Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42026655›Full record

ArticleSystematic reviews2026

A methodologic survey on use of the GRADE approach in evidence syntheses published in high-impact factor neurology journals.

Anna Balsamão Vaz, Julia Mafra Vasconcelos, Pollyana Helena Vieira Costa, Aline Alvim Scianni, Christina D C M Faria, Janaine Cunha Polese

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Systematic reviews, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

6 authors.

Anna Balsamão VazFaculdade Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-3568-0662
Julia Mafra VasconcelosDepartment of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-9231-2081
Pollyana Helena Vieira CostaUniversidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-5932-200X
Aline Alvim ScianniDepartment of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-5968-2195
Christina D C M FariaDepartment of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0001-9784-9729
Janaine Cunha PoleseDepartment of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. janainepolese@hotmail.com.ORCID 0000-0003-3366-1545

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe GRADE system is a transparent approach to assess the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations in health. It aids in converting evidence into guidelines, enhancing clarity and application in clinical practice. This study aims to identify scoping and systematic reviews using GRADE in top rehabilitation and neurology journals from 2020 to 2022.

methodsThe top 13 journals of rehabilitation and/or neurology area were selected by Scopus Sources. All systematic reviews and scoping reviews published between 2020 and 2022 were included. Studies that did not use the original GRADE system or failed to describe the GRADE details were excluded. The data of interest were extracted and analyzed by three researchers for an Excel table.

resultsThere is no relation between the journals' quality and the number of systematic reviews that used the GRADE system. The Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair and Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases had the highest number of systematic reviews that used the GRADE system (16.7% and 4.8%, respectively). The most used downgrading criteria are both risk of bias and imprecision (100%).

conclusionsThe GRADE system is not widely used in the top 13 journals in the rehabilitation and neurology journals.

Indexed as

GRADE ApproachJournal Impact FactorNeurologyPeriodicals as TopicScoping Reviews as TopicSystematic Reviews as TopicHumansSurveys and QuestionnairesCertainty of evidenceGRADENeurologyRehabilitationSystematic reviews

Identifiers

PMID42026655
PMCPMC13238049

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.