Liverpool evidence synthesis

network – LivEN

Liverpool evidence synthesis

network – LivEN

Liverpool Evidence Synthesis

Network

Meet the team

Next 60 minutes…

Questions

1. What makes rapid reviews rapid?

2. Do published rapid reviews follow recognised rapid review frameworks?

3. Is there interest in carrying out further methodological research in this area?

“rapid review*”.ti,ab

2005 – Current

MEDLINE

188 included at

title/abstract

69Excluded at

title/abstract257(after

removal of duplicates)

21 Methodology papers

83 screened

so far

7Excluded

55Rapid

reviews

Rapid review process

Findings so far…Year of publication:

2005-2009 (0%)

2010-2014 (26%)

2015-2017 (84%)

Type of paper:

Rapid review only (81%)

Rapid review combined with other methods (19%)

Area of review:

Clinical (38%)

Public Health (45%)

Health services (9%)

Other (8%)

Commissioner:

Unknown (31%)

Stated (69%)

Findings so far…

Number of databases searched:

◦ 1-18

◦ Median of 4

Data synthesis:

◦ Narrative review (97%)

◦ Meta-analysis (0)

◦ Typology (3%)

◦ Other (0%)

Time taken to complete the review:

◦ 3 months or less (7%)

◦ 4 to 6 months (22%)

◦ 7 to 12 months (7%)

◦ More than 12 months (7%)

◦ Not reported (57%)

What was rapid about the reviews?

Unclear (66%)

Limiting the number of databases searched (62%)

Limiting inclusion criteria by date (40%)

Limiting inclusion by language (29%)

Only having one review screen and/or quality assess studies (26%)

Not conducting RoB/ quality assessment (14%)

Findings (reviews of reviews)

“Association between

length of publication and

completion time and the

number of adequately

reported PRISMA or

AMSTAR items”

“No difference in

AMSTAR item

compliance overall”

Findings (case studies)

“Rapid review

methods need to

be chosen to meet

both the nature of

the evidence base

of a review”

Findings (consensus/discussion)

“Rapid reviews aim to

meet the requirements and timelines of a

decision maker and should be conducted in

less time than a systematic review”

“They should use the most rigorous

methods that the delivery time frame

will allow”

“Maintains that rapid reviews should be the exception and

not the rule ”

Findings (framework/guidelines)

Interactive Workshop

1.What makes a rapid review rapid?

2.When is it appropriate/ not appropriate

to do a rapid review?

3.Is it feasible to have a one size fits all,

single rapid review guideline?

Next steps