BMJ  2006;333 (26 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7565.0

Methods and reporting of systematic reviews of diagnostic tests need to improve

Reliability and clinical relevance of published systematic reviews of diagnostic tests are compromised by poor review methods and poor reporting. Mallett and colleagues (p 413) assessed methods and reporting of 89 systematic reviews of diagnostic tests in cancer and found poor results. Of the 89 reviews, only 44 tabulated the characteristics of included studies, 36 reported details of study design, and 15 reported on the severity of disease in participants. Systematic reviews of diagnostic tests need better reporting of detailed information about the design, conduct, and results of the included primary studies, as well as review methods. These improvements will be required in the forthcoming Cochrane Reviews of Test Accuracy, conclude the authors.

Credit: VOLKER STEGER/SIEMENS/SPL

 

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Systematic reviews of diagnostic tests in cancer: review of methods and reporting

Susan Mallett, Jonathan J Deeks, Steve Halligan, Sally Hopewell, Victoria Cornelius, and Douglas G Altman
BMJ 2006 333: 413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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