Wasifa Zarin - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Wasifa Zarin

FACETS, 2022

Canada has made great progress in synthesizing, disseminating, and integrating research findings ... more Canada has made great progress in synthesizing, disseminating, and integrating research findings into health systems and clinical decision-making; yet gaps exist in the research-to-practice continuum. The Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Evidence Alliance aims to help close gaps by providing decision-makers with evidence that is timely, context sensitive, and demand driven to better inform patient-oriented practices and policies in health systems. In this article, we introduce a model established in Canada to support decision-maker needs for high-quality evidence that is patient oriented to enhance health systems performance. We provide an overview of how this model was implemented, who is involved, who it serves, as well as its organizational structure and remit. We discuss key milestones achieved to date and the impact this initiative has made within the health research community. The strength of the SPOR Evidence Alliance lies in its unique ability to simultaneously:...

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2021

Blood, 2009

454 Introduction: The protein C (PC) pathway plays a major role in inhibiting blood coagulation. ... more 454 Introduction: The protein C (PC) pathway plays a major role in inhibiting blood coagulation. In vivo, conversion of circulating PC to the anticoagulant enzyme activated protein C is augmented on vascular endothelium by the endothelial cell protein C receptor (EPCR). Current approaches to detect clinical PC abnormalities are based on in vitro assays of PC antigen and activity levels. However, these tests are limited by the fact that they do not detect how efficiently PC is activated by EPCR on the endothelial cell surface. We hypothesized that mutations of PC and EPCR exist that impair PC-EPCR binding, reduce physiological PC activity, and predispose to venous thromboembolism (VTE). Such abnormalties would not be detected by currently availabel PC assays. Objective: The purpose of this study was to sequence the PC and EPCR genes in patients with unprovoked VTE to detect mutations that are associated with impaired PC-EPCR binding and with VTE. We focused our DNA sequencing on the ...

BMJ Open, 2021

ObjectivesTo summarise the current evidence regarding interventions for accurate and timely cance... more ObjectivesTo summarise the current evidence regarding interventions for accurate and timely cancer diagnosis among symptomatic individuals.DesignA scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute’s methodological framework for the conduct of scoping reviews and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist.Data sourcesMEDLINE (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCOhost) and PsycINFO (Ovid) bibliographic databases, and websites of relevant organisations. Published and unpublished literature (grey literature) of any study type in the English language were searched for from January 2017 to January 2021.Eligibility and criteriaStudy participants were individuals of any age presenting at clinics with symptoms indicative of cancer. Interventions included practice guidelines, care pathways or other initiatives focused on achieving predefined benchmarks or targets for wait times, streamlined or rapid cancer diagn...

Systematic Reviews

Scoping reviews are an increasingly common approach to evidence synthesis with a growing suite of... more Scoping reviews are an increasingly common approach to evidence synthesis with a growing suite of methodological guidance and resources to assist review authors with their planning, conduct and reporting. The latest guidance for scoping reviews includes the JBI methodology and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses—Extension for Scoping Reviews. This paper provides readers with a brief update regarding ongoing work to enhance and improve the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews as well as information regarding the future steps in scoping review methods development. The purpose of this paper is to provide readers with a concise source of information regarding the difference between scoping reviews and other review types, the reasons for undertaking scoping reviews, and an update on methodological guidance for the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews.Despite available guidance, some publications use the term ‘scoping review’ without clear consid...

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

Researchers are recommended to use PRISMA-ScR when reporting their scoping review findings. Commi... more Researchers are recommended to use PRISMA-ScR when reporting their scoping review findings. Commissioners and funders of reviews should request review teams undertaking scoping review use PRISMA-ScR to enhance the transparency and quality of completed scoping review. Journals publishing reviews are recommended to include PRISMA-ScR as a requirement for submission and publication of scoping reviews. Editors should also recommend peer reviewers use PRISMA-ScR to review scoping reviews under publication consideration.

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

Implementation science : IS, Apr 16, 2018

Following the publication of the original article [1], it was brought to our attention that the l... more Following the publication of the original article [1], it was brought to our attention that the letter 'l' was unfortunately omitted from the word 'health' in the article's title.

PloS one, 2018

Unprofessional behaviour is a challenge in academic medicine. Given that faculty are role models ... more Unprofessional behaviour is a challenge in academic medicine. Given that faculty are role models for trainees, it is critical to identify strategies to manage these behaviours. A scoping review was conducted to identify interventions to prevent and manage unprofessional behaviour in any workplace or professional setting. A search of 14 electronic databases was conducted in March 2016, reference lists of relevant systematic reviews were scanned, and grey literature was searched to identify relevant studies. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies that reported on interventions to prevent or manage unprofessional behaviours were included. Studies that reported impact on any outcome were eligible. Two reviewers independently screened articles and completed data abstraction. Qualitative analysis of the definitions of unprofessional behaviour was conducted. Data were charted to describe the study, participant, intervention and outcome characteristics. 12,482 citations were retrieved;...

BMJ Open

ObjectivesThis review was commissioned by WHO, South Africa-Country office because of an exponent... more ObjectivesThis review was commissioned by WHO, South Africa-Country office because of an exponential increase in medical litigation claims related to patient safety in obstetrical care in the country. A rapid review was conducted to examine the effectiveness of quality improvement (QI) strategies on maternal and newborn patient safety outcomes, risk of litigation and burden of associated costs.DesignA rapid review of the literature was conducted to provide decision-makers with timely evidence. Medical and legal databases (eg, MEDLINE, Embase, LexisNexis Academic, etc) and reference lists of relevant studies were searched. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, abstracted data and appraised risk of bias. Results were summarised narratively.InterventionsWe included randomised clinical trials (RCTs) of QI strategies targeting health systems (eg, team changes) and healthcare providers (eg, clinician education) to improve the safety of women and their newborns. Eligible s...

BMC medical informatics and decision making, Jan 14, 2018

A scoping review to characterize the literature on the use of conversations in social media as a ... more A scoping review to characterize the literature on the use of conversations in social media as a potential source of data for detecting adverse events (AEs) related to health products. Our specific research questions were (1) What social media listening platforms exist to detect adverse events related to health products, and what are their capabilities and characteristics? (2) What is the validity and reliability of data from social media for detecting these adverse events? MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and relevant websites were searched from inception to May 2016. Any type of document (e.g., manuscripts, reports) that described the use of social media data for detecting health product AEs was included. Two reviewers independently screened citations and full-texts, and one reviewer and one verifier performed data abstraction. Descriptive synthesis was conducted. After screening 3631 citations and 321 full-texts, 70 unique documents with 7 companion reports available from 2001 ...

Implementation Science

Background: It is unclear how to engage a wide range of knowledge users in research. We aimed to ... more Background: It is unclear how to engage a wide range of knowledge users in research. We aimed to map the evidence on engaging knowledge users with an emphasis on policy-makers, health system managers, and policy analysts in the knowledge synthesis process through a scoping review. Methods: We used the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance for scoping reviews. Nine electronic databases (e.g., MEDLINE) , two grey literature sources (e.g., OpenSIGLE), and reference lists of relevant systematic reviews were searched from 1996 to August 2016. We included any type of study describing strategies, barriers and facilitators, or assessing the impact of engaging policy-makers, health system managers, and policy analysts in the knowledge synthesis process. Screening and data abstraction were conducted by two reviewers independently with a third reviewer resolving discrepancies. Frequency and thematic analyses were conducted. Results: After screening 8395 titles and abstracts followed by 394 full-texts, 84 unique documents and 7 companion reports fulfilled our eligibility criteria. All 84 documents were published in the last 10 years, and half were prepared in North America. The most common type of knowledge synthesis with knowledge user engagement was a systematic review (36%). The knowledge synthesis most commonly addressed an issue at the level of national healthcare system (48%) and focused on health services delivery (17%) in high-income countries (86%). Policy-makers were the most common (64%) knowledge users, followed by healthcare professionals (49%) and government agencies as well as patients and caregivers (34%). Knowledge users were engaged in conceptualization and design (49%), literature search and data collection (52%), data synthesis and interpretation (71%), and knowledge dissemination and application (44%). Knowledge users were most commonly engaged as key informants through meetings and workshops as well as surveys, focus groups, and interviews either in-person or by telephone and emails. Knowledge user content expertise/awareness was a common facilitator (18%), while lack of time or opportunity to participate was a common barrier (12%). Conclusions: Knowledge users were most commonly engaged during the data synthesis and interpretation phases of the knowledge synthesis conduct. Researchers should document and evaluate knowledge user engagement in knowledge synthesis.

BMJ

Objective To compare the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of the herpes zoster live attenuated... more Objective To compare the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of the herpes zoster live attenuated vaccine with the herpes zoster adjuvant recombinant subunit vaccine or placebo for adults aged 50 and older. Design Systematic review with bayesian meta-analysis and network meta-analysis. Data sources Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library (inception to January 2017), grey literature, and reference lists of included studies. Eligibility criteria for study selection Experimental, quasi-experimental, and observational studies that compared the live attenuated vaccine with the adjuvant recombinant subunit vaccine, placebo, or no vaccine in adults aged 50 and older. Relevant outcomes were incidence of herpes zoster (primary outcome), herpes zoster ophthalmicus, post-herpetic neuralgia, quality of life, adverse events, and death. Results 27 studies (22 randomised controlled trials) including 2 044 504 patients, along with 18 companion reports, were included after screening 2037 titles and ab...

Annals of internal medicine, Jan 4, 2018

Scoping reviews, a type of knowledge synthesis, follow a systematic approach to map evidence on a... more Scoping reviews, a type of knowledge synthesis, follow a systematic approach to map evidence on a topic and identify main concepts, theories, sources, and knowledge gaps. Although more scoping reviews are being done, their methodological and reporting quality need improvement. This document presents the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist and explanation. The checklist was developed by a 24-member expert panel and 2 research leads following published guidance from the EQUATOR (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) Network. The final checklist contains 20 essential reporting items and 2 optional items. The authors provide a rationale and an example of good reporting for each item. The intent of the PRISMA-ScR is to help readers (including researchers, publishers, commissioners, policymakers, health care providers, guideline developers, and patients or consumers) develop a greater ...

Journal of clinical epidemiology, Jan 2, 2017

To characterize methodological conduct, reporting, and quality of five knowledge synthesis (KS) a... more To characterize methodological conduct, reporting, and quality of five knowledge synthesis (KS) approaches. Retrospective analysis of a convenience sample of 5 published databases: overview of reviews (n=74), scoping reviews (n=494), rapid reviews (n=84), systematic reviews (n=300), and network meta-analyses (NMA; n=456). Reporting characteristics and methodological conduct were abstracted by one reviewer. Methods were appraised using the AMSTAR tool. Descriptive analysis was performed. Reporting the use of a protocol ranged from 4% for rapid reviews to 32% for systematic reviews. The use of two reviewers for citation and full-text screening ranged from 20% for scoping reviews to 60% for NMA. Data abstraction was performed in duplicate for 11% of rapid reviews and 54% for NMA, and for risk of bias appraisal, this ranged from 6% for scoping reviews to 41% for NMA. NMA had the highest median percentage of maximum obtainable AMSTAR score (64%; Q1-Q3:45%-73%), while scoping reviews had ...

BMJ Open

Introduction: Adverse events associated with medications are under-reported in postmarketing surv... more Introduction: Adverse events associated with medications are under-reported in postmarketing surveillance systems. A systematic review of published data from 37 studies worldwide (including Canada) found the median under-reporting rate of adverse events to be 94% in spontaneous reporting systems. This scoping review aims to assess the utility of social media and crowd-sourced data to detect and monitor adverse events related to health products including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biologics and natural health products. Methods and analysis: Our review conduct will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methods manual. Literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library from inception to 13 May 2016. Additional sources included searches of study registries, conference abstracts, dissertations, as well as websites of international regulatory authorities (eg, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the WHO, European Medicines Agency). Search results will be supplemented by scanning the references of relevant reviews. We will include all publication types including published articles, editorials, websites and book sections that describe use of social media and crowd-sourced data for surveillance of adverse events associated with health products. Two reviewers will perform study selection and data abstraction independently, and discrepancies will be resolved through discussion. Data analysis will involve quantitative (eg, frequencies) and qualitative (eg, content analysis) methods. Dissemination: The summary of results will be sent to Health Canada, who commissioned the review, and other relevant policymakers involved with the Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network. We will compile and circulate a 1-page policy brief and host a 1-day stakeholder meeting to discuss the implications, key messages and finalise the knowledge translation strategy. Findings from this review will ultimately inform the design and development of a data analytics platform for social media and crowd-sourced data for pharmacovigilance in Canada and internationally. Registration details: Our protocol was registered prospectively with the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/kv9hu/).

Systematic Reviews

Background: The clinical specialty of obstetrics is under particular scrutiny with increasing lit... more Background: The clinical specialty of obstetrics is under particular scrutiny with increasing litigation costs and unnecessary tests and procedures done in attempts to prevent litigation. We aimed to identify reports evaluating or comparing the effectiveness of medical liability reforms and quality improvement strategies in improving litigation-related outcomes in obstetrics. Methods: We conducted a rapid scoping review with a 6-week timeline. MEDLINE, EMBASE, LexisNexis Academic, the Legal Scholarship Network, Justis, LegalTrac, QuickLaw, and HeinOnline were searched for publications in English from 2004 until June 2015. The selection criteria for screening were established a priori and pilot-tested. We included reports comparing or evaluating the impact of obstetrics-related medical liability reforms and quality improvement strategies on cost containment and litigation settlement across all countries. All levels of screening were done by two reviewers independently, and discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer. In addition, two reviewers independently extracted relevant data using a pre-tested form, and discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer. The results were summarized descriptively. Results: The search resulted in 2729 citations, of which 14 reports met our eligibility criteria. Several initiatives for improving the medical malpractice litigation system were found, including no-fault approaches, patient safety policy initiatives, communication and resolution, caps on compensation and attorney fees, alternative payment system and liabilities, and limitations on litigation. Conclusions: Only a few litigation policies in obstetrics were evaluated or compared. Included documents showed that initiatives to reduce medical malpractice litigation could be associated with a decrease in adverse and malpractice events. However, due to heterogeneous settings (e.g., economic structure, healthcare system) and variation in the outcomes reported, the advantages and disadvantages of initiatives may vary.

FACETS, 2022

Canada has made great progress in synthesizing, disseminating, and integrating research findings ... more Canada has made great progress in synthesizing, disseminating, and integrating research findings into health systems and clinical decision-making; yet gaps exist in the research-to-practice continuum. The Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Evidence Alliance aims to help close gaps by providing decision-makers with evidence that is timely, context sensitive, and demand driven to better inform patient-oriented practices and policies in health systems. In this article, we introduce a model established in Canada to support decision-maker needs for high-quality evidence that is patient oriented to enhance health systems performance. We provide an overview of how this model was implemented, who is involved, who it serves, as well as its organizational structure and remit. We discuss key milestones achieved to date and the impact this initiative has made within the health research community. The strength of the SPOR Evidence Alliance lies in its unique ability to simultaneously:...

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2021

Blood, 2009

454 Introduction: The protein C (PC) pathway plays a major role in inhibiting blood coagulation. ... more 454 Introduction: The protein C (PC) pathway plays a major role in inhibiting blood coagulation. In vivo, conversion of circulating PC to the anticoagulant enzyme activated protein C is augmented on vascular endothelium by the endothelial cell protein C receptor (EPCR). Current approaches to detect clinical PC abnormalities are based on in vitro assays of PC antigen and activity levels. However, these tests are limited by the fact that they do not detect how efficiently PC is activated by EPCR on the endothelial cell surface. We hypothesized that mutations of PC and EPCR exist that impair PC-EPCR binding, reduce physiological PC activity, and predispose to venous thromboembolism (VTE). Such abnormalties would not be detected by currently availabel PC assays. Objective: The purpose of this study was to sequence the PC and EPCR genes in patients with unprovoked VTE to detect mutations that are associated with impaired PC-EPCR binding and with VTE. We focused our DNA sequencing on the ...

BMJ Open, 2021

ObjectivesTo summarise the current evidence regarding interventions for accurate and timely cance... more ObjectivesTo summarise the current evidence regarding interventions for accurate and timely cancer diagnosis among symptomatic individuals.DesignA scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute’s methodological framework for the conduct of scoping reviews and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist.Data sourcesMEDLINE (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCOhost) and PsycINFO (Ovid) bibliographic databases, and websites of relevant organisations. Published and unpublished literature (grey literature) of any study type in the English language were searched for from January 2017 to January 2021.Eligibility and criteriaStudy participants were individuals of any age presenting at clinics with symptoms indicative of cancer. Interventions included practice guidelines, care pathways or other initiatives focused on achieving predefined benchmarks or targets for wait times, streamlined or rapid cancer diagn...

Systematic Reviews

Scoping reviews are an increasingly common approach to evidence synthesis with a growing suite of... more Scoping reviews are an increasingly common approach to evidence synthesis with a growing suite of methodological guidance and resources to assist review authors with their planning, conduct and reporting. The latest guidance for scoping reviews includes the JBI methodology and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses—Extension for Scoping Reviews. This paper provides readers with a brief update regarding ongoing work to enhance and improve the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews as well as information regarding the future steps in scoping review methods development. The purpose of this paper is to provide readers with a concise source of information regarding the difference between scoping reviews and other review types, the reasons for undertaking scoping reviews, and an update on methodological guidance for the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews.Despite available guidance, some publications use the term ‘scoping review’ without clear consid...

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

Researchers are recommended to use PRISMA-ScR when reporting their scoping review findings. Commi... more Researchers are recommended to use PRISMA-ScR when reporting their scoping review findings. Commissioners and funders of reviews should request review teams undertaking scoping review use PRISMA-ScR to enhance the transparency and quality of completed scoping review. Journals publishing reviews are recommended to include PRISMA-ScR as a requirement for submission and publication of scoping reviews. Editors should also recommend peer reviewers use PRISMA-ScR to review scoping reviews under publication consideration.

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

Implementation science : IS, Apr 16, 2018

Following the publication of the original article [1], it was brought to our attention that the l... more Following the publication of the original article [1], it was brought to our attention that the letter 'l' was unfortunately omitted from the word 'health' in the article's title.

PloS one, 2018

Unprofessional behaviour is a challenge in academic medicine. Given that faculty are role models ... more Unprofessional behaviour is a challenge in academic medicine. Given that faculty are role models for trainees, it is critical to identify strategies to manage these behaviours. A scoping review was conducted to identify interventions to prevent and manage unprofessional behaviour in any workplace or professional setting. A search of 14 electronic databases was conducted in March 2016, reference lists of relevant systematic reviews were scanned, and grey literature was searched to identify relevant studies. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies that reported on interventions to prevent or manage unprofessional behaviours were included. Studies that reported impact on any outcome were eligible. Two reviewers independently screened articles and completed data abstraction. Qualitative analysis of the definitions of unprofessional behaviour was conducted. Data were charted to describe the study, participant, intervention and outcome characteristics. 12,482 citations were retrieved;...

BMJ Open

ObjectivesThis review was commissioned by WHO, South Africa-Country office because of an exponent... more ObjectivesThis review was commissioned by WHO, South Africa-Country office because of an exponential increase in medical litigation claims related to patient safety in obstetrical care in the country. A rapid review was conducted to examine the effectiveness of quality improvement (QI) strategies on maternal and newborn patient safety outcomes, risk of litigation and burden of associated costs.DesignA rapid review of the literature was conducted to provide decision-makers with timely evidence. Medical and legal databases (eg, MEDLINE, Embase, LexisNexis Academic, etc) and reference lists of relevant studies were searched. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, abstracted data and appraised risk of bias. Results were summarised narratively.InterventionsWe included randomised clinical trials (RCTs) of QI strategies targeting health systems (eg, team changes) and healthcare providers (eg, clinician education) to improve the safety of women and their newborns. Eligible s...

BMC medical informatics and decision making, Jan 14, 2018

A scoping review to characterize the literature on the use of conversations in social media as a ... more A scoping review to characterize the literature on the use of conversations in social media as a potential source of data for detecting adverse events (AEs) related to health products. Our specific research questions were (1) What social media listening platforms exist to detect adverse events related to health products, and what are their capabilities and characteristics? (2) What is the validity and reliability of data from social media for detecting these adverse events? MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and relevant websites were searched from inception to May 2016. Any type of document (e.g., manuscripts, reports) that described the use of social media data for detecting health product AEs was included. Two reviewers independently screened citations and full-texts, and one reviewer and one verifier performed data abstraction. Descriptive synthesis was conducted. After screening 3631 citations and 321 full-texts, 70 unique documents with 7 companion reports available from 2001 ...

Implementation Science

Background: It is unclear how to engage a wide range of knowledge users in research. We aimed to ... more Background: It is unclear how to engage a wide range of knowledge users in research. We aimed to map the evidence on engaging knowledge users with an emphasis on policy-makers, health system managers, and policy analysts in the knowledge synthesis process through a scoping review. Methods: We used the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance for scoping reviews. Nine electronic databases (e.g., MEDLINE) , two grey literature sources (e.g., OpenSIGLE), and reference lists of relevant systematic reviews were searched from 1996 to August 2016. We included any type of study describing strategies, barriers and facilitators, or assessing the impact of engaging policy-makers, health system managers, and policy analysts in the knowledge synthesis process. Screening and data abstraction were conducted by two reviewers independently with a third reviewer resolving discrepancies. Frequency and thematic analyses were conducted. Results: After screening 8395 titles and abstracts followed by 394 full-texts, 84 unique documents and 7 companion reports fulfilled our eligibility criteria. All 84 documents were published in the last 10 years, and half were prepared in North America. The most common type of knowledge synthesis with knowledge user engagement was a systematic review (36%). The knowledge synthesis most commonly addressed an issue at the level of national healthcare system (48%) and focused on health services delivery (17%) in high-income countries (86%). Policy-makers were the most common (64%) knowledge users, followed by healthcare professionals (49%) and government agencies as well as patients and caregivers (34%). Knowledge users were engaged in conceptualization and design (49%), literature search and data collection (52%), data synthesis and interpretation (71%), and knowledge dissemination and application (44%). Knowledge users were most commonly engaged as key informants through meetings and workshops as well as surveys, focus groups, and interviews either in-person or by telephone and emails. Knowledge user content expertise/awareness was a common facilitator (18%), while lack of time or opportunity to participate was a common barrier (12%). Conclusions: Knowledge users were most commonly engaged during the data synthesis and interpretation phases of the knowledge synthesis conduct. Researchers should document and evaluate knowledge user engagement in knowledge synthesis.

BMJ

Objective To compare the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of the herpes zoster live attenuated... more Objective To compare the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of the herpes zoster live attenuated vaccine with the herpes zoster adjuvant recombinant subunit vaccine or placebo for adults aged 50 and older. Design Systematic review with bayesian meta-analysis and network meta-analysis. Data sources Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library (inception to January 2017), grey literature, and reference lists of included studies. Eligibility criteria for study selection Experimental, quasi-experimental, and observational studies that compared the live attenuated vaccine with the adjuvant recombinant subunit vaccine, placebo, or no vaccine in adults aged 50 and older. Relevant outcomes were incidence of herpes zoster (primary outcome), herpes zoster ophthalmicus, post-herpetic neuralgia, quality of life, adverse events, and death. Results 27 studies (22 randomised controlled trials) including 2 044 504 patients, along with 18 companion reports, were included after screening 2037 titles and ab...

Annals of internal medicine, Jan 4, 2018

Scoping reviews, a type of knowledge synthesis, follow a systematic approach to map evidence on a... more Scoping reviews, a type of knowledge synthesis, follow a systematic approach to map evidence on a topic and identify main concepts, theories, sources, and knowledge gaps. Although more scoping reviews are being done, their methodological and reporting quality need improvement. This document presents the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist and explanation. The checklist was developed by a 24-member expert panel and 2 research leads following published guidance from the EQUATOR (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) Network. The final checklist contains 20 essential reporting items and 2 optional items. The authors provide a rationale and an example of good reporting for each item. The intent of the PRISMA-ScR is to help readers (including researchers, publishers, commissioners, policymakers, health care providers, guideline developers, and patients or consumers) develop a greater ...

Journal of clinical epidemiology, Jan 2, 2017

To characterize methodological conduct, reporting, and quality of five knowledge synthesis (KS) a... more To characterize methodological conduct, reporting, and quality of five knowledge synthesis (KS) approaches. Retrospective analysis of a convenience sample of 5 published databases: overview of reviews (n=74), scoping reviews (n=494), rapid reviews (n=84), systematic reviews (n=300), and network meta-analyses (NMA; n=456). Reporting characteristics and methodological conduct were abstracted by one reviewer. Methods were appraised using the AMSTAR tool. Descriptive analysis was performed. Reporting the use of a protocol ranged from 4% for rapid reviews to 32% for systematic reviews. The use of two reviewers for citation and full-text screening ranged from 20% for scoping reviews to 60% for NMA. Data abstraction was performed in duplicate for 11% of rapid reviews and 54% for NMA, and for risk of bias appraisal, this ranged from 6% for scoping reviews to 41% for NMA. NMA had the highest median percentage of maximum obtainable AMSTAR score (64%; Q1-Q3:45%-73%), while scoping reviews had ...

BMJ Open

Introduction: Adverse events associated with medications are under-reported in postmarketing surv... more Introduction: Adverse events associated with medications are under-reported in postmarketing surveillance systems. A systematic review of published data from 37 studies worldwide (including Canada) found the median under-reporting rate of adverse events to be 94% in spontaneous reporting systems. This scoping review aims to assess the utility of social media and crowd-sourced data to detect and monitor adverse events related to health products including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biologics and natural health products. Methods and analysis: Our review conduct will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methods manual. Literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library from inception to 13 May 2016. Additional sources included searches of study registries, conference abstracts, dissertations, as well as websites of international regulatory authorities (eg, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the WHO, European Medicines Agency). Search results will be supplemented by scanning the references of relevant reviews. We will include all publication types including published articles, editorials, websites and book sections that describe use of social media and crowd-sourced data for surveillance of adverse events associated with health products. Two reviewers will perform study selection and data abstraction independently, and discrepancies will be resolved through discussion. Data analysis will involve quantitative (eg, frequencies) and qualitative (eg, content analysis) methods. Dissemination: The summary of results will be sent to Health Canada, who commissioned the review, and other relevant policymakers involved with the Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network. We will compile and circulate a 1-page policy brief and host a 1-day stakeholder meeting to discuss the implications, key messages and finalise the knowledge translation strategy. Findings from this review will ultimately inform the design and development of a data analytics platform for social media and crowd-sourced data for pharmacovigilance in Canada and internationally. Registration details: Our protocol was registered prospectively with the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/kv9hu/).

Systematic Reviews

Background: The clinical specialty of obstetrics is under particular scrutiny with increasing lit... more Background: The clinical specialty of obstetrics is under particular scrutiny with increasing litigation costs and unnecessary tests and procedures done in attempts to prevent litigation. We aimed to identify reports evaluating or comparing the effectiveness of medical liability reforms and quality improvement strategies in improving litigation-related outcomes in obstetrics. Methods: We conducted a rapid scoping review with a 6-week timeline. MEDLINE, EMBASE, LexisNexis Academic, the Legal Scholarship Network, Justis, LegalTrac, QuickLaw, and HeinOnline were searched for publications in English from 2004 until June 2015. The selection criteria for screening were established a priori and pilot-tested. We included reports comparing or evaluating the impact of obstetrics-related medical liability reforms and quality improvement strategies on cost containment and litigation settlement across all countries. All levels of screening were done by two reviewers independently, and discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer. In addition, two reviewers independently extracted relevant data using a pre-tested form, and discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer. The results were summarized descriptively. Results: The search resulted in 2729 citations, of which 14 reports met our eligibility criteria. Several initiatives for improving the medical malpractice litigation system were found, including no-fault approaches, patient safety policy initiatives, communication and resolution, caps on compensation and attorney fees, alternative payment system and liabilities, and limitations on litigation. Conclusions: Only a few litigation policies in obstetrics were evaluated or compared. Included documents showed that initiatives to reduce medical malpractice litigation could be associated with a decrease in adverse and malpractice events. However, due to heterogeneous settings (e.g., economic structure, healthcare system) and variation in the outcomes reported, the advantages and disadvantages of initiatives may vary.