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Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

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Statistical quality control in clinical trials.

We propose to apply statistical methods of industrial process and quality control to accumulating data in a statistical monitoring center of a clinical trial. We discuss some specific issues connected with the application of these methods over calendar time to patients' characteristics (at a particular individual patient time) or to more formal monitoring characteristics (like the number of queries per case record form). The tools used are Shewart charts, plots, breakpoint regression, and recursive residuals with cusums and V-charts, applied to measurement and event data. A software program based on SAS macros allows easy application of the methods. Some examples, with graphical outputs, from an ongoing trial on patients with primary malignant melanoma, illustrate the methods.

Cholesterol↗

Further statistics in dentistry Part 8: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

A systematic review of research evidence is an efficient approach to integrating existing information, invariably a multiplicity of published articles, with a view to establishing whether the scientific findings are consistent. If so, it may be possible to draw conclusions and make recommendations about treatment regimens or observed effects which have greater credence than those obtained from individual studies. The systematic review relies on a specified checklist which determines which articles should be included in the review, and how each should be critically appraised to provide relevant information relating to the focus of the review.

Algorithms↗

Information and communication systems for the assistance of carers based on ACTION.

Recent advances in telecommunication technologies allow the design of information and communication systems for people who are caring for others in the home as family members or as professionals in the health or community centres. The present paper analyses and classifies the information flow and maps it to an information life cycle, which governs the design of the deployed hardware, software and the data-structure. This is based on the initial findings of ACTION (assisting carers using telematics interventions to meet older persons' needs) a European Union funded project. The proposed information architecture discusses different designs such as centralized or decentralized Web and Client server solutions. A user interface is developed reflecting the special requirements of the targeted user group, which influences the functionality and design of the software, data architecture and the integrated communication system using video-conferencing. ACTION has engineered a system using plain Web technology based on HTML, extended with JavaScript and ActiveX and a software switch enabling the integration of different types of videoconferencing and other applications providing manufacturer independence.

Adult↗

Towards a common framework for clinical trials information systems.

This work describes the strategies for data modeling and implementation and the general architecture of COATI, a Clinical Trials information system that has been in production for more than three years. We discuss how the ICH guidelines influenced the system design, how we used conventional relational and EAV tables and how we integrated third-party software packages into our system. We describe a new architecture that forms the basis of a common framework for Clinical Trials information systems. This structure is based on the concept of a Common Information Framework (CIF). We have defined standard objects and corresponding methods for the CIF as an essential step towards the development of Clinical Trials Informatics.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

Online searching of the pharmaceutical literature.

Online databases that cover pharmaceutical topics are described and then illustrated with four sample searches. The online databases useful for searching pharmaceutical topics can be grouped into three categories: (1) databases devoted exclusively to drugs and the pharmacy profession, such as International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Pharmaceutical News Index, and Ringdoc; (2) databases covering the clinical medicine literature, such as MEDLINE and its related files and Excerpta Medica; and (3) other scientific databases that include coverage of the pharmaceutical literature, such as BIOSIS Previews, Chem, Scisearch, and NTIS. Databases from each of these groups are discussed. The fields, which are categories of information contained in each record (e.g., author, article title, journal reference, abstract, and assigned indexing terms), are delineated, along with descriptions of how these fields function during the searching operation. The implications of the indexing policies of the various databases on search strategy are also explained. Sample search strategies are illustrated to compare file retrievals on specific subjects.

Drug Information Services↗

Quality-assessed reviews of health care interventions and the database of abstracts of reviews of effectiveness (DARE). NHS CRD Review, Dissemination, and Information Teams.

OBJECTIVES: Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE) (http:@www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/) at the NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination provides a unique international resource of structured summaries of quality-assessed reviews of health care interventions. These reviews have been identified from searches of electronic databases and by hand-searching journals. This paper describes and summarizes the DARE database, including the topic areas covered and the review methods used. METHODS: The first 480 structured abstracts on the DARE database were summarized. Data were extracted from each database field and coded for analysis. RESULTS: Most of the systematic reviews investigated the effectiveness of treatments: 54% investigated the effectiveness of medical therapies, and 10% assessed surgical interventions. Around two-thirds used meta-analytic methods to combine primary studies. The quality of the reviews was variable, with just over half of the reviews (52%, n = 251) having systematically assessed the validity of the included primary studies. Narrative reviews were more likely than meta-analyses to reach negative conclusions (42% vs. 25%, p = .0001). The 21 reviews that reported drug company funding were more likely to reach positive conclusions (81% vs. 66%, p = .15). CONCLUSION: The DARE database is a valuable source of quality-assessed systematic reviews, and is free and easily accessible. It provides a valuable online resource to help in filtering out poorer quality reviews when assessing the effectiveness of health technologies.

Abstracting and Indexing↗

Using metadata to create navigation paths in the HealthInsite Internet gateway.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the HealthInsite topic query technique, which uses a dynamic database search to assign resources to a topic. It is an alternative to the explicit classification technique, which relies on the classification of each resource using a predefined classification scheme. We performed a recall-precision analysis on all topics within the broad topic area of Child Health. Recall and precision errors were checked to determine which part of the information retrieval process was at fault. We then compared the topic query technique with the explicit classification technique. The results show errors or problems at every stage of the information retrieval process. This has initiated a review of all the tools used in the process, from indexing guidelines to the search engine. While many errors could be corrected, there were still features of the explicit classification technique that could not be achieved by the topic query technique. In conclusion, the topic query technique has the advantage of flexibility, but close co-operation between the different information retrieval specialists is needed to get the best results. The HealthInsite topic navigation structure should be regarded as an organized set of predefined searches rather than a full classified listing.

Abstracting and Indexing↗

Mapping the literature of radiologic technology.

While analysis of the literature of radiology has been conducted in the discipline, none of the studies have focused on identifying the core journals. The bibliometric method was used to conduct research to identify the core journals in the radiologic technology field and determine the extent of indexing of those journals. This study was a part of Medical Library Association (MLA) Nursing and Allied Health Resource Section's project to map the literature of allied health. Findings indicate that there is a small core of literature with a heavy reliance on the journal literature. Books are used to a lesser extent. The majority of the citations analyzed were published during the fourteen years between 1980 and 1993. MEDLINE and EMBASE provided the best indexing coverage of the radiologic technology literature; minimal coverage was provided by the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and HEALTH.

Abstracting and Indexing↗

Mapping the literature of respiratory therapy.

Little research has been conducted on the characteristics of the literature of respiratory care. The bibliometric method was used to identify the core journals in the discipline and the extent of indexing of those journals. This study was a part of Medical Library Association (MLA) Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section's project to map the literature of allied health. Findings indicate that the research writings of the discipline cite journal articles most heavily, with the majority of the citations published between 1980 and 1993. The literature has a small core of cited journals with a wide dispersion. MEDLINE and EMBASE provided the best indexing coverage of the literature, and minimal coverage was given by the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and HEALTH.

Abstracting and Indexing↗

Emergency contraception: a review of the programmatic and social science literature.

Many biomedical aspects of emergency contraception have been investigated and documented for >30 years now. A large number of social science questions, however, remain to be answered. In this article, we review the rapidly growing but geographically lopsided literature on this topic. Using computer database searches supplemented by reference reviews and professional correspondence with those active in the field, we gathered literature on the social science and service delivery aspects of emergency contraception published in English up through December 1998, as well as a few unpublished papers from the same time and slightly later, representing regions where published material is practically nonexistent. Methodologically acceptable papers are summarized in our tables and text, and form the basis for suggested improvements in existing emergency contraceptive services. The review also offers ideas for designing new emergency contraception services where they do not yet exist. We conclude by proposing an agenda for further social science research in this area.

Adolescent↗

Use of the endometrial pipelle in the diagnosis of early abnormal gestations.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the endometrial pipelle (Unimar, Wilton, CT) in detecting intrauterine chorionic villi, as compared to standard suction dilation and curettage (D and C). DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: U. S. Navy Hospital near Tokyo, Japan. Small community hospital. PATIENT(S): All patients presenting for the surgical management of an early abnormal gestation were enrolled prospectively. The patient's age, gravidy, parity, estimated gestational age (EGA), diagnosis, preoperative beta human chorionic gonadotropin (betahCG) level, and preoperative transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) data were recorded. INTERVENTION(S): An endometrial biopsy was performed in the operating room prior to standard suction dilatation and curettage (D and C). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The presence of chorionic villi in the endometrial biopsy and curettage specimens were recorded for each patient. RESULT(S): The sensitivity of the endometrial pipelle in detecting intrauterine chorionic villi was 63% and the specificity was 80%. CONCLUSION(S): In the diagnosis of an early abnormal gestation, particularly in excluding an ectopic pregnancy, it would be ideal to replace the more invasive D and C with the outpatient endometrial biopsy in detecting intrauterine chorionic villi. However, the limited sensitivity of the endometrial biopsy limits its application in this clinical scenario. Our results compare with two previous studies and add to the limited patient database on this topic.

Adult↗

[Movement disorders and botulinum toxin in neurology].

Botulinum toxin has been a useful treatment in many movement disorders and more recently in other non-neurological motor dysfunctions for more than 15 years. Here, we review the various indications in neurology, mainly in the field of movement disorders. From 1973 to 2002, we searched the Medline database on this topic. We selected the most useful and relevant papers, with a special interest in dystonia. We summarized the results in the main indications (spasmodic torticollis, bleparospasm, hemifacial spasm) and in other manifestations such as writer's cramp, oromandibular dystonia, tremor, tics and myoclonus. We discuss the data of literature and compare them with the experience of the French movement disorders groups.

Anti-Dyskinesia Agents↗

Are bipolar I depressive patients less responsive to treatment with antidepressants than unipolar depressive patients? Results from a case control study.

The increasing evidence that bipolar and unipolar affective disorders have different biological etiologies and courses of illness has been associated with an intensifying interest in specific treatment regimens for both disorders during the last decade. In this context, the question arose whether antidepressants exert similar efficacy in the acute treatment of bipolar compared to unipolar depression. Although the clinical impression does not indicate substantial differences in the efficacy of antidepressants between these groups of patients, empirical databases concerning this topic are rare. The present study compared the efficacy of antidepressants in 50 unipolar and 50 bipolar depressed inpatients (ICD-9 criteria) under naturalistic treatment conditions. Both groups of patients were matched for age, gender and duration of illness. Clinical assessments of status at the time of admission and at discharge were used to rate response to antidepressant treatment. Analyses of the data revealed that both groups of patients needed the same time for treatment response and did not show any significant differences in outcome measures at discharge. These findings do not concur with the hypothesis formulated by some experts in the field of affective disorders that antidepressants are less effective in the acute treatment of bipolar depressed patients compared to unipolar depressed patients.

Antidepressive Agents↗

Peer-reviewed publication following presentation at a regional surgical meeting.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the proportion of publications arising from work presented at a regional surgical meeting. DESIGN: A list of all presentations to the Welsh Surgical Society 1983-95 was compiled and a detailed search made of the Medicine Database. The surgical topic of each presentation, the date of presentation, the date of publication and the journal of publication were recorded. SETTING: University Hospital of Wales. RESULTS: Four hundred and ninety-six papers were presented to the society, of which 402 (81%) were by trainees. The most frequent topics of presentation were colorectal (15%), vascular (15%) and hepato-pancreatico-biliary (11%). Two hundred and thirty-three papers (47%) have been published in peer-reviewed journals. The most popular journals for publication were Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (19%), British Journal of Surgery (16%) and Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (8%). The median time from presentation to publication was 17.0 months (interquartile range 10.0-27.5 months). CONCLUSIONS: Regional surgical meetings have an important role in the annual surgical calendar and they are the ideal initial setting for presentation by trainees.

Education, Medical, Continuing↗