TY - JOUR
T1 - What do we know about tocolytic effectiveness and how do we use this information in guidelines? A comparison of evidence grading
AU - Roos, C.
AU - Borowiack, E.
AU - Kowalska, M.
AU - Zapalska, A.
AU - Mol, B. W.
AU - Mignini, L.
AU - Meads, C.
AU - Walczak, J.
AU - Khan, K. S.
PY - 2013/12
Y1 - 2013/12
N2 - Background Evidence summaries of tocolytic effectiveness assign quality levels based on a single dimension: the study design. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system takes into account several domains, including limitations of the study design and ranking the importance of outcomes. Objectives The aim of the study was to compare the quality of evidence according to GRADE with the quality as described by existing guidelines. Search strategy A practitioner survey to rank the importance of outcomes and a systematic review were conducted. For the systematic review, we searched Medline, Embase, and DARE databases from inception to December 2010 using the terms 'tocolytics' and 'threatened preterm labour', without any language restrictions. Selection criteria Inclusion criteria for the review were randomised controlled trials comparing tocolytics with either placebo or betamimetics. Data collection and analysis The review and survey teams worked independently. Evidence ratings according to GRADE were performed. Main results The majority of the survey respondents thought that it was important to use tocolytics to buy the time needed for steroids to promote fetal lung maturation and to allow in utero transfer. Nearly 80% of 'high' ratings in guidelines were downgraded as a result of deficiencies identified by GRADE. Authors' conclusions We propose a move away from the use of evidence rating systems reliant solely on study design, as they have a propensity towards strong recommendations when the underlying evidence is weak.
AB - Background Evidence summaries of tocolytic effectiveness assign quality levels based on a single dimension: the study design. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system takes into account several domains, including limitations of the study design and ranking the importance of outcomes. Objectives The aim of the study was to compare the quality of evidence according to GRADE with the quality as described by existing guidelines. Search strategy A practitioner survey to rank the importance of outcomes and a systematic review were conducted. For the systematic review, we searched Medline, Embase, and DARE databases from inception to December 2010 using the terms 'tocolytics' and 'threatened preterm labour', without any language restrictions. Selection criteria Inclusion criteria for the review were randomised controlled trials comparing tocolytics with either placebo or betamimetics. Data collection and analysis The review and survey teams worked independently. Evidence ratings according to GRADE were performed. Main results The majority of the survey respondents thought that it was important to use tocolytics to buy the time needed for steroids to promote fetal lung maturation and to allow in utero transfer. Nearly 80% of 'high' ratings in guidelines were downgraded as a result of deficiencies identified by GRADE. Authors' conclusions We propose a move away from the use of evidence rating systems reliant solely on study design, as they have a propensity towards strong recommendations when the underlying evidence is weak.
KW - Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) assessment
KW - graphic display
KW - guidelines
KW - tocolytic effectiveness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84887822671&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.12388
DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.12388
M3 - Article
C2 - 24020895
SN - 1470-0328
VL - 120
SP - 1588
EP - 1598
JO - BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
JF - BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
IS - 13
ER -