Impact of contacting study authors on systematic review conclusions diagnostic tests for hepatic fibrosis

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that contacting authors to obtain additional data will likely be successful. However, there was no clear trend in the impact of new data on measures of diagnostic accuracy. As a result, it is unclear whether the time-intensive practice of contacting authors is worth...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Selph, Shelley, Chou, Roger (Author)
Corporate Authors: United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Oregon Health & Science University Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Rockville, MD Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 2014, April 2014
Series:Research white paper
Subjects:
Online Access:
Collection: National Center for Biotechnology Information - Collection details see MPG.ReNa
LEADER 03700nam a2200325 u 4500
001 EB000944034
003 EBX01000000000000000737624
005 00000000000000.0
007 tu|||||||||||||||||||||
008 150223 r ||| eng
100 1 |a Selph, Shelley 
245 0 0 |a Impact of contacting study authors on systematic review conclusions  |h Elektronische Ressource  |b diagnostic tests for hepatic fibrosis  |c prepared for Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ; prepared by Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center, Oregon Health & Science University ; investigators, Shelley Selph, Roger Chou 
260 |a Rockville, MD  |b Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality  |c 2014, April 2014 
300 |a 1 PDF file (various pagings) 
505 0 |a Includes bibliographical references 
653 |a Data Collection 
653 |a Hepatitis C 
653 |a Liver Cirrhosis / diagnosis 
700 1 |a Chou, Roger  |e [author] 
710 2 |a United States  |b Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 
710 2 |a Oregon Health & Science University  |b Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center 
041 0 7 |a eng  |2 ISO 639-2 
989 |b NCBI  |a National Center for Biotechnology Information 
490 0 |a Research white paper 
500 |a Title from PDF title page 
856 4 0 |u https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK198806  |3 Volltext  |n NLM Bookshelf Books  |3 Volltext 
082 0 |a 610 
520 |a CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that contacting authors to obtain additional data will likely be successful. However, there was no clear trend in the impact of new data on measures of diagnostic accuracy. As a result, it is unclear whether the time-intensive practice of contacting authors is worth the effort. It would be more effective to require authors of studies to provide 2 2 tables within the published manuscript for transparency and to facilitate additional analyses 
520 |a BACKGROUND: In 2013, the Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center conducted a systematic review of screening and diagnostic tests for hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C viral infection. However, 17 of the 172 included studies reported diagnostic accuracy results that were discordant from 2 2 tables. In addition, 60 studies did not report adequate data to construct 2 2 tables or include in the analysis. This study explores the response rate and impact of contacting authors to provide data that were otherwise missing or discordant. OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy and impact of contacting authors to clarify discordant data or obtain missing data for a systematic review on screening and diagnostic tests for hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C viral infection.  
520 |a METHODS: Sixty-six corresponding authors were sent letters requesting additional information or clarification of data from 77 studies that had discrepancies in the data reported or that provided insufficient data to construct 2 2 tables. Data received from authors were pooled with data included in the previous review and the diagnostic effect analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 66 authors, 45 (68%) were successfully contacted and 28 (42%) provided additional data for 29 studies. All authors who provided data did so by the third written request for information. Authors of more recent studies were significantly more likely to be located and provide data compared to authors of older studies. In general, inclusion of the additional 29 studies had only minor effects on the diagnostic accuracy meta-analyses. However, the additional data resulted in reclassification of the utility of three tests.