Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 26, 2026
03:26
Author Spotlight: Advancements and Challenges in Surgical Treatments for Postamputation Pain
Published on: March 8, 2024
3.5K
Established search filters may miss studies when identifying randomized controlled trials.
Chris Cooper1, Jo Varley-Campbell1, Patrice Carter1
1Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London WC1E 7HB, UK.
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
|April 16, 2019
Summary
Established randomized controlled trial (RCT) search filters may miss studies. A new P3 filter, focusing on trial phase, can improve sensitivity by identifying studies missed by existing methods.
Area of Science:
- Bibliometrics
- Information Science
- Medical Informatics
Background:
- Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are crucial for evidence-based medicine.
- Existing literature search filters for RCTs may not capture all relevant studies.
- Some studies report trial phase without explicitly mentioning study design or randomization in titles or abstracts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the necessity of including trial phase terms in RCT literature search filters.
- To develop and assess a new search filter (P3 filter) for trial phase.
- To compare the sensitivity and efficiency of the P3 filter against established RCT search strategies.
Main Methods:
- A case study approach was employed.
- A novel search filter for trial phase (P3 filter) was developed.
- The P3 filter was compared with the Cochrane Highly Sensitive Search Strategies (HSSS) and the Royle and Waugh Brief RCT Search Strategy (BRSS) using 2015 data.
- Sensitivity was assessed by identifying missed studies, efficiency by the number needed to read, and value by study quality using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.
Main Results:
- Both established filters (HSSS and BRSS) missed relevant studies.
- The HSSS missed one RCT and four follow-up RCT studies.
- The BRSS missed one RCT and five follow-up RCT studies.
- Study quality was not clearly determined in this analysis.
Conclusions:
- Established RCT literature search filters may fail to identify studies that report trial phase but not explicit design or randomization terms.
- Incorporating the P3 filter can enhance the sensitivity of RCT literature searches.
- The P3 filter offers a valuable addition to improve comprehensive retrieval of RCTs.
Keywords:
Literature search effectivenessLiterature searchingRCTRandomised controlled trialsSearch filtersSystematic reviewsMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:20Bioequivalence Experimental Study Designs: Completely Randomized and Randomized Block Designs
244
Body:Bioequivalence experimental study designs are crucial methodologies used in evaluating and comparing the bioavailability of different drug products. These designs are categorized into various types: completely randomized, randomized block, repeated measures, cross and carry-over, and Latin square designs.Completely randomized designs involve randomly allocating treatments to all subjects participating in the experiment. This allocation is achieved by assigning unique random numbers to...
244
01:27Passive Filters
974
Passive filters are utilized to shape the frequency spectrum of signals across a diverse array of applications. These filters, using only passive elements like resistors (R), inductors (L), and capacitors (C), are capable of selectively allowing or blocking certain frequency ranges without the need for external power sources.
Low-Pass Filters
Low-pass filters are designed to transmit signals with frequencies lower than the cutoff frequency, ωc, and attenuate those above it. The cutoff...
Low-Pass Filters
Low-pass filters are designed to transmit signals with frequencies lower than the cutoff frequency, ωc, and attenuate those above it. The cutoff...
974
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
419
Biopharmaceutical studies constitute a vital field aiming to enhance drug delivery methods and refine therapeutic approaches, drawing upon diverse interdisciplinary knowledge. In research methodologies, the choice between controlled and non-controlled studies significantly influences the study's reliability and accuracy.
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
419
01:25Active Filters
1.3K
Active filters are electronic circuits that use operational amplifiers (op-amps), resistors, and capacitors to filter out unwanted frequency components from a signal. A first-order low-pass active filter is designed to pass signals with a frequency lower than a certain cutoff frequency and attenuate frequencies higher than that cutoff frequency. The transfer function for a first-order low-pass active filter is:
1.3K
01:16Clinical Trials
10.2K
Clinical trials are prospective experimental studies conducted on humans to determine the safety and efficacy of treatments, drugs, diet methods, and medical devices. Using statistics in clinical trials enables researchers to derive reasonable and accurate conclusions from the collected data, allowing them to make wise decisions in uncertain situations. In medical research, statistical methods are crucial for preventing errors and bias.
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
10.2K
01:11Clinical Trials: Overview
4.7K
Clinical development focuses on how the drug will interact with the human body and encompasses four key phases of clinical trials, each serving a specific purpose in assessing the safety and effectiveness of new drugs. These phases overlap and build upon one another. Phase I involves a small group of healthy volunteers (typically 20-80 individuals) or, in cases where significant toxicity is expected, patients with the targeted disease, such as cancer or AIDS. The volunteers are tested for...
4.7K