Howard Schachter - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Howard Schachter

Retina-the Journal of Retinal and Vitreous Diseases, 2007

ABSTRACT

Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, fac... more Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, factors (eg, smoking) altering bed sharing risk, and effective strategies for reducing harms associated with bed sharing.

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice g... more This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.

BMC Cancer, 2006

Background Breast cancer in women is increasingly frequent, and care is complex, onerous and expe... more Background Breast cancer in women is increasingly frequent, and care is complex, onerous and expensive, all of which lend urgency to improvements in care. Quality measurement is essential to monitor effectiveness and to guide improvements in healthcare. Methods Ten databases, including Medline, were searched electronically to identify measures assessing the quality of breast cancer care in women (diagnosis, treatment, followup, documentation of care). Eligible studies measured adherence to standards of breast cancer care in women diagnosed with, or in treatment for, any histological type of adenocarcinoma of the breast. Reference lists of studies, review articles, web sites, and files of experts were searched manually. Evidence appraisal entailed dual independent assessments of data (e.g., indicators used in quality measurement). The extent of each quality indicator's scientific validation as a measure was assessed. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) was asked to contribute quality measures under development. Results Sixty relevant reports identified 58 studies with 143 indicators assessing adherence to quality breast cancer care. A paucity of validated indicators (n = 12), most of which assessed quality of life, only permitted a qualitative data synthesis. Most quality indicators evaluated processes of care. Conclusion While some studies revealed patterns of under-use of care, all adherence data require confirmation using validated quality measures. ASCO's current development of a set of quality measures relating to breast cancer care may hold the key to conducting definitive studies.

Retina-the Journal of Retinal and Vitreous Diseases, 2007

ABSTRACT

Background: Numerous small clinical trials have been carried out to study the behaviourally defin... more Background: Numerous small clinical trials have been carried out to study the behaviourally defined efficacy and safety of short-acting methylphenidate compared with placebo for attention-deficit disorder (ADD) in individuals aged 18 years and less. However, no meta-analyses that carefully examined these questions have been done. We reviewed the behavioural evidence from all the randomized controlled trials that compared methylphenidate and placebo, and completed a meta-analysis. Methods: We searched several electronic sources for articles published between 1981 and 1999: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, ERIC, CINAHL, HEALTHSTAR, Biological Abstracts, Current Contents and Dissertation Abstracts. The Cochrane Library Trials Registry and Current Controlled Trials were also consulted. A study was considered eligible for inclusion if it entailed the following: a placebocontrolled randomized trial that involved short-acting methylphenidate and participants aged 18 years or less at the start of the trial who had received any primary diagnosis of ADD that was made in a systematic and reproducible way. Results: We included 62 randomized trials that involved a total of 2897 participants with a primary diagnosis of ADD (e.g., with or without hyperactivity). The median age of trial participants was 8.7 years, and the median "percent male" composition of trials was 88.1%. Most studies used a crossover design. Using the scores from 2 separate indices, this collection of trials exhibited low quality. Interventions lasted, on average, 3 weeks, with no trial lasting longer than 28 weeks. Each primary outcome (hyperactivity index) demonstrated a significant effect of methylphenidate (effect size reported by teacher 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64-0.91; effect size reported by parent 0.54, 95% CI 0.40-0.67). However, these apparent beneficial effects are tempered by a strong indication of publication bias and the lack of robustness of the findings, especially those involving core ADD features. Methylphenidate also has an adverse event profile that requires consideration. For example, clinicians only need to treat 4 children to identify an episode of decreased appetite. Interpretation: Short-acting methylphenidate has a statistically significant clinical effect in the short-term treatment of individuals with a diagnosis of ADD aged 18 years and less. However, the extension of this placebo-controlled effect beyond 4 weeks of treatment has not been demonstrated. Exact knowledge of the extent and definition of the short-term behavioural usefulness of methylphenidate is questioned.

Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, fac... more Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, factors (eg, smoking) altering bed sharing risk, and effective strategies for reducing harms associated with bed sharing.

Journal of Evidence-based Social Work, 2012

The availability of knowledge translation strategies that have been empirically studied and prove... more The availability of knowledge translation strategies that have been empirically studied and proven useful is a critical prerequisite to narrowing the research-to-practice gap in child and youth mental health. Through this review the authors sought to determine the current state of scientific knowledge of the effectiveness of knowledge translation approaches in child and youth mental health by conducting a systematic review of the research evidence. The findings and quality of the 12 included studies are discussed. Future work of high methodological quality that explores a broader range of knowledge translation strategies and practitioners to which they are applied and that also attends to implementation process is recommended.

Ophthalmology, 2006

Topic: What is the evidence for efficacy of dietary and/or supplemental -3 fatty acids in prevent... more Topic: What is the evidence for efficacy of dietary and/or supplemental -3 fatty acids in preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD)?

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice g... more This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.

... Investigators Howard M Schachter PhD Joe Reisman MD Khai Tran PhD Bob Dales MD Kader Kourad M... more ... Investigators Howard M Schachter PhD Joe Reisman MD Khai Tran PhD Bob Dales MD Kader Kourad MD, PhD David Barnes MD Margaret Sampson MLIS Andra Morrison BSc Isabelle Gaboury MSc Janine Blackman MD, PhD AHRQ Publication No. 04-E013-2 March 2004 ...

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2006

Background: Considerable interest exists in the potential therapeutic value of dietary supplement... more Background: Considerable interest exists in the potential therapeutic value of dietary supplementation with the omega-3 fatty acids. Given the interplay between pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, and the less pro-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, it has been thought that the latter could play a key role in treating or preventing asthma. The purpose was to systematically review the scientific-medical literature in order to identify, appraise, and synthesize the evidence for possible treatment effects of omega-3 fatty acids in asthma.

Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 2007

Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, fac... more Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, factors (eg, smoking) altering bed sharing risk, and effective strategies for reducing harms associated with bed sharing.

Evidence-based systematic reviews evaluating dietary intake and nutritional interventions are bec... more Evidence-based systematic reviews evaluating dietary intake and nutritional interventions are becoming common but are relatively few compared with other applications. Concerns remain that systematic reviews of nutrition topics pose several unique challenges. We present a successful collaboration to systematically review the health effects of a common nutrient, nҀ3 (or omega-3) fatty acids, across a wide range of clinical conditions. More generally, we discuss the challenges faced and the lessons learned during the review, the benefits of systematic review of nutritional topics, and recommendations for conducting and reviewing nutrition-related studies. Through a structured but flexible process, 3 Evidence-based Practice Centers in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality program produced 11 reports on a wide range of nҀ3 fatty acid-related topics. An important resource has been created, through which nutrition and dietetics researchers, clinical dietitians and nutritionists, clinicians, and the general public can understand the state of the science. The process identified challenges and problems in evaluating the health effects of nҀ3 fatty acid consumption, highlighted challenges to reviewing the human nutrition literature, and yielded recommendations for future research. The goals of these systematic reviews, the processes that were used, the benefits and limitations of the collaboration, and the conclusions of the reviews, including recommendations for future research, are summarized here.

Birth Defects Research Part B-developmental and Reproductive Toxicology, 2003

Herbal remedies and alternative medicines are used throughout the world, and in the past herbs we... more Herbal remedies and alternative medicines are used throughout the world, and in the past herbs were often the original sources of most drugs. Today we are witnessing an increase in herbal remedy use throughout the Western world raising the question as to how safe are these preparations for the unborn fetus? Many women use herbal products during pregnancy. The dilemma facing most regulatory authorities is that the public considers these products as either traditional medicines or natural food supplements. The user sees no reason for regulation. Most countries have laws concerning foods, drugs, and cosmetics, the details of which seldom clearly define to what section of the law and regulations alternative remedies belong. In most countries alternative remedies are regulated as foods, provided that no medicinal claim is made on the label. The global regulatory sector, however, is changing rapidly. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia created a Complimentary Medicines Evaluation Committee in late 1997 to address this issue, and Canada has created a new Natural Health Products Directorate in the realigned Therapeutic Products and Foods Branch in 2000. In parallel, the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products has drafted test procedures and acceptance criteria for herbal drug preparations and herbal medicinal products. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration classifies these natural products as dietary supplements. Manufacturers must label a dietary supplement thus: “this statement has not been evaluated by the FDA [, and] this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.” Whether these products are foods or drugs is undecided. To add complexity to this issue, most of the potential deleterious effects of natural products on the unborn may be related to hormonal effects (e.g., phytoestrogens) and nutriceutical drug interactions (e.g., St. John's Wort and antidepressants), rather than direct embryotoxicity per se. We suggest that ensuring quality of herbal products should receive immediate attention by regulatory authorities, before embarking on the more arduous tasks of safety and efficacy. Birth Defects Res B 68:505–510, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Retina-the Journal of Retinal and Vitreous Diseases, 2007

ABSTRACT

Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, fac... more Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, factors (eg, smoking) altering bed sharing risk, and effective strategies for reducing harms associated with bed sharing.

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice g... more This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.

BMC Cancer, 2006

Background Breast cancer in women is increasingly frequent, and care is complex, onerous and expe... more Background Breast cancer in women is increasingly frequent, and care is complex, onerous and expensive, all of which lend urgency to improvements in care. Quality measurement is essential to monitor effectiveness and to guide improvements in healthcare. Methods Ten databases, including Medline, were searched electronically to identify measures assessing the quality of breast cancer care in women (diagnosis, treatment, followup, documentation of care). Eligible studies measured adherence to standards of breast cancer care in women diagnosed with, or in treatment for, any histological type of adenocarcinoma of the breast. Reference lists of studies, review articles, web sites, and files of experts were searched manually. Evidence appraisal entailed dual independent assessments of data (e.g., indicators used in quality measurement). The extent of each quality indicator's scientific validation as a measure was assessed. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) was asked to contribute quality measures under development. Results Sixty relevant reports identified 58 studies with 143 indicators assessing adherence to quality breast cancer care. A paucity of validated indicators (n = 12), most of which assessed quality of life, only permitted a qualitative data synthesis. Most quality indicators evaluated processes of care. Conclusion While some studies revealed patterns of under-use of care, all adherence data require confirmation using validated quality measures. ASCO's current development of a set of quality measures relating to breast cancer care may hold the key to conducting definitive studies.

Retina-the Journal of Retinal and Vitreous Diseases, 2007

ABSTRACT

Background: Numerous small clinical trials have been carried out to study the behaviourally defin... more Background: Numerous small clinical trials have been carried out to study the behaviourally defined efficacy and safety of short-acting methylphenidate compared with placebo for attention-deficit disorder (ADD) in individuals aged 18 years and less. However, no meta-analyses that carefully examined these questions have been done. We reviewed the behavioural evidence from all the randomized controlled trials that compared methylphenidate and placebo, and completed a meta-analysis. Methods: We searched several electronic sources for articles published between 1981 and 1999: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, ERIC, CINAHL, HEALTHSTAR, Biological Abstracts, Current Contents and Dissertation Abstracts. The Cochrane Library Trials Registry and Current Controlled Trials were also consulted. A study was considered eligible for inclusion if it entailed the following: a placebocontrolled randomized trial that involved short-acting methylphenidate and participants aged 18 years or less at the start of the trial who had received any primary diagnosis of ADD that was made in a systematic and reproducible way. Results: We included 62 randomized trials that involved a total of 2897 participants with a primary diagnosis of ADD (e.g., with or without hyperactivity). The median age of trial participants was 8.7 years, and the median "percent male" composition of trials was 88.1%. Most studies used a crossover design. Using the scores from 2 separate indices, this collection of trials exhibited low quality. Interventions lasted, on average, 3 weeks, with no trial lasting longer than 28 weeks. Each primary outcome (hyperactivity index) demonstrated a significant effect of methylphenidate (effect size reported by teacher 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64-0.91; effect size reported by parent 0.54, 95% CI 0.40-0.67). However, these apparent beneficial effects are tempered by a strong indication of publication bias and the lack of robustness of the findings, especially those involving core ADD features. Methylphenidate also has an adverse event profile that requires consideration. For example, clinicians only need to treat 4 children to identify an episode of decreased appetite. Interpretation: Short-acting methylphenidate has a statistically significant clinical effect in the short-term treatment of individuals with a diagnosis of ADD aged 18 years and less. However, the extension of this placebo-controlled effect beyond 4 weeks of treatment has not been demonstrated. Exact knowledge of the extent and definition of the short-term behavioural usefulness of methylphenidate is questioned.

Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, fac... more Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, factors (eg, smoking) altering bed sharing risk, and effective strategies for reducing harms associated with bed sharing.

Journal of Evidence-based Social Work, 2012

The availability of knowledge translation strategies that have been empirically studied and prove... more The availability of knowledge translation strategies that have been empirically studied and proven useful is a critical prerequisite to narrowing the research-to-practice gap in child and youth mental health. Through this review the authors sought to determine the current state of scientific knowledge of the effectiveness of knowledge translation approaches in child and youth mental health by conducting a systematic review of the research evidence. The findings and quality of the 12 included studies are discussed. Future work of high methodological quality that explores a broader range of knowledge translation strategies and practitioners to which they are applied and that also attends to implementation process is recommended.

Ophthalmology, 2006

Topic: What is the evidence for efficacy of dietary and/or supplemental -3 fatty acids in prevent... more Topic: What is the evidence for efficacy of dietary and/or supplemental -3 fatty acids in preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD)?

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice g... more This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.

... Investigators Howard M Schachter PhD Joe Reisman MD Khai Tran PhD Bob Dales MD Kader Kourad M... more ... Investigators Howard M Schachter PhD Joe Reisman MD Khai Tran PhD Bob Dales MD Kader Kourad MD, PhD David Barnes MD Margaret Sampson MLIS Andra Morrison BSc Isabelle Gaboury MSc Janine Blackman MD, PhD AHRQ Publication No. 04-E013-2 March 2004 ...

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2006

Background: Considerable interest exists in the potential therapeutic value of dietary supplement... more Background: Considerable interest exists in the potential therapeutic value of dietary supplementation with the omega-3 fatty acids. Given the interplay between pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, and the less pro-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, it has been thought that the latter could play a key role in treating or preventing asthma. The purpose was to systematically review the scientific-medical literature in order to identify, appraise, and synthesize the evidence for possible treatment effects of omega-3 fatty acids in asthma.

Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 2007

Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, fac... more Objective: To examine evidence of benefits and harms to children associated with bed sharing, factors (eg, smoking) altering bed sharing risk, and effective strategies for reducing harms associated with bed sharing.

Evidence-based systematic reviews evaluating dietary intake and nutritional interventions are bec... more Evidence-based systematic reviews evaluating dietary intake and nutritional interventions are becoming common but are relatively few compared with other applications. Concerns remain that systematic reviews of nutrition topics pose several unique challenges. We present a successful collaboration to systematically review the health effects of a common nutrient, nҀ3 (or omega-3) fatty acids, across a wide range of clinical conditions. More generally, we discuss the challenges faced and the lessons learned during the review, the benefits of systematic review of nutritional topics, and recommendations for conducting and reviewing nutrition-related studies. Through a structured but flexible process, 3 Evidence-based Practice Centers in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality program produced 11 reports on a wide range of nҀ3 fatty acid-related topics. An important resource has been created, through which nutrition and dietetics researchers, clinical dietitians and nutritionists, clinicians, and the general public can understand the state of the science. The process identified challenges and problems in evaluating the health effects of nҀ3 fatty acid consumption, highlighted challenges to reviewing the human nutrition literature, and yielded recommendations for future research. The goals of these systematic reviews, the processes that were used, the benefits and limitations of the collaboration, and the conclusions of the reviews, including recommendations for future research, are summarized here.

Birth Defects Research Part B-developmental and Reproductive Toxicology, 2003

Herbal remedies and alternative medicines are used throughout the world, and in the past herbs we... more Herbal remedies and alternative medicines are used throughout the world, and in the past herbs were often the original sources of most drugs. Today we are witnessing an increase in herbal remedy use throughout the Western world raising the question as to how safe are these preparations for the unborn fetus? Many women use herbal products during pregnancy. The dilemma facing most regulatory authorities is that the public considers these products as either traditional medicines or natural food supplements. The user sees no reason for regulation. Most countries have laws concerning foods, drugs, and cosmetics, the details of which seldom clearly define to what section of the law and regulations alternative remedies belong. In most countries alternative remedies are regulated as foods, provided that no medicinal claim is made on the label. The global regulatory sector, however, is changing rapidly. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia created a Complimentary Medicines Evaluation Committee in late 1997 to address this issue, and Canada has created a new Natural Health Products Directorate in the realigned Therapeutic Products and Foods Branch in 2000. In parallel, the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products has drafted test procedures and acceptance criteria for herbal drug preparations and herbal medicinal products. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration classifies these natural products as dietary supplements. Manufacturers must label a dietary supplement thus: “this statement has not been evaluated by the FDA [, and] this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.” Whether these products are foods or drugs is undecided. To add complexity to this issue, most of the potential deleterious effects of natural products on the unborn may be related to hormonal effects (e.g., phytoestrogens) and nutriceutical drug interactions (e.g., St. John's Wort and antidepressants), rather than direct embryotoxicity per se. We suggest that ensuring quality of herbal products should receive immediate attention by regulatory authorities, before embarking on the more arduous tasks of safety and efficacy. Birth Defects Res B 68:505–510, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.