Cumpston Miranda S, McKenzie Joanne E, Ryan Rebecca, Flemyng Ella, Thomas James, Brennan Sue E
Methods in Evidence Synthesis Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia.
Centre for Health Communication and Participation La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria Australia.
Cochrane Evid Synth Methods. 2023 Dec 12;1(10):e12036. doi: 10.1002/cesm.12036. eCollection 2023 Dec.
Methods guidance and appraisal tools for systematic reviews require specification of the question and eligibility criteria for the review ("PICO for the review"). Less emphasis has been given to specifying the question and criteria for each synthesis ("PICO for each synthesis"), yet decisions about which studies to include in each synthesis can critically influence the utility and findings of a review. This paper describes the rationale and methods for developing the InSynQ (Intervention Synthesis Questions) tool for planning and reporting synthesis questions in reviews of interventions. The aim is to provide transparency about the basis of the tool and contribute to evidence on methods for developing guidance for research conduct and reporting.
Informed by EQUATOR Network methods, we (1) established a project group; (2) examined reporting of the "PICO for each synthesis" in published reviews; (3) reviewed existing reporting guidance and the ; (4) drafted items with elaboration, explanation, and examples; (5) conducted consultation meetings, an evaluation survey and pilot test; (6) incorporated feedback.
Existing reporting guidelines do not distinguish the review and synthesis PICO, with limited coverage of the elements needed to specify the PICO for each synthesis. Using the PRISMA 2020 format, the draft tool contained 10 items with essential and additional reporting elements, explanations, and examples. Revisions arising from consultation meetings (>30 people), included adding an eleventh item on consumer and stakeholder involvement, a figure explaining PICO for each synthesis, and integrating examples into elements/explanations. All respondents to the survey (12 people) said the tool would help them plan or appraise synthesis questions. InSynQ is available at https://InSynQ.info.
Transparent reporting of the development process contributes to the evidence base for methods to develop guidance. It may improve uptake of InSynQ, in turn enhancing the clarity of syntheses.
系统评价的方法指南和评估工具要求明确评价的问题和纳入标准（“评价的PICO”）。对于明确每次综合分析的问题和标准（“每次综合分析的PICO”）的重视程度较低，然而关于每次综合分析纳入哪些研究的决策可能会严重影响评价的效用和结果。本文描述了开发InSynQ（干预综合分析问题）工具的基本原理和方法，该工具用于在干预评价中规划和报告综合分析问题。目的是提高该工具基础的透明度，并为制定研究实施和报告指南的方法提供证据。
以EQUATOR网络方法为依据，我们（1）成立了一个项目组；（2）检查已发表评价中“每次综合分析的PICO”的报告情况；（3）审查现有的报告指南；（4）起草带有详细说明、解释和示例的条目；（5）召开咨询会议、进行评估调查和预试验；（6）纳入反馈意见。
现有的报告指南没有区分评价和综合分析的PICO，对明确每次综合分析的PICO所需要素的涵盖有限。使用PRISMA 2020格式，该工具草案包含10个条目，以及基本和额外报告要素、解释和示例。咨询会议（30多人）产生的修订包括增加关于消费者和利益相关者参与的第11个条目、一个解释每次综合分析PICO的图表，并将示例纳入要素/解释中。调查的所有受访者（12人）表示，该工具将帮助他们规划或评估综合分析问题。InSynQ可在https://InSynQ.info上获取。
开发过程的透明报告有助于为制定指南的方法提供证据基础。这可能会提高InSynQ的采用率，进而提高综合分析的清晰度。
