Journal of clinical epidemiology
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Our objective was to develop a framework to identify research gaps from systematic reviews. ⋯ Our framework determines from systematic reviews where the current evidence falls short and why or how the evidence falls short. This explicit identification of research gaps will allow systematic reviews to maximally inform the types of questions that need to be addressed and the types of studies needed to address the research gaps.
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To describe the characteristics and quality of reporting of cluster randomized trials (CRTs) in children published from 2004 to 2010. ⋯ Children-specific elements of reporting are needed to improve the quality of reporting of CRTs and consequently their planning and implementation.
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In the GRADE approach, randomized trials start as high-quality evidence and observational studies as low-quality evidence, but both can be rated down if a body of evidence is associated with a high risk of publication bias. Even when individual studies included in best-evidence summaries have a low risk of bias, publication bias can result in substantial overestimates of effect. ⋯ The most popular of these is the funnel plot; all, however, have substantial limitations. Publication bias is likely frequent, and caution in the face of early results, particularly with small sample size and number of events, is warranted.
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Comparative Study
Long-term projections of the harm-benefit trade-off in prostate cancer screening are more favorable than previous short-term estimates.
To project long-term estimates of the number needed to screen (NNS) and the additional number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one prostate cancer death with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in Europe and in the United States. ⋯ Long-term estimates of the NNS and the additional NNT are an order of magnitude lower than the short-term estimates published with the results of the ERSPC trial and may be consistent with cost-effective PSA screening in the general U.S. population.