Methodological, reporting, and evidence quality of systematic reviews of traditional Chinese medicine for ischemic stroke

Objective: The aim of this study is to critically appraise whether published systematic reviews/meta-analyses of traditional Chinese medicine for adults with ischemic stroke are of sufficient quality and to rate the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shouyuan Sun, Liang Zhao, Xiaoli Zhou, Xuewu Liu, Zongzhi Xie, Jun Ren, Baoyuan Zhou, Yawen Pan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Pharmacology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1047650/full
_version_ 1811168282894401536
author Shouyuan Sun
Liang Zhao
Xiaoli Zhou
Xuewu Liu
Zongzhi Xie
Jun Ren
Baoyuan Zhou
Yawen Pan
author_facet Shouyuan Sun
Liang Zhao
Xiaoli Zhou
Xuewu Liu
Zongzhi Xie
Jun Ren
Baoyuan Zhou
Yawen Pan
author_sort Shouyuan Sun
collection DOAJ
description Objective: The aim of this study is to critically appraise whether published systematic reviews/meta-analyses of traditional Chinese medicine for adults with ischemic stroke are of sufficient quality and to rate the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach.Method: A literature search was performed in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and SinoMed databases by March 2022. The inclusion criteria were systematic reviews/meta-analyses of traditional Chinese medicine in adults who suffered from ischemic stroke. A Measurement Tool to Access Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Abstract (PRISMA-A) statements were used to assess the methodological and reporting quality of the included reviews. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system was utilized to assess each report’s evidence level.Results: Of the 1,908 titles and abstracts, 83 reviews met the inclusion criteria. These studies were published between 2005 and 2022. The results of AMSTAR-2 showed that 51.4% of the items were reported, but the registration, reasons for the inclusion of study design, the list of excluded studies, and funding information were ignored in the majority of the reviews. The results of PRISMA-A showed that 33.9% of items were reported, and the information on registration, limitation, and funding was not available in many publications. The assessment of the evidence with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation showed that more than half (52/83) of the included studies had either low or very low levels of evidence.Conclusion: The reporting quality in the abstract of systematic reviews/meta-analyses on traditional Chinese medicine for ischemic stroke is poor and does not facilitate timely access to valid information for clinical practitioners. Although the methodological quality is of a medium level, this evidence lacks certainty, especially with a high risk of bias in individual studies.
first_indexed 2024-04-10T16:23:33Z
format Article
id doaj.art-6abe0baf511f4110b05df55a584c1240
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1663-9812
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-10T16:23:33Z
publishDate 2023-02-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Pharmacology
spelling doaj.art-6abe0baf511f4110b05df55a584c12402023-02-09T09:03:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122023-02-011410.3389/fphar.2023.10476501047650Methodological, reporting, and evidence quality of systematic reviews of traditional Chinese medicine for ischemic strokeShouyuan Sun0Liang Zhao1Xiaoli Zhou2Xuewu Liu3Zongzhi Xie4Jun Ren5Baoyuan Zhou6Yawen Pan7Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, ChinaSchool of Nursing, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, ChinaNo.1 Hospital of Longnan City, Longnan, ChinaThe First People’s Hospital of Baiyin, Baiyin, ChinaLanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, ChinaLanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, ChinaLanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, ChinaLanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, ChinaObjective: The aim of this study is to critically appraise whether published systematic reviews/meta-analyses of traditional Chinese medicine for adults with ischemic stroke are of sufficient quality and to rate the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach.Method: A literature search was performed in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and SinoMed databases by March 2022. The inclusion criteria were systematic reviews/meta-analyses of traditional Chinese medicine in adults who suffered from ischemic stroke. A Measurement Tool to Access Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Abstract (PRISMA-A) statements were used to assess the methodological and reporting quality of the included reviews. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system was utilized to assess each report’s evidence level.Results: Of the 1,908 titles and abstracts, 83 reviews met the inclusion criteria. These studies were published between 2005 and 2022. The results of AMSTAR-2 showed that 51.4% of the items were reported, but the registration, reasons for the inclusion of study design, the list of excluded studies, and funding information were ignored in the majority of the reviews. The results of PRISMA-A showed that 33.9% of items were reported, and the information on registration, limitation, and funding was not available in many publications. The assessment of the evidence with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation showed that more than half (52/83) of the included studies had either low or very low levels of evidence.Conclusion: The reporting quality in the abstract of systematic reviews/meta-analyses on traditional Chinese medicine for ischemic stroke is poor and does not facilitate timely access to valid information for clinical practitioners. Although the methodological quality is of a medium level, this evidence lacks certainty, especially with a high risk of bias in individual studies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1047650/fullischemic stroketraditional Chinese medicinesystematic reviewsmeta-analysisquality
spellingShingle Shouyuan Sun
Liang Zhao
Xiaoli Zhou
Xuewu Liu
Zongzhi Xie
Jun Ren
Baoyuan Zhou
Yawen Pan
Methodological, reporting, and evidence quality of systematic reviews of traditional Chinese medicine for ischemic stroke
Frontiers in Pharmacology
ischemic stroke
traditional Chinese medicine
systematic reviews
meta-analysis
quality
title Methodological, reporting, and evidence quality of systematic reviews of traditional Chinese medicine for ischemic stroke
title_full Methodological, reporting, and evidence quality of systematic reviews of traditional Chinese medicine for ischemic stroke
title_fullStr Methodological, reporting, and evidence quality of systematic reviews of traditional Chinese medicine for ischemic stroke
title_full_unstemmed Methodological, reporting, and evidence quality of systematic reviews of traditional Chinese medicine for ischemic stroke
title_short Methodological, reporting, and evidence quality of systematic reviews of traditional Chinese medicine for ischemic stroke
title_sort methodological reporting and evidence quality of systematic reviews of traditional chinese medicine for ischemic stroke
topic ischemic stroke
traditional Chinese medicine
systematic reviews
meta-analysis
quality
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1047650/full
work_keys_str_mv AT shouyuansun methodologicalreportingandevidencequalityofsystematicreviewsoftraditionalchinesemedicineforischemicstroke
AT liangzhao methodologicalreportingandevidencequalityofsystematicreviewsoftraditionalchinesemedicineforischemicstroke
AT xiaolizhou methodologicalreportingandevidencequalityofsystematicreviewsoftraditionalchinesemedicineforischemicstroke
AT xuewuliu methodologicalreportingandevidencequalityofsystematicreviewsoftraditionalchinesemedicineforischemicstroke
AT zongzhixie methodologicalreportingandevidencequalityofsystematicreviewsoftraditionalchinesemedicineforischemicstroke
AT junren methodologicalreportingandevidencequalityofsystematicreviewsoftraditionalchinesemedicineforischemicstroke
AT baoyuanzhou methodologicalreportingandevidencequalityofsystematicreviewsoftraditionalchinesemedicineforischemicstroke
AT yawenpan methodologicalreportingandevidencequalityofsystematicreviewsoftraditionalchinesemedicineforischemicstroke