Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Using network meta-analyses (NMA) to support guideline has several advantages: NMA can analyze both direct and indirect evidence collectively, comparing all kinds of interventions simultaneously, and provide the ranking of all evaluated interventions for a specific outcome.
Objectives: To investigate the status quo of how guidelines use NMA as evidence.
Methods: In 20 March 2019 we conducted a cited reference search with the cited titles including 'Network Meta-analysis' in the Web of Science database to identify articles cited NMA. We screened for guideline in all the search records. We included guidelines published in English. Two researchers independently screened the records and extracted data; disagreements were resolved through discussion.
Results: We identified a total of 378 eligible guidelines published in 2003, and 2006~2018. Most guidelines were developed in the USA (n =96, 25.4%), UK (n=47, 12.4%), and Canada (n=33, 8.7%). One hundred and seventy-seven. (52.6%) guidelines had multiple topics, 141 guidelines (37.3%) were for treatment, and 41 (10.8%) for prevention. The three most common classifications of diseases were circulatory system (n=97, 25.7%), endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (n =43, 11.4%), and Mental and behavioral disorders (n=38, 10.1%). The guidelines totally cited 636 NMAs; One (0.3%) guideline cited most twenty-one NMAs Each guideline cited 1.7 NMAs on average; Twenty (5.3%) cited five or more NMAs; and 262 (69.6%) cited one NMA. The first cited NMA was published in 2001, and the highest number were published in 2013 (n=89, 14.0%). The duration of the reference period of the NMA ranged between 0 and 17 years and the median reference period was 3.6 years.
Conclusions: The number of guidelines and cited NMAs published per year is increasing, but the numbers of NMAs in a guideline was not significant increase. Guideline developers should use more evidence from NMA to support recommendations.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: as target population of guidelines, patients could be involved in evidence-based decision making by reviewing evidence from NMA.
Objectives: To investigate the status quo of how guidelines use NMA as evidence.
Methods: In 20 March 2019 we conducted a cited reference search with the cited titles including 'Network Meta-analysis' in the Web of Science database to identify articles cited NMA. We screened for guideline in all the search records. We included guidelines published in English. Two researchers independently screened the records and extracted data; disagreements were resolved through discussion.
Results: We identified a total of 378 eligible guidelines published in 2003, and 2006~2018. Most guidelines were developed in the USA (n =96, 25.4%), UK (n=47, 12.4%), and Canada (n=33, 8.7%). One hundred and seventy-seven. (52.6%) guidelines had multiple topics, 141 guidelines (37.3%) were for treatment, and 41 (10.8%) for prevention. The three most common classifications of diseases were circulatory system (n=97, 25.7%), endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (n =43, 11.4%), and Mental and behavioral disorders (n=38, 10.1%). The guidelines totally cited 636 NMAs; One (0.3%) guideline cited most twenty-one NMAs Each guideline cited 1.7 NMAs on average; Twenty (5.3%) cited five or more NMAs; and 262 (69.6%) cited one NMA. The first cited NMA was published in 2001, and the highest number were published in 2013 (n=89, 14.0%). The duration of the reference period of the NMA ranged between 0 and 17 years and the median reference period was 3.6 years.
Conclusions: The number of guidelines and cited NMAs published per year is increasing, but the numbers of NMAs in a guideline was not significant increase. Guideline developers should use more evidence from NMA to support recommendations.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: as target population of guidelines, patients could be involved in evidence-based decision making by reviewing evidence from NMA.