitation, Yamagata Saisei Hospital, Yamagata, JPN.
Yuki NakashimaRehabilitation Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, JPN.
Shunsuke TaitoRehabilitation, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, JPN.
Takashi YorifujiDepartment of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, JPN.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study aimed to identify factors associated with the reporting and methodological quality of systematic reviews (SRs) published in rehabilitation journals. We conducted a meta-epidemiological study as a secondary analysis of a previous study. The study protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework. We analyzed 219 SRs from rehabilitation journals published since 2020. We assessed reporting quality using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 and methodological quality using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) 2. Multiple linear regression and Spearman's correlation were used to identify factors associated with quality, including Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach and the Journal Impact Factor (JIF). Multivariate analysis revealed PRISMA 2020 adherence was significantly associated with use of GRADE (β = 4.33; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.24-5.42), protocol registration (β = 3.40; 95% CI: 2.32-4.47), and the JIF (2023) (β = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.42-0.95). AMSTAR 2 adherence was also significantly associated with use of GRADE (β = 2.52; 95% CI: 1.88-3.17), protocol registration (β = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.44-2.70), and the JIF (2023) (β = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.14-0.45). Weak positive correlations were observed between the JIF (2023) and both PRISMA 2020 and AMSTAR 2 adherence (ρ = 0.27 and ρ = 0.22, respectively; both P < 0.01). It should be noted that these findings reflect associations and do not imply causality. To enhance the quality of SRs in rehabilitation, researchers should prioritize adherence to PRISMA 2020, particularly the use of GRADE and protocol registration, which this study identified as key associated factors.

Indexed as

citationgradejournal impact factormethodological and reporting qualityprisma

Identifiers

PMID41322874
PMCPMC12662624

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.