Methods to select results to include in meta-analyses deserve more consideration in systematic reviews

Ref ID 385
First Author M. J. Page
Journal JOURNAL OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
Year Of Publishing 2015
URL https://www.jclinepi.com/article/S0895-4356(15)00105-5/fulltext
Keywords • General medical
• Cochrane
• Multiplicity
• Protocols
Problem(s) • No registered or published protocol
• Multiplicity of outcomes and lack of pre-specification for outcome reporting
Number of systematic reviews included 44
Summary of Findings Only 48% had a publicly available protocol. Multiplicity of results was common, occurring in 49% of trial reports. Pre-specification of decision rules to select results from multiple measurement scales and intervention/control groups (in multi-arm trials) was uncommon (19% and 14% of review protocols, respectively). Overall, 70% of reviews included at least one randomized controlled trial with multiplicity of results, but this occurred less frequently in reviews with a protocol.
Did the article find that the problem(s) led to qualitative changes in interpretation of the results? N/A
Are the methods of the article described in enough detail to replicate the study? Yes