Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Some Iranian healthcare journals are indexed in MEDLINE (one journal) and EMBASE (15). Iranmedex indexes the contents of 84 Iranian healthcare journals of which 72 are in the Farsi language and provides links to the full text of most articles. This database is searched using simple words and phrases.
Objectives: To develop a sensitive search strategy to retrieve reports of randomized trials in Iranmedex, an Iranian healthcare database.
Methods: Ten Iranian healthcare journals will be handsearched to identify reports of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and possibly randomized or quasi-randomized trials (CCTs) according to Cochrane criteria. We will match half of the reports identified by the handsearch to their corresponding electronic record in Iranmedex, where these exist. The electronic records will be examined for study design terms in the keywords and full text. These terms will be used to compile a search strategy in Iranmedex. The sensitivity and precision of this search strategy will be tested against the second half of reports found by the initial handsearch. The electronic records of any reports of trials missed by this strategy will be examined for additional relevant search terms to improve sensitivity.
Results: As of March 2006, the initial pilot phase of this project has yielded a range of terms derived from 21 reports of trials (20 RCTs, one CCT) found by handsearching the Archives of Iranian Medicine (1998-Jan 2006). These terms are: randomized (15/21), randomly (13/21), clinical trial (10/21), double-blind (7/21), random (5/21), placebo-controlled (3/21), crossover (3/21), cross-over (2/21), randomization (1/21), single-blind (1/21), single blind (1/21), double blind (1/21), placebo (1/21), clinical trials (1/21).
Conclusions: Full results of this electronic search strategy for identifying reports of randomized trials in Iranmedex, validated against handsearch results of known reports of trials in Iranian healthcare journals, will be completed by October 2006.
Objectives: To develop a sensitive search strategy to retrieve reports of randomized trials in Iranmedex, an Iranian healthcare database.
Methods: Ten Iranian healthcare journals will be handsearched to identify reports of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and possibly randomized or quasi-randomized trials (CCTs) according to Cochrane criteria. We will match half of the reports identified by the handsearch to their corresponding electronic record in Iranmedex, where these exist. The electronic records will be examined for study design terms in the keywords and full text. These terms will be used to compile a search strategy in Iranmedex. The sensitivity and precision of this search strategy will be tested against the second half of reports found by the initial handsearch. The electronic records of any reports of trials missed by this strategy will be examined for additional relevant search terms to improve sensitivity.
Results: As of March 2006, the initial pilot phase of this project has yielded a range of terms derived from 21 reports of trials (20 RCTs, one CCT) found by handsearching the Archives of Iranian Medicine (1998-Jan 2006). These terms are: randomized (15/21), randomly (13/21), clinical trial (10/21), double-blind (7/21), random (5/21), placebo-controlled (3/21), crossover (3/21), cross-over (2/21), randomization (1/21), single-blind (1/21), single blind (1/21), double blind (1/21), placebo (1/21), clinical trials (1/21).
Conclusions: Full results of this electronic search strategy for identifying reports of randomized trials in Iranmedex, validated against handsearch results of known reports of trials in Iranian healthcare journals, will be completed by October 2006.