Hu Haiyin, Ji Zhaochen, Feng Chaonan, Pang Wentai, Chen Zhe, Zhang Junhua, Wang Hui
Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.
Integr Med Res. 2021;10(Suppl):100774. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2021.100774. Epub 2021 Sep 8.
A large number of protocols for Systematic Reviews (SR) of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). This study aimed to analyze the innovativeness and rigorousness of the SR protocols and make recommendations for the design and implementation of future SRs on TCM for COVID-19. This effort is likely to enhance the value of the produced information and prevent the futility of the research.
PROSPERO was searched comprehensively for identifying SRs of TCM for COVID-19 from the inception of the database to August 2020. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and cross-checked the retrieved information for consistency. The following details were recorded: database, registration time, organizations, types of research included, participants, interventions, and outcome measures. All extracted data were analyzed by an overview. The "P - participants, I - interventions, C - controls, and O - outcomes (PICO)" included in the protocols were compared for similarity. The outcomes of the included SR protocols were compared with the newly published Core Outcome Sets (COSs).
A total of 80 protocols of SR related to TCM for COVID-19 were obtained after a primary search, and finally 71 protocols were included. The majority of the protocols were from China. Thirty-two organizations participated in the protocol registrations, including 11 hospitals and 21 universities/colleges. However, some protocols were not innovative or rigorous enough, as the PICO of some protocols were similar and non-specific, and the searched literature was incomprehensive. In addition, COS is not commonly adopted.
Registering a protocol of SR is an effective way to ensure the usefulness of the produced information, and to avoid the duplication of research and the wastage of resources. In future SR protocols, it is important to focus on and solve the methodological problems such as non-specific PICO, incomprehensive literature retrieval, and improper outcome measures.
大量关于2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）的中医系统评价（SR）方案已在国际前瞻性系统评价注册库（PROSPERO）中注册。本研究旨在分析SR方案的创新性和严谨性，并为未来针对COVID-19的中医SR的设计和实施提出建议。这一努力可能会提高所产生信息的价值，并防止研究的徒劳无功。
全面检索PROSPERO，以识别自数据库建立至2020年8月期间关于COVID-19的中医SR。两名研究人员独立筛选文献、提取数据，并交叉核对检索到的信息以确保一致性。记录以下详细信息：数据库、注册时间、机构、纳入的研究类型、参与者、干预措施和结局指标。所有提取的数据通过概述进行分析。比较方案中包含的“P - 参与者、I - 干预措施、C - 对照、O - 结局（PICO）”的相似性。将纳入的SR方案的结局与新发表的核心结局集（COSs）进行比较。
初步检索后共获得80项与COVID-19中医相关的SR方案，最终纳入71项方案。大多数方案来自中国。32个机构参与了方案注册，包括11家医院和21所大学/学院。然而，一些方案的创新性和严谨性不足，因为一些方案的PICO相似且不具体，并且检索的文献不全面。此外，COS未被普遍采用。
注册SR方案是确保所产生信息有用性的有效方法，可避免研究重复和资源浪费。在未来的SR方案中，重要的是关注并解决诸如PICO不具体、文献检索不全面和结局指标不当等方法学问题。
