Objectives:To introduce participants to the design, conduct, data extraction and critical appraisal in systematic reviews of prediction modelling studies. We will discuss and provide guidance on how to define a proper review question and how to design the data extraction form to enhance critical appraisal of primary prediction modelling studies. We will illustrate this using real examples.
Description: Prediction models are developed and validated for predicting current or future occurrence of a particular outcome. Publications on prediction models are abundant. Hence, systematic reviews of these studies are increasingly required and conducted, to identify and critically appraise the existing evidence. A recently developed tool provides guidance for design and conduct of systematic reviews of studies developing and/or validating prediction models, can assist reviewers to define the review objectives, to design the review and the data extraction list to facilitate appraisal of the primary studies. We discuss the key items important for framing the review question, and the domains with corresponding signaling items for data extraction and thus for critical appraisal.
We discuss the use of the CHARMS checklist that was recently developed to assist reviewers in framing their review objective, to design their review, and to formulate their data extraction list to facilitate critical appraisal of the primary studies on development and/or validation of prediction models.