Exploring the Gantt chart as a tool to highlight double report in case series published during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, some studies describing different aspects of the infection included very similar participants, rising suspicion about double reporting. We aimed to evaluate the Gantt chart as a tool to highlight possible double reporting. The chart is routinely used...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Systematic Reviews |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-022-02024-0 |
| _version_ | 1818017907219628032 |
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| author | Vânia N. Hirakata Maria Lúcia R. Oppermann Vanessa K. Genro Angela J. Reichelt |
| author_facet | Vânia N. Hirakata Maria Lúcia R. Oppermann Vanessa K. Genro Angela J. Reichelt |
| author_sort | Vânia N. Hirakata |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, some studies describing different aspects of the infection included very similar participants, rising suspicion about double reporting. We aimed to evaluate the Gantt chart as a tool to highlight possible double reporting. The chart is routinely used in business applications to depict tasks of a project, by plotting horizontal bars against time, showing their time span and overlaps. Methods All case reports and case series of pregnant women with COVID-19, published by July 15, 2020, were included. Initial and final dates of participants’ enrollment, country, city, hospital, and number of pregnancies were plotted in the Gantt chart. Bars stand for enrollment dates of each study, according to hospital and city, thus allowing comparisons. Results We included 116 articles in the present analysis. The Gantt chart highlighted papers in which some participants were likely the same, thus allowing easier identification of double reporting of cases. Combining all information and pregnancy characteristics and outcomes helped to recognize duplications when the authors did not acknowledged the previous publication. Conclusions Unintended double reporting may occur, especially in exceptional times. The Gantt chart may help researchers to visually identify potential duplications, thus avoiding biased estimates in systematic reviews or meta-analysis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:32:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-53472983e1f241bebf5637d20e039593 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2046-4053 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:32:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Systematic Reviews |
| spelling | doaj.art-53472983e1f241bebf5637d20e0395932022-12-22T02:05:48ZengBMCSystematic Reviews2046-40532022-07-011111710.1186/s13643-022-02024-0Exploring the Gantt chart as a tool to highlight double report in case series published during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemicVânia N. Hirakata0Maria Lúcia R. Oppermann1Vanessa K. Genro2Angela J. Reichelt3Unidade de Bioestatística, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto AlegreServiço de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre and Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulServiço de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto AlegreServiço de Endocrinologia e Metabologia, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto AlegreAbstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, some studies describing different aspects of the infection included very similar participants, rising suspicion about double reporting. We aimed to evaluate the Gantt chart as a tool to highlight possible double reporting. The chart is routinely used in business applications to depict tasks of a project, by plotting horizontal bars against time, showing their time span and overlaps. Methods All case reports and case series of pregnant women with COVID-19, published by July 15, 2020, were included. Initial and final dates of participants’ enrollment, country, city, hospital, and number of pregnancies were plotted in the Gantt chart. Bars stand for enrollment dates of each study, according to hospital and city, thus allowing comparisons. Results We included 116 articles in the present analysis. The Gantt chart highlighted papers in which some participants were likely the same, thus allowing easier identification of double reporting of cases. Combining all information and pregnancy characteristics and outcomes helped to recognize duplications when the authors did not acknowledged the previous publication. Conclusions Unintended double reporting may occur, especially in exceptional times. The Gantt chart may help researchers to visually identify potential duplications, thus avoiding biased estimates in systematic reviews or meta-analysis.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-022-02024-0Gantt chartDouble reportingCase reportCase seriesNational registriesResearch reporting |
| spellingShingle | Vânia N. Hirakata Maria Lúcia R. Oppermann Vanessa K. Genro Angela J. Reichelt Exploring the Gantt chart as a tool to highlight double report in case series published during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic Systematic Reviews Gantt chart Double reporting Case report Case series National registries Research reporting |
| title | Exploring the Gantt chart as a tool to highlight double report in case series published during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Exploring the Gantt chart as a tool to highlight double report in case series published during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Gantt chart as a tool to highlight double report in case series published during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Gantt chart as a tool to highlight double report in case series published during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Exploring the Gantt chart as a tool to highlight double report in case series published during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | exploring the gantt chart as a tool to highlight double report in case series published during the first wave of the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | Gantt chart Double reporting Case report Case series National registries Research reporting |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-022-02024-0 |
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