Table 4 Comparison of overall reporting quality of newborn and child health systematic review (SR) reports vs. protocols
Proportion (%) of “Yes” responses for the total (no.) of reviews eligible for scoring | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Itema number | Item | SR reports (N = 248) | SR protocols (N = 76) | p value |
Title | ||||
1/1a) | Identify the report as a systematic review, meta-analysis, or both for pediatric population as a focus of review, if applicable | 62.1 (248) | 72.4 (76) | 0.102 |
Introduction | ||||
Rationale | ||||
5/6) | Describe the rationale for the review in the context of what is already known | |||
In the contexts of the synthesized evidence in adults or other pediatric groups (non-targeted), explain the rationale for synthesizing evidence for the targeted pediatric age group(s). Provide hypotheses that relate to the targeted pediatric age group(s) | 3.6 (248) | 1.3 (76) | 0.309 | |
Objectives | ||||
4/7) | Provide an explicit statement of questions being addressed with reference to targeted pediatric age groups, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, and study design (PICOS) | 0.8 (248) | 0 (76) | 0.433 |
Methods | ||||
Eligibility criteria | ||||
6/8) | Specify study characteristics (e.g., PICOS, length of follow-up) and report characteristics (e.g., years considered, language, publication status) used as criteria for eligibility, giving rationale | |||
6a/8a) | Justify the targeted pediatric age group(s) selected | 74.2 (248) | 64.5 (76) | 0.1 |
6b/8b) | Intervention: Justify the intervention for the targeted pediatric age group(s) addressing potential age-related differences in intervention effects | 67.7 (248) | 55.3 (76) | 0.047* |
6c/8c) | Provide rationale for extrapolation or adaptation of adult intervention, if any | 29.6 (27) | 16.7 (18) | 0.331 |
6d/8d) | Comparators: Explain the choice of comparator(s) and, if applicable, evidence for the active comparator and/or standard of care for targeted pediatric age group(s) | 9.7 (248) | 17.1 (76) | 0.076 |
6e/8e) | Outcomes: List and define all the primary outcomes addressed for the targeted pediatric age group(s). List and define growth and development outcomes, adverse outcomes (events), if applicable | 41.1 (248) | 55.3 (76) | 0.031* |
6f/8f) | Outcomes: Explain the clinical relevance of the selected outcomes (benefits and harms) for the targeted pediatric age group(s) | 34.3 (248) | 28.9 (76) | 0.388 |
6g/8g) | Outcomes: Explain the validity, feasibility and responsiveness of the outcome measures for the pre-targeted pediatric age group(s) | 0 (248) | 0 (76) | p > 0.999 |
Search | ||||
8/10) | Present full electronic search strategy for at least one database, including any limits used, such that it could be repeated | |||
8a/10a) | Describe the search strategy and terms (including database specific MeSH terms for pediatric population) used to address the targeted pediatric age group(s) | 44 (248) | 48.7 (76) | 0.469 |
Synthesis of results | ||||
14/15b) | Describe the methods of handling data and combining results of studies, if done, including measures of consistency (e.g., I2) for each meta-analysis | |||
14a/15b) | For studies that included pediatrics and adults without a subgroup analysis of the pediatric population, describe how the data on targeted pediatric age group(s) were used in the analysis | 0 (89) | 0 (27) | p > 0.999 |
Additional analyses | ||||
16/15c) | Describe methods of additional analyses (e.g., sensitivity or subgroup analyses for targeted pediatric age group(s), meta-regression), if done, indicating which were pre-specified | 54.9 (142) | 61 (59) | 0.429 |
Funding | ||||
27/5) | Describe sources of funding for the systematic review and other support (e.g., supply of data) and role of funders for the systematic review | |||
27a/5a) | For each included trial in a systematic review, indicate (a plan to include) the source of financial support (such as Government, Academia or Industry), if any, in the trial(s) | 5.6 (248) | 13.2 (76) | 0.03* |