Search strategies to identify systematic reviews in MEDLINE and EMBASE: systematic review

Session: 

Oral session: Searching and information retrieval (1)

Date: 

Sunday 16 September 2018 - 12:00 to 12:10

Location: 

Carrick 1

All authors in correct order:

Garrote V1, Escobar Liquitay C1, Solà Arnau I2, Franco J1
1 Instituto Universitario Hospital Italiano - Associate Cochrane Center/Biblioteca Central, Argentina
2 Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau) and CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
Presenting author and contact person

Presenting author:

Virginia Garrote

Contact person:

Juan V A Franco
Abstract text
Background:
Systematic reviews (SRs) are a reliable source for informed-based decision-making. They retrieve the relevant primary studies addressing a research question, using systematic methods for the critical appraisal of the quality of included studies and further synthesis of their findings. Filters for SRs are search strategies validated to retrieve studies. However, there are different filters for SRs available and the choice of which one to use can be challenging.

Objectives:
To review systematically empirical studies that report the development, evaluation or comparison of methodological search filters to retrieve reports of systematic reviews in MEDLINE and Embase.

Methods:
We will search MEDLINE, Embase, ISI Web of Science, PsycINFO, Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) and Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA). We will also search the websites of, among others, the InterTASC Information Specialists' Sub-Group (ISSG) and the Health Information Research Unit. We will cross-reference all the relevant studies and track citations from key researchers.

Our main outcome will be a measure of filter performance, such as sensitivity, precision and accuracy. We will extract data on the identification of the reference set (gold standard and non-gold standard records), its characteristics and its limitations, the identification and combination of the search terms in the filters, internal and external validity testing, the number of filters evaluated, the date the study was conducted, the date the searches were completed, and the databases and search interfaces used. Where 2 x 2 data are available on filter performance, we will use these to calculate sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy and number needed to read (NNR), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We will compare the performance of a filter as reported by the original development study and any subsequent studies that evaluated the same filter.

Results and conclusions:
This is a protocol for the Cochrane Methods Group and we will present the preliminary results.

Patient or healthcare consumer involvement:
We will not involve patients or consumers during the development of our review.

Relevance to patients and consumers: 

Systematic reviews help healthcare professionals, consumers and other stakeholders to make informed decisions. There are currently different methods to search for them in MEDLINE and EMBASE. The identification of the most useful search filters for the retrieval of systematic reviews could facilitate their access and, therefore, ease their incorporation into evidence-informed decision making.