Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Some Iranian healthcare journals are indexed in MEDLINE
and EMBASE, all of them are in English. Iranmedex indexes 130 Iranian
healthcare journals of which 101 are in Farsi language and provides links
to the full text of most articles. This database is searched using simple
words. We had previously developed a search strategy in English for this
database. Objectives: To develop a sensitive search strategy in Farsi to
retrieve reports of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Iranmedex, an
Iranian healthcare database. Methods: Five Iranian healthcare journals will
be handsearched to identify reports of RCTs and quasi-randomized trials
(CCTs) according to Cochrane criteria. We will match half of the reports
identified by handsearching with 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: The initial phase of the project was
completed in March 2008. The handsearching yielded a range of terms
derived from 31 reports of trials, both RCTs and CCTs, found in the
JODENT (2001-2005) and the Iranian Journal of Paediatrics (2002-2007).
These terms are the Farsi terms for: randomized (19/31, 1/31 (two
different translations for the term)), clinical trial (12/31), interventional
study (4/31), clinical trial (English term) (1/31), control (1/31, 4/31),
controlled (1/31), control group (1/31, 8/31), placebo (2/31, 2/31), single
blind (1/31), double blind (3/31), cross-over (1/31), clinical trial (1/31),
randomized clinical trial (4/31) in the abstract and title. Conclusions: Full
results of this electronic search strategy for identifying reports of RCTs in
Iranmedex, validated against handsearch results of known reports of trials
in Iranian healthcare journals, will be completed by October 2008.
and EMBASE, all of them are in English. Iranmedex indexes 130 Iranian
healthcare journals of which 101 are in Farsi language and provides links
to the full text of most articles. This database is searched using simple
words. We had previously developed a search strategy in English for this
database. Objectives: To develop a sensitive search strategy in Farsi to
retrieve reports of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Iranmedex, an
Iranian healthcare database. Methods: Five Iranian healthcare journals will
be handsearched to identify reports of RCTs and quasi-randomized trials
(CCTs) according to Cochrane criteria. We will match half of the reports
identified by handsearching with 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: The initial phase of the project was
completed in March 2008. The handsearching yielded a range of terms
derived from 31 reports of trials, both RCTs and CCTs, found in the
JODENT (2001-2005) and the Iranian Journal of Paediatrics (2002-2007).
These terms are the Farsi terms for: randomized (19/31, 1/31 (two
different translations for the term)), clinical trial (12/31), interventional
study (4/31), clinical trial (English term) (1/31), control (1/31, 4/31),
controlled (1/31), control group (1/31, 8/31), placebo (2/31, 2/31), single
blind (1/31), double blind (3/31), cross-over (1/31), clinical trial (1/31),
randomized clinical trial (4/31) in the abstract and title. Conclusions: Full
results of this electronic search strategy for identifying reports of RCTs in
Iranmedex, validated against handsearch results of known reports of trials
in Iranian healthcare journals, will be completed by October 2008.