The current issue of air pollution has pushed the development of the corresponding observational air pollution studies. The World Health Organization has developed a new risk of bias (RoB) assessment instrument and a related guideline for assessing the risk of potential bias in observational air pollution studies. This study introduced the background, methods, uses, advantages and disadvantages, precautions, and usage scenarios of the RoB instrument. It is expected to provide researchers with corresponding quality evaluation tools when writing related systematic review and meta-analysis, which will also help provide reporting standards for observational air pollution studies, thereby improving the quality of studies.
Based on previous evidence-based researches and teaching experience, our team conducted literature and book review, and summarized 4 requirements, 1) effect measure calculation and conversion, 2) registration of evidence-based research, 3) evidence-based research database and 4) quality evaluation tools and reporting guidelines. We developed an online platform of evidence-based medicine research helper using the front-end and back-end technology, which can be accessed using www.ebm-helper.cn. Currently, the online tool has included 46 scenarios for effect measure calculation and conversion, introduction of 7 evidence-based research registration platforms, 26 commonly used databases for evidence-based research and 29 quality evaluation tools and reporting guidelines. This online tool can help researchers to solve specific problems encountered in different stages of evidence-based medicine research. Promoting the application of this platform in evidence-based medicine will help researchers to use the tool scientifically and improve research efficiency.
ObjectivesTo evaluate the quality of health information on diabetes in Chinese internet, so as to understand the current status of diabetes network health information, and provide reference for improving and enriching the three-level prevention of diabetes.MethodsThe three most common Chinese search engines: Baidu, Sogou and Haosou Search were searched with the keywords " diabetes” and " diabetes treatment”, using the health information evaluation tool DISCERN score to evaluate the quality of the information, and the integrity and accuracy of information content were evaluated with reference to the " Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes in China (2017 Edition)” issued by the Chinese Diabetes Society of Chinese Medical Association.ResultsA total of 300 links were accessed and included in 17 websites. The DISCERN review showed that only 1 item's average score exceeded 3 points. According to website content score, the excellent part accounted for 11.7%, the good part accounted for 35.2%, the fair part accounted for 47.1%, and the poor part accounted for 5.8%. 50% of websites contained error messages, and the subject of the most error-prone information was diagnosis and treatment. There was a positive correlation between the content score and the DSCERN score in the credibility score and the verbosity score (r=0.71, 0.73, P<0.001). The websites were evaluated by attributes, and the quality evaluation of diabetes-related information in some general-purpose websites was higher than that of diabetes specialist websites.ConclusionsThe quality of diabetes health information on Chinese websites is insufficient. It is necessary for China to establish a web-based information platform for diabetes. China has not yet formed a unified network health information evaluation standard in line with its national conditions. The key to solving the problem lies in the collaboration between professional health personnel and website developers.
Objective To evaluate the methodological quality of clinical trials on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) nursing in recent six years.Methods Such databases as CNKI, VIP, WanFang Data and CBM were searched for collecting clinical trials on TCM nursing published from January 2006 to September 2011, and domestic primary nursing journals were also searched from January 2010 and September 2011. Methodological quality of included studies was assessed using quality assessment criteria of the Cochrane systematic review guideline. Results A total of 854 clinical trials were retrieved, including 706 (82.7%) randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 108 (12.6%) quasi-randomized controlled trials and 40 (4.7%) non-randomized controlled trials. In the methodological quality analysis, the comparability of baseline was mentioned in 784 trials (91.8%), a total of 498 (58.3%) reported definite diagnosis criteria. 178 (20.8%) reported exclusive criteria. 831 studies (97.3%) applied relevant statistical methods properly. However, only 55 trials (6.4%) mentioned the method of randomization sequence. 10 studies (1.2%) described the method of randomiztion assignment. Blinding was mentioned in 22 studies (2.6%). 98 trials (11.5%) did prospective follow-up. 93 trials (10.9%) had safety description. 20 trials (2.3%) reported lost and with drawl cases, but only 2 conducted intention-to-treat analysis. It was hard to determine whether there was selective reporting bias or not because all the studies did not have protocols. Only 21 studies (2.5%) mentioned the lack of outcome indicators which could be the evidence for existing of bias. By annual analysis, there were 81 trials which conformed to at least 2 low risk criteria. 10 trials (12.3%) was published in 2009, 26 trials (32.1%) published in 2010, and 27 trials published by September 2011, indicated an uptrend. Conclusions According to the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias, the overall quality of clinical trials on TCM nursing is low with defects in different degrees, but it rises gradually over years.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Chinese medicine (TCM) formulated granules published in core journals in China. MethodsComputerized searches were conducted in CNKI, VIP, WanFang Data and CBM databases. The publicly published RCTs of TCM formulated granules were collected, with sources from Peking University Core, CSSCI and EI. The following information was extracted: including title, the first author, the journals name, type of disease, year of publication, and source of drug. The included studies were evaluated using the CONSORT extension for CHM formulas (CONSORT-CHM formulas 2017), which included 25 items from title, abstract and keywords, introduction, research methods, steps, results, discussion, and other information. ResultsA total of 125 papers were included, which mainly included digestive system diseases (n=25), respiratory system diseases (n=17), and circulatory system diseases (n=17). The results showed that the overall reporting quality of RCTs of TCM formulated granules was poor. After the publication of the CONSORT-CHM formulas 2017, the reporting quality of RCTs of TCM formulated granules had no significant changes, while some items were still reported with poor quality. For example, 42.2% of RCTs did not adequately report how to generate allocation sequence, 93.3% of RCTs did not adequately report allocation concealment, and 62.2% of RCTs did not adequately report how to solve the missing data. ConclusionThe quality of RCTs reports on TCM formula granules published in Chinese journals still needs to be improved. It is recommended that researchers, journals and reviewers attach importance to the application of CONSORT-CHM formula throughout the whole process of paper writing. In the future, more scientific and detailed requirements should be put forward for trial design and reporting standards in line with the characteristics of clinical trials of TCM formula granules.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the quality of protocols and reports on the core outcome set of traditional Chinese medicine (COS-TCM), and to provide some evidence for COS-TCM developers to carry out studies and improve the reporting quality and methodological quality during their studies. MethodsLiterature databases in Chinese and English were searched to collect COS-TCM protocols or study reports from inception to April 18, 2023. The Core Outcome Set-STAndards for Reporting (COS-STAR), Core Outcome Set-STAndards for Development (COS-STAD), and Core Outcome Set-STAndardised Protocol Items (COS-STAP) were used to evaluate their reporting and methodological quality. Additionally, the consistency of studies with both published protocols and results was evaluated. ResultsA total of 14 protocols and 14 reports (involving 23 COS-TCM studies) were included. The evaluation of COS-TCM protocols according to the COS-STAP found that the reporting rates of "Stakeholders" (71.4%) and "Missing data" (42.9%) were relatively low. For the reports of COS-TCM, the evaluation based on the COS-STAD found that the reporting rates of "the population (s) covered by the COS" (35.7%) and "care was taken to avoid ambiguity of language used in the list of outcomes" (28.6%) were relatively low. Based on the COS-STAR, the items with low reporting rates were "Protocol Deviation" (7.1%), "Participants" (21.4%), and "Conflicts of interest" (28.6%). Additionally, the consistency evaluation found that there were inconsistencies between protocols and their results, such as the types of research included in the systematic review, the methods of qualitative research, the way of holding consensus meetings, scoring methods, etc. Moreover, only one study reported protocol deviation and reasons for change. ConclusionCOS-TCM studies need to improve their methodological quality and report transparency. When developing COS-TCM, we should pay attention to the characteristics of TCM while basing on international standards. The quality evaluation guidelines and standards of reporting for COS-TCM study need to be developed in the future.
In order to promote the effective development of hospital day surgery mode, a construction method of information management platform that meets the characteristics of day surgery mode is presented. By analyzing the business process of the day surgery mode, the system architecture of the information platform is given; according to the difficulty of the surgical scheduling, the two-stage surgical scheduling algorithm based on the ranking theory is given; by analyzing the day surgery data statistically, a multi-angle surgical index analysis module is provided. The information management of the day surgery mode has been realized, and the work efficiency has been improved. A reasonable day surgery information platform construction can help to optimize the daytime surgical procedure and promote the smooth development of day surgery.
Large Language Models (LLMs) are highly sophisticated deep learning models pre-trained on massive datasets, with ChatGPT representing a prominent application of LLMs in the field of generative models. Since the release of ChatGPT at the end of 2022, generative chatbots have become widely employed across various medical disciplines. As a crucial discipline guiding clinical practices, the usage of generative chatbots like ChatGPT in Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) is gradually increasing. However, the potential, challenges, and intricacies of their application in the domain of EBM remain unclear. This paper aims to explore and discuss the prospects, challenges, and considerations associated with the application of ChatGPT in the field of EBM through a review of relevant literature. The discussion spans four aspects: evidence generation, synthesis, assessment, dissemination, and implementation, providing researchers with insights into the latest developments and future research suggestions.
National Center for Medical Service Administration of National Health and Family Planning Commission of China was established at the beginning of 2015. It is mainly in charge of developing and managing standards of medical technology and organizing their implementation, and giving technical guidance and consulting for evaluation of medical institutions. The foundation of the center fills in the blank of lacking central administrative department of the guideline development and evaluation. This paper introduces the definition and the function of clinical practice guideline, and analyzes the current situation, problems and challenges of domestic guidelines, and proposes some potential suggestions on improving the quality of Chinese guidelines from national level for promoting the standardization, scientification and transparency of clinical practice guidelines in China.
Objective To investigate patients in gynecological endocrinology clinic with the following three pieces of information: how did they provide their symptom information, how did they understand diagnostic and therapeutic information, and what was their attitude towards the visit, and to get to know about the situation and problems in doctor-patient communication, so as to aim directly at improving the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment. Methods A total of 403 patients, who visited Prof. HAN Zi-yan’s clinic in the hospital from April to August 2010, were evaluated using self-edited Assessment on Doctor-patient Communication in Gynecological Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic. Results a) As to the situation of patients providing symptom information as well as understanding diagnostic and therapeutic information, when doctor asked, only 29% (118/403) of patients could narrate their treatment history clearly, and 38% (152/403) could tell their examination history exactly. After doctors’ explanation, only 21% (86/403) understood their examination results correctly, and 27% (108/403) understood management and therapeutic advice. The result of correlation analysis showed the accuracy of patients in providing disease information and accepting diagnostic and therapeutic information was higher in patients aged from 21 to 40 rather than those younger than 20, in patients well- educated rather than those with little education at the primary school, and in patients who were also engaged in medical work, All differences were significant (all Plt;0.05); and b) As to patients’ attitude towards visit, 55% (222/403) of patients hoped to get more attention from doctor, and 37.5% (151/403) overly expected the visit. Conclusion In the professor’s gynecological endocrinology outpatient clinic, many patients can’t clearly provide their treatment and examination history, neither understand exam situation and therapeutic advice at that visit, which are influenced by their age, education and occupation. In addition, psychological needs of patients should be concerned, too