Journal of clinical epidemiology
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Propensity score (PS) analysis has been increasingly used in critical care medicine; however, its validation has not been systematically investigated. The present study aimed to compare effect sizes in PS-based observational studies vs. randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (or meta-analysis of RCTs). ⋯ In critical care literature, PS-based observational study is likely to report less beneficial effect of experimental treatment compared with RCTs (or meta-analysis of RCTs).
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Multicenter Study
Five comorbidities reflected the health status in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the newly developed COMCOLD index.
This study aimed to identify those comorbidities with greatest impact on patient-reported health status in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to develop a comorbidity index that reflects their combined impact. ⋯ The COMCOLD index reflects the combined impact of five important comorbidities from patients' perspective and complements existing comorbidity indices that predict death. It may help clinicians focus on comorbidities affecting patients' health status the most.
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To evaluate the accuracy of disease codes and free text in identifying upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) from electronic health-care records (EHRs). ⋯ ICD-9-CM and ICD-10 disease codes have good PPV in identifying UGIB from EHR; less granular terminology (ICPC) may require additional strategies. Use of more specific UGIB definitions affects precision, but not magnitude, of risk estimates.
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To compare the methodological quality of systematic reviews (SRs) published in high- and low-impact factor (IF) Core Clinical Journals. In addition, we aimed to record the implementation of aspects of reporting, including Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram, reasons for study exclusion, and use of recommendations for interventions such as Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). ⋯ Methodological quality of SRs appears to be better in higher impact journals. The overall quality of SRs published in many Core Clinical Journals remains suboptimal.