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Comparing different methods of determining whether gliomas are missing arms 1p and 19q of the chromosomes

2 years 2 months ago

Over the last year, Cochrane Neuro-Oncology have been publishing a series of new systematic reviews on priority topics for the brain tumour community. These were selected from the most important unanswered questions identified by patients, the public and practitioners. In this podcast, Kathreena Kurian from the University of Bristol in the UK tells us about one of the reviews, which was published in March 2022, looking at the evidence on some of the tests that might help in planning the treatment of patients with a glioma.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for stroke recovery

2 years 2 months ago

Cochrane Stroke has produced more than 70 systematic reviews of pharmacological interventions that might improve the recovery of patients after stroke. In this podcast, co-authors Simiao Wu and Xing Hua, both from the West China Hospital at Sichuan University, in Chengdu, China, talk about the November 2021 update for one of these, which looks at the effects of selective serotonin uptake inhibitors on recovery from stroke.

Are inflatable sleeves and medication effective to prevent deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after surgery?

2 years 2 months ago

The single most common, preventable cause of in-hospital death is a hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism; making this an important target for prevention when people are admitted to hospital. An updated Cochrane Review from January 2022 looks at the evidence for one of the possible interventions, which combines anti-coagulant drugs with intermittent pneumatic leg compression to prevent these blood clots. Stavros Kakkos from the University of Patras in Greece tells us more.

Strategies that might help to encourage people to continue to participate in a randomised trial (a type of scientific study)

2 years 3 months ago

Most Cochrane Reviews take their evidence from randomized trials of the effects of healthcare interventions, and these trials need to be efficient and reliable. A challenge for many trials is ensuring that people who agree to join the study are followed up, so that their outcomes are measured. An updated Cochrane Methodology Review from March 2021 looks at research into ways to improve this retention, and our Podcast Editor, Mike Clarke, spoke with lead author, Katie Gillies, from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland about the review in this podcast.

Integrated disease management for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

2 years 3 months ago

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most common lung conditions and there are several Cochrane reviews of possible treatments. One of these, dealing with integrated disease management, was updated in September 2021 and we asked lead author Charlotte Poot from the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands to tell us about the latest findings.

Is it safe to use lower blood counts (haemoglobin levels) as a trigger for blood transfusion in order to give fewer blood transfusions?

2 years 3 months ago

Blood transfusions are a very common medical procedure, and it’s important to balance the potential benefits and harms. In December 2021, Jeffrey Carson from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, in New Brunswick in the USA, and colleagues updated the Cochrane Review of research comparing different triggers for transfusing red blood cells and we asked him to tell us more about the importance of the review and its findings.

Paying for performance to improve the delivery of healthcare services in low- and middle-income countries

2 years 3 months ago

Alongside the thousands of Cochrane Reviews of the effects of healthcare interventions, there are many that look at how to organise and deliver health care. One of these, on the use of a strategy called “paying for performance” was updated in May 2021. Here's one of the authors, Sophie Witter from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh in Scotland, to tell us about the strategy and its effectiveness.

Which treatments are best for symptoms in COVID-19 patients at the end of life?

2 years 3 months ago

Cochrane is producing a series of reviews to help in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these, our systematic review of interventions for palliative symptom control in people dying of COVID-19 was published in August 2021. In this podcast, Claire Iannizzi speaks with the lead author, Marike Andreas, both from the University Hospital Cologne in Germany, about the review’s findings. 

Are corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory medicines) given orally or by injection an effective treatment for people with COVID-19?

2 years 4 months ago

Cochrane has produced several reviews to help decision makers respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2021, we published the first version of a living systematic review on systemic corticosteroids and, in this podcast, the first authors, Mirko Griesel of the University of Leipzig Medical Center and Carina Wagner of the University Hospital in Cologne, Germany, talk about the evidence they’ve found and the potential effects of these drugs.

Cochrane International Mobility

3 years 7 months ago

Getting involved in Cochrane’s work means becoming part of a global community. Connect with Cochrane Groups across the world through the Cochrane International Mobility programme!

The Cochrane International Mobility programme builds on previous successful student exchanges involving Cochrane Centres around the world. A broader initiative involving multiple Cochrane Groups has  been launched by Cochrane People Services Department.

Successful applicants will complete a placement in a host Group, learning more about the production, use and knowledge translation of Cochrane reviews.

Gain skills and experience

Arrangements are flexible and placements can vary in length, depending on the project plan. Placements are typically self-funded. Participants completing postgraduate study have benefitted from university funding, and some Groups can offer work space or accommodation. Training and mentoring support is offered in different areas, specific to Groups' expertise.

Learn from each other

Cochrane International Mobility offers opportunities for learning and training not only for participants but also for host staff. Cochrane Croatia welcomed a student intern as part of the fledgling programme.

“I’m very grateful to Cochrane Croatia for hosting me and for this wonderful experience, and I’m sure I’ll be using all the skills I learned as I continue on in my academic career,” said Sarah Tanveer, Cochrane International Mobility participant, Summer 2019.

Tina Poklepović Peričić, Co-director, Cochrane Croatia added, “This was an encouraging experience for us all, and spending time with Sarah, exchanging experiences, teaching and working with her was a true refreshment to our Centre.”

Apply now

Find out more about the programme on Cochrane Training or search for opportunities on Cochrane Engage.

Read profiles of participants



 

 

Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Muriah Umoquit

Cochrane International Mobility

3 years 7 months ago

Getting involved in Cochrane’s work means becoming part of a global community. Connect with Cochrane Groups across the world through the Cochrane International Mobility programme!

The Cochrane International Mobility programme builds on previous successful student exchanges involving Cochrane Centres around the world. A broader initiative involving multiple Cochrane Groups has  been launched by Cochrane People Services Department.

Successful applicants will complete a placement in a host Group, learning more about the production, use and knowledge translation of Cochrane reviews.

Gain skills and experience

Arrangements are flexible and placements can vary in length, depending on the project plan. Placements are typically self-funded. Participants completing postgraduate study have benefitted from university funding, and some Groups can offer work space or accommodation. Training and mentoring support is offered in different areas, specific to Groups' expertise.

Learn from each other

Cochrane International Mobility offers opportunities for learning and training not only for participants but also for host staff. Cochrane Croatia welcomed a student intern as part of the fledgling programme.

“I’m very grateful to Cochrane Croatia for hosting me and for this wonderful experience, and I’m sure I’ll be using all the skills I learned as I continue on in my academic career,” said Sarah Tanveer, Cochrane International Mobility participant, Summer 2019.

Tina Poklepović Peričić, Co-director, Cochrane Croatia added, “This was an encouraging experience for us all, and spending time with Sarah, exchanging experiences, teaching and working with her was a true refreshment to our Centre.”

Apply now

Find out more about the programme on Cochrane Training or search for opportunities on Cochrane Engage.

Read profiles of participants



 

 

Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Muriah Umoquit

Important Cochrane Links

3 years 10 months ago
Muriah Umoquit

Important Cochrane Links

3 years 10 months ago
Muriah Umoquit

What are diagnostic test accuracy reviews?

3 years 11 months ago

Cochrane systematic reviews can help us to make healthcare decisions based on up-to-date research evidence. They are systematic because they search for and analyse evidence in a systematic way, according to predetermined and published methods. Each systematic review answers a specific healthcare question by gathering all the relevant studies, assessing the reliability of these studies, then summarising their results to produce a summary of all of the available evidence.

One type of systematic review is a diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) review. In addition to investigating test accuracy, they ideally also investigate why the results may vary among studies, compare the performance of alternative tests, and help the reader to put the evidence in a clinical context. Watch the video below and read on to learn more about DTA reviews.

Cochrane DTA reviews are a type of systematic review that aim to evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic tests. They want to find out whether a new test is more accurate than an existing test, or whether it is quicker, cheaper or easier to perform. Answers to these questions help patients and healthcare workers make informed decisions about which test to use, based on up-to-date evidence. 

DTA reviews evaluate how well diagnostic tests (index tests) identify or exclude a particular disease or condition (the target condition). We know that diagnostic tests make errors, even when they are correctly performed. There are two types of test errors: false positive test errors (the index test suggests the target condition is present when it is not) and false negative test errors (the test suggests the target condition is absent when it is not). Cochrane DTA reviews can cover all types of diagnostic tests, from antibody tests to X-rays, for any disease or condition. It is really important that diagnostic tests provide accurate results so that people can receive prompt treatment or take preventive measures if necessary, and to avoid unnecessary testing, treatment and anxiety. 

DTA reviews search for all relevant test accuracy studies, appraise the studies for reliability, and combine their results. This gives the best possible estimate of the accuracy of an index test based on all the available evidence. DTA reviews are systematic because they search for and analyze evidence in a systematic way, according to predetermined and published methods.

Test accuracy studies most often report accuracy using sensitivity and specificity. 

  • Sensitivity means the proportion of people with the target condition who are correctly detected by the index test. 
  • Specificity means the proportion of people without the target condition who are correctly identified by the index test. 

Therefore, the nearer the sensitivity and specificity are to 100%, the better the test.

An alternative way to report test accuracy is using positive and negative predictive values, which tell us about the usefulness of a positive index test result and a negative index test respectively – this helps patients understand how reliable their test results are. Predictive values measure the number of positive index test results that will be true positives and the number of negative index test results that will be true negatives. The nearer the positive and negative predictive values are to 100%, the better the test. 

Friday, March 22, 2024
Muriah Umoquit

What are diagnostic test accuracy reviews?

3 years 11 months ago

Cochrane systematic reviews can help us to make healthcare decisions based on up-to-date research evidence. They are systematic because they search for and analyse evidence in a systematic way, according to predetermined and published methods. Each systematic review answers a specific healthcare question by gathering all the relevant studies, assessing the reliability of these studies, then summarising their results to produce a summary of all of the available evidence.

One type of systematic review is a diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) review. In addition to investigating test accuracy, they ideally also investigate why the results may vary among studies, compare the performance of alternative tests, and help the reader to put the evidence in a clinical context. Watch the video below and read on to learn more about DTA reviews.

Cochrane DTA reviews are a type of systematic review that aim to evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic tests. They want to find out whether a new test is more accurate than an existing test, or whether it is quicker, cheaper or easier to perform. Answers to these questions help patients and healthcare workers make informed decisions about which test to use, based on up-to-date evidence. 

DTA reviews evaluate how well diagnostic tests (index tests) identify or exclude a particular disease or condition (the target condition). We know that diagnostic tests make errors, even when they are correctly performed. There are two types of test errors: false positive test errors (the index test suggests the target condition is present when it is not) and false negative test errors (the test suggests the target condition is absent when it is not). Cochrane DTA reviews can cover all types of diagnostic tests, from antibody tests to X-rays, for any disease or condition. It is really important that diagnostic tests provide accurate results so that people can receive prompt treatment or take preventive measures if necessary, and to avoid unnecessary testing, treatment and anxiety. 

DTA reviews search for all relevant test accuracy studies, appraise the studies for reliability, and combine their results. This gives the best possible estimate of the accuracy of an index test based on all the available evidence. DTA reviews are systematic because they search for and analyze evidence in a systematic way, according to predetermined and published methods.

Test accuracy studies most often report accuracy using sensitivity and specificity. 

  • Sensitivity means the proportion of people with the target condition who are correctly detected by the index test. 
  • Specificity means the proportion of people without the target condition who are correctly identified by the index test. 

Therefore, the nearer the sensitivity and specificity are to 100%, the better the test.

An alternative way to report test accuracy is using positive and negative predictive values, which tell us about the usefulness of a positive index test result and a negative index test respectively – this helps patients understand how reliable their test results are. Predictive values measure the number of positive index test results that will be true positives and the number of negative index test results that will be true negatives. The nearer the positive and negative predictive values are to 100%, the better the test. 

Friday, March 22, 2024
Muriah Umoquit

Cochrane evidence in different languages

6 years 2 months ago

Only about 6% of the world’s population are native English speakers, and 75% of people don’t speak English at all.

Many people do not have access to high-quality health information, because it is not available in a language that they understand. We translate Cochrane evidence to make it more accessible, and to reduce the linguistic barrier to global evidence-informed health decisions.

Cochrane groups in different parts of the world lead our knowledge translation activities in different languages. They translate Cochrane Reviews and related content, such as podcasts or blogshots. They also produce and share information in their language, do social media, work with professional societies, policy makers, patient groups or the media in their country, and offer training.

We have published more than 49,000 translations of Cochrane health evidence summaries across 20 languages as of January 2024.

Read Cochrane evidence on cochrane.org in different languages. You can see all available languages on the top of each page on cochrane.org, and click on it to switch the language. Or click here:

Most translated Cochrane Reviews:

Cochrane podcasts in different languages: Cochrane podcasts are a short audio summary of a Cochrane review and have been recorded in 40+ languages.

Monday, February 12, 2024
Muriah Umoquit

Cochrane evidence in different languages

6 years 2 months ago

Only about 6% of the world’s population are native English speakers, and 75% of people don’t speak English at all.

Many people do not have access to high-quality health information, because it is not available in a language that they understand. We translate Cochrane evidence to make it more accessible, and to reduce the linguistic barrier to global evidence-informed health decisions.

Cochrane groups in different parts of the world lead our knowledge translation activities in different languages. They translate Cochrane Reviews and related content, such as podcasts or blogshots. They also produce and share information in their language, do social media, work with professional societies, policy makers, patient groups or the media in their country, and offer training.

We have published more than 49,000 translations of Cochrane health evidence summaries across 20 languages as of January 2024.

Read Cochrane evidence on cochrane.org in different languages. You can see all available languages on the top of each page on cochrane.org, and click on it to switch the language. Or click here:

Most translated Cochrane Reviews:

Cochrane podcasts in different languages: Cochrane podcasts are a short audio summary of a Cochrane review and have been recorded in 40+ languages.

Monday, February 12, 2024
Muriah Umoquit

Clinical Trials Day 2024

8 years ago

Clinical Trials Day is celebrated on 20 May marking the day in 1747 on which James Lind is believed to have begun the first known controlled trial, comparing different treatments for scurvy which was common among sailors in the British Royal Navy. Watch a video explaining the trial to see history in the making.

Learn about Cochrane systematic reviews and how clinical trials are used:


Continuing to fight for greater clinical trial transparency 

Registering and reporting the results of clinical trials is an ethical, and often legal, responsibility. However, it is well documented that the results of many studies are never published. This contributes to research waste and can even lead to people being harmed.   

Continuing with Cochrane’s long-term advocacy and campaigning around improved clinical trial transparency, we have been involved in major milestones in this area. Here are some of the highlights from the past 12 months: 

Supporting global policy 
Cochrane has continued to support WHO with the implementation of resolution WHA75.8 on strengthening clinical trials globally. This includes through responding to and disseminating a public consultation on clinical trials best practice and inviting WHO colleagues to present about the resolution in a session at the Cochrane Colloquium in London. Cochrane’s Editor in Chief, Dr Karla Soares-Weiser, is also contributing to the technical advisory group established to support the resolution in a personal capacity. 

Cochrane Denmark, Norway and Sweden advocating to end research waste in Nordic countries
Cochrane Denmark, Cochrane Norway, and Cochrane Sweden, along with AllTrials campaign, the Dam Foundation, Melanomföreningen, and TranspariMED, jointly published a report that found that 475 academically led clinical trials involving 83,903 patients completed during 2016-19 in Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden have never made their results public in any form. This gained widespread media coverage, including calls from the Norwegian State Secretary for the Ministry of Health to action the findings from the report.  

Following the publication of the report, Cochrane groups in Nordic countries have continued to keep attention on the topic by engaging with universities and sending questionnaires to researchers connected to the reported missing trials to investigate why clinical trial data hasn’t been published. To support institutions in reporting in clinical trials, Cochrane Norway and the Dam Foundation also held a webinar aimed at addressing some of the challenged and issues around clinical trial reporting.  

Supporting clinical trial transparency in the EU 
Representatives of Cochrane, Cochrane France and Cochrane Germany met with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to discuss how to support the EMA’s Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) in its transparency objectives in order to benefit health research. The CTIS contains details on clinical trials currently underway and results summaries for completed trials. This is a valuable resource for researchers to identify studies which might not otherwise be accessible for evidence synthesis.  

Cochrane Germany push for German university hospitals to publish all clinical trial data
Most recently, Cochrane Germany, alongside the German Network for Evidence-Based Medicine, HTA.de and the BIH Quest Center, published a policy position paper that highlighted that one third of all clinical trials led by German university hospitals between 2014-2017 remained unpublished for five years after completion. They called on the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research to create appropriate framework conditions for complete study registration and timely publication of results in Germany and to propose a regulation. 

Cochrane’s systematic reviews rely upon the results of clinical trials. To assess the effectiveness and safety of healthcare interventions, we need to know what trials were done, how they were conducted and what their findings were. Without access to detailed information from all clinical trials, we cannot have a full picture of the evidence. 

 

“Cochrane is pleased to be at the forefront of some significant improvements in clinical trial transparency. However, we must ensure that this momentum continues as there is much more to be done globally. We will continue advocating for clinical trial transparency and will fight for this key ethical and legal responsibility to be met.” says Catherine Spencer, Cochrane Chief Executive Officer. Cochrane's clinical trial transparency advocacy:  Cochrane Library systematic reviews of interest:  Cochrane training resources of interest: 

 

Friday, May 17, 2024
Muriah Umoquit

Clinical Trials Day 2024

8 years ago

Clinical Trials Day is celebrated on 20 May marking the day in 1747 on which James Lind is believed to have begun the first known controlled trial, comparing different treatments for scurvy which was common among sailors in the British Royal Navy. Watch a video explaining the trial to see history in the making.

Learn about Cochrane systematic reviews and how clinical trials are used:


Continuing to fight for greater clinical trial transparency 

Registering and reporting the results of clinical trials is an ethical, and often legal, responsibility. However, it is well documented that the results of many studies are never published. This contributes to research waste and can even lead to people being harmed.   

Continuing with Cochrane’s long-term advocacy and campaigning around improved clinical trial transparency, we have been involved in major milestones in this area. Here are some of the highlights from the past 12 months: 

Supporting global policy 
Cochrane has continued to support WHO with the implementation of resolution WHA75.8 on strengthening clinical trials globally. This includes through responding to and disseminating a public consultation on clinical trials best practice and inviting WHO colleagues to present about the resolution in a session at the Cochrane Colloquium in London. Cochrane’s Editor in Chief, Dr Karla Soares-Weiser, is also contributing to the technical advisory group established to support the resolution in a personal capacity. 

Cochrane Denmark, Norway and Sweden advocating to end research waste in Nordic countries
Cochrane Denmark, Cochrane Norway, and Cochrane Sweden, along with AllTrials campaign, the Dam Foundation, Melanomföreningen, and TranspariMED, jointly published a report that found that 475 academically led clinical trials involving 83,903 patients completed during 2016-19 in Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden have never made their results public in any form. This gained widespread media coverage, including calls from the Norwegian State Secretary for the Ministry of Health to action the findings from the report.  

Following the publication of the report, Cochrane groups in Nordic countries have continued to keep attention on the topic by engaging with universities and sending questionnaires to researchers connected to the reported missing trials to investigate why clinical trial data hasn’t been published. To support institutions in reporting in clinical trials, Cochrane Norway and the Dam Foundation also held a webinar aimed at addressing some of the challenged and issues around clinical trial reporting.  

Supporting clinical trial transparency in the EU 
Representatives of Cochrane, Cochrane France and Cochrane Germany met with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to discuss how to support the EMA’s Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) in its transparency objectives in order to benefit health research. The CTIS contains details on clinical trials currently underway and results summaries for completed trials. This is a valuable resource for researchers to identify studies which might not otherwise be accessible for evidence synthesis.  

Cochrane Germany push for German university hospitals to publish all clinical trial data
Most recently, Cochrane Germany, alongside the German Network for Evidence-Based Medicine, HTA.de and the BIH Quest Center, published a policy position paper that highlighted that one third of all clinical trials led by German university hospitals between 2014-2017 remained unpublished for five years after completion. They called on the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research to create appropriate framework conditions for complete study registration and timely publication of results in Germany and to propose a regulation. 

Cochrane’s systematic reviews rely upon the results of clinical trials. To assess the effectiveness and safety of healthcare interventions, we need to know what trials were done, how they were conducted and what their findings were. Without access to detailed information from all clinical trials, we cannot have a full picture of the evidence. 

 

“Cochrane is pleased to be at the forefront of some significant improvements in clinical trial transparency. However, we must ensure that this momentum continues as there is much more to be done globally. We will continue advocating for clinical trial transparency and will fight for this key ethical and legal responsibility to be met.” says Catherine Spencer, Cochrane Chief Executive Officer. Cochrane's clinical trial transparency advocacy:  Cochrane Library systematic reviews of interest:  Cochrane training resources of interest: 

 

Friday, May 17, 2024
Muriah Umoquit