Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Cochrane review authors face difficulties identifying ongoing trials in regions where trials registries do not exist. The Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (www.pactr.org) provides a platform to prospectively register all clinical trials conducted in Africa as the first regional World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed primary register in the region.
Objectives: 1) To categorise trial interventions registered on www.pactr.org and map these to published Cochrane reviews or protocols; 2) To demonstrate the value of searching www.pactr.org for review authors.
Methods: Registered trial details were downloaded from www.pactr.org on 11 April 2011. Two independent investigators extracted trial data, including disease and intervention details. We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) 2011, Issue 3 for published reviews or protocols evaluating the interventions reported in these trials.
Results: Forty-six trials are registered on www.pactr.org. Thirty are randomized controlled trials of efficacy. We identified 20 trials evaluating treatments, eight evaluating prevention interventions and two diagnostic trials. The 20 treatment trials evaluated drugs for malaria (6), HIV (3), tuberculosis (2), anaesthesia (1), depression (1), fertility (1), hyperkalaemia (1), fluids for surgical irrigation (1), postpartum haemorrhage (1), an electronic decision making tool (1), provision of economic incentives (1) and effects of patient advocates (1) on adherence. The eight prevention trials evaluated drugs for malaria (5), HIV (1), tuberculosis (1) and a behavioural intervention for sexual risk-reduction in HIV-positive adults (1). One trial assessed diagnostic algorithms and another, a TB diagnostic test. Our search of CDSR identified thirteen reviews and two protocols where data from twenty of the above ongoing trials would be eligible for inclusion. No review reported these.
Conclusions: www.pactr.org is a free, useful tool for identifying ongoing African trials to be included in updates of reviews, and for assessing topics where reviews should be undertaken.
Objectives: 1) To categorise trial interventions registered on www.pactr.org and map these to published Cochrane reviews or protocols; 2) To demonstrate the value of searching www.pactr.org for review authors.
Methods: Registered trial details were downloaded from www.pactr.org on 11 April 2011. Two independent investigators extracted trial data, including disease and intervention details. We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) 2011, Issue 3 for published reviews or protocols evaluating the interventions reported in these trials.
Results: Forty-six trials are registered on www.pactr.org. Thirty are randomized controlled trials of efficacy. We identified 20 trials evaluating treatments, eight evaluating prevention interventions and two diagnostic trials. The 20 treatment trials evaluated drugs for malaria (6), HIV (3), tuberculosis (2), anaesthesia (1), depression (1), fertility (1), hyperkalaemia (1), fluids for surgical irrigation (1), postpartum haemorrhage (1), an electronic decision making tool (1), provision of economic incentives (1) and effects of patient advocates (1) on adherence. The eight prevention trials evaluated drugs for malaria (5), HIV (1), tuberculosis (1) and a behavioural intervention for sexual risk-reduction in HIV-positive adults (1). One trial assessed diagnostic algorithms and another, a TB diagnostic test. Our search of CDSR identified thirteen reviews and two protocols where data from twenty of the above ongoing trials would be eligible for inclusion. No review reported these.
Conclusions: www.pactr.org is a free, useful tool for identifying ongoing African trials to be included in updates of reviews, and for assessing topics where reviews should be undertaken.