Abstract

CALLE, J. L. de la et al. Spinal infusion: a critical assessment of systematic reviews using the AMSTAR, CASP and OQAQ instruments. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2011, vol.18, n.4, pp.235-240. ISSN 1134-8046.

Objectives: to perform a critical assessment of systematic reviews (SRs) reported on spinal infusion by using the AMSTAR (A measurement tool to assess systematic reviews), CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme), and OQAQ (Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire) instruments. Material and methods: a systematic search of the literature was carried out by two authors separately of current SRs using specific literature databases, health agency websites, and a manual search. All selected SRs were assessed by 4 reviewers using the AMSTAR, CASP, and OQAQ tools, which accounts for 12 assessments on each studied review. The final score of the various reviews with each tool was obtained by estimating the mean value of all 4 reviewer scores as well as the median value and 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Results: in all, 24 documents were selected for assessment. They never scored above 50% of the maximum rating possible, 15 SRs using AMSTAR, 10 using CASP, and 12 using OQAQ. Considering the criterion that mean scores should be higher than 60% of the maximum rating possible, which we consider crucial to assess a SR as valid, only 8 of all 24 reviews qualified with these three instruments. Conclusions: a critical assessment of the literature is mandatory avoiding the dazzling effects of labels such as SR or meta-analysis, which often have nothing to do with true evidence-based medicine.

Keywords : Critical assessment; Systematic review; Spinal infusion; Pain management.

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