Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Medical Research Methodology
Published in: BMC Medical Research Methodology 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Development and validation of a MEDLINE search filter/hedge for degenerative cervical myelopathy

Published in: BMC Medical Research Methodology | Issue 1/2018

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a common condition with many unmet clinical needs. Pooled analysis of studies is an important tool for advancing medical understanding. This process starts with a systematic search of the literature. Identification of studies in DCM is challenged by a number of factors, including non-specific terminology and index terms. Search filters or HEDGEs, are search strings developed and validated to optimise medical literature searches. We aimed to develop a search filter for DCM for the MEDLINE database.

Methods

The diagnostic test assessment framework of a “development dataset” and seperate “validation dataset” was used. The development dataset was formed by hand searching four leading spinal journals (Spine, Journal of Neurosurgery Spine, Spinal Cord and Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques) in 2005 and 2010. The search filter was initially developed focusing on sensitivity and subsequently refined using NOT functions to improve specificity. One validation dataset was formed from DCM narrative and systematic review articles and the second, articles published in April of 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2017 retrieved via the search MeSH term ‘Spine’. Metrics of sensitivity, specificity, precision and accuracy were used to test performance.

Results

Hand searching identified 77/1094 relevant articles for 2005 and 55/1199 for 2010. We developed a search hedge with 100% sensitivity and a precision of 30 and 29% for the 2005 and 2010 development datasets respectively. For the selected time periods, EXP Spine returned 2113 publications and 30 were considered relevant. The search filter identified all 30 relevant articles, with a specificity of 94% and precision of 20%. Of the 255 references listed in the narrative index reviews, 225 were indexed in MEDLINE and 165 (73%) were relevant articles. All relevant articles were identified and accuracy ranged from 67 to 97% over the three reviews. Of the 42 articles returned from 3 recent systematic reviews, all were identified by the filter.

Conclusions

We have developed a highly sensitive hedge for the research of DCM. Whilst precision is similarly low as other hedges, this search filter can be used as an adjunct for DCM search strategies.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Nouri A, Tetreault L, Singh A, Karadimas SK, Fehlings MG. Degenerative cervical myelopathy: epidemiology, genetics, and pathogenesis. Spine. 2015;40(12):E675–93.CrossRefPubMed
2.
3.
Oh T, Lafage R, Lafage V, Protopsaltis T, Challier V, Shaffrey C, Kim HJ, Arnold P, Chapman J, Schwab F, et al. Comparing quality of life in cervical Spondylotic myelopathy with other chronic debilitating diseases using the short form survey 36-health survey. World Neurosurg. 2017;106:699–706.CrossRefPubMed
4.
5.
Davies BM, McHugh M, Elgheriani A, Kolias AG, Tetreault L, Hutchinson PJ, Fehlings MG, Kotter MR. The reporting of study and population characteristics in degenerative cervical myelopathy: a systematic review. PLoS One. 2017;12(3):e0172564.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
6.
Davies BM, McHugh M, Elgheriani A, Kolias AG, Tetreault LA, Hutchinson PJ, Fehlings MG, Kotter MR. Reported outcome measures in degenerative cervical myelopathy: a systematic review. PLoS One. 2016;11(8):e0157263.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
7.
Tetreault L, Ibrahim A, Cote P, Singh A, Fehlings MG. A systematic review of clinical and surgical predictors of complications following surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy. J Neurosurg Spine. 2016;24(1):77–99.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Tetreault LA, Karpova A, Fehlings MG. Predictors of outcome in patients with degenerative cervical spondylotic myelopathy undergoing surgical treatment: results of a systematic review. Eur Spine J. 2015;24 Suppl 2:236–51.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Brinjikji W, Luetmer PH, Comstock B, Bresnahan BW, Chen LE, Deyo RA, Halabi S, Turner JA, Avins AL, James K, et al. Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015;36(4):811–6.CrossRefPubMed
10.
Bednarik J, Kadanka Z, Dusek L, Kerkovsky M, Vohanka S, Novotny O, Urbanek I, Kratochvilova D. Presymptomatic spondylotic cervical myelopathy: an updated predictive model. Eur Spine J. 2008;17(3):421–31.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
11.
Kovalova I, Kerkovsky M, Kadanka Z, Kadanka Z Jr, Nemec M, Jurova B, Dusek L, Jarkovsky J, Bednarik J. Prevalence and imaging characteristics of Nonmyelopathic and Myelopathic Spondylotic cervical cord compression. Spine. 2016;41(24):1908–16.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Matsumoto M, Fujimura Y, Suzuki N, Nishi Y, Nakamura M, Yabe Y, Shiga H. MRI of cervical intervertebral discs in asymptomatic subjects. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1998;80(1):19–24.CrossRefPubMed
13.
Ely JW, Osheroff JA, Ebell MH, Chambliss ML, Vinson DC, Stevermer JJ, Pifer EA. Obstacles to answering doctors' questions about patient care with evidence: qualitative study. Bmj. 2002;324(7339):710.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
14.
Lee E, Dobbins M, Decorby K, McRae L, Tirilis D, Husson H. An optimal search filter for retrieving systematic reviews and meta-analyses. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2012;12:51.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
15.
Garg AX, Iansavichus AV, Wilczynski NL, Kastner M, Baier LA, Shariff SZ, Rehman F, Weir M, McKibbon KA, Haynes RB. Filtering Medline for a clinical discipline: diagnostic test assessment framework. Bmj. 2009;339:b3435.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
16.
van de Glind EM, van Munster BC, Spijker R, Scholten RJ, Hooft L. Search filters to identify geriatric medicine in Medline. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2012;19(3):468–72.CrossRefPubMed
17.
18.
Rogers M, Bethel A, Boddy K. Development and testing of a medline search filter for identifying patient and public involvement in health research. Health Inf Libr J. 2017;34(2):125–33.CrossRef
19.
Iansavichus AV, Hildebrand AM, Haynes RB, Wilczynski NL, Levin A, Hemmelgarn BR, Tu K, Nesrallah GE, Nash DM, Garg AX. High-performance information search filters for CKD content in PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and EMBASE. Am J Kidney Dis. 2015;65(1):26–32.CrossRefPubMed
20.
Chalmers I, Bracken MB, Djulbegovic B, Garattini S, Grant J, Gulmezoglu AM, Howells DW, Ioannidis JP, Oliver S. How to increase value and reduce waste when research priorities are set. Lancet. 2014;383(9912):156–65.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Aagaard T, Lund H, Juhl C. Optimizing literature search in systematic reviews - are MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL enough for identifying effect studies within the area of musculoskeletal disorders? BMC Med Res Methodol. 2016;16(1):161.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
22.
Terwee CB, Jansma EP, Riphagen II, de Vet HC. Development of a methodological PubMed search filter for finding studies on measurement properties of measurement instruments. Qual Life Res. 2009;18(8):1115–23.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
23.
Gnanalingham KK, Davies BM, Balamurali G, Titoria P, Doyle P, Abou-Zeid A. Improving levels of evidence in studies published in spinal journals from 1983 to 2011. Br J Neurosurg. 2013;27(2):152–5.CrossRefPubMed
24.
Singh A, Tetreault L, Casey A, Laing R, Statham P, Fehlings MG. A summary of assessment tools for patients suffering from cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a systematic review on validity, reliability and responsiveness. Eur Spine J. 2015;24(Suppl 2):209–28.CrossRefPubMed
25.
Tetreault LA, Dettori JR, Wilson JR, Singh A, Nouri A, Fehlings MG, Brodt ED, Jacobs WB. Systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging characteristics that affect treatment decision making and predict clinical outcome in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Spine. 2013;38(22 Suppl 1):S89–110.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Wilson JR, Barry S, Fischer DJ, Skelly AC, Arnold PM, Riew KD, Shaffrey CI, Traynelis VC, Fehlings MG. Frequency, timing, and predictors of neurological dysfunction in the nonmyelopathic patient with cervical spinal cord compression, canal stenosis, and/or ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Spine. 2013;38(22 Suppl 1):S37–54.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Wilson JR, Patel AA, Brodt ED, Dettori JR, Brodke DS, Fehlings MG. Genetics and heritability of cervical spondylotic myelopathy and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament: results of a systematic review. Spine. 2013;38(22 Suppl 1):S123–46.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Alvin MD, Qureshi S, Klineberg E, Riew KD, Fischer DJ, Norvell DC, Mroz TE. Cervical degenerative disease: systematic review of economic analyses. Spine. 2014;39(22 Suppl 1):S53–64.CrossRefPubMed
29.
Abiola R, Rubery P, Mesfin A. Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament: etiology, diagnosis, and outcomes of nonoperative and operative management. Glob Spine J. 2016;6(2):195–204.CrossRef
30.
31.
Wilson JR, Tetreault LA, Kim J, Shamji MF, Harrop JS, Mroz T, Cho S, Fehlings MG. State of the art in degenerative cervical myelopathy: an update on current clinical evidence. Neurosurgery. 2017;80(3s):S33–s45.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Tetreault L, Goldstein CL, Arnold P, Harrop J, Hilibrand A, Nouri A, Fehlings MG. Degenerative cervical myelopathy: a Spectrum of related disorders affecting the aging spine. Neurosurgery. 2015;77 Suppl 4:S51–67.CrossRefPubMed
33.
Fehlings MG, Tetreault LA, Kurpad S, Brodke DS, Wilson JR, Smith JS, Arnold PM, Brodt ED, Dettori JR. Change in functional impairment, disability, and quality of life following operative treatment for degenerative cervical myelopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Glob Spine J. 2017;7(3 Suppl):53s–69s.CrossRef
34.
Rhee J, Tetreault LA, Chapman JR, Wilson JR, Smith JS, Martin AR, Dettori JR, Fehlings MG. Nonoperative versus operative Management for the Treatment Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: an updated systematic review. Glob Spine J. 2017;7(3 Suppl):35s–41s.CrossRef
35.
Tetreault LA, Rhee J, Prather H, Kwon BK, Wilson JR, Martin AR, Andersson IB, Dembek AH, Pagarigan KT, Dettori JR, et al. Change in function, pain, and quality of life following structured nonoperative treatment in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy: a systematic review. Glob Spine J. 2017;7(3 Suppl):42s–52s.CrossRef
36.
Hildebrand AM, Iansavichus AV, Lee CW, Haynes RB, Wilczynski NL, McKibbon KA, Hladunewich MA, Clark WF, Cattran DC, Garg AX. Glomerular disease search filters for Pubmed, Ovid Medline, and Embase: a development and validation study. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2012;12:49.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
37.
Wilczynski NL, McKibbon KA, Haynes RB. Search filter precision can be improved by NOTing out irrelevant content. AMIA Annu Symp Proc. 2011;2011:1506–13.PubMedPubMedCentral
38.
McGowan J, Sampson M, Salzwedel DM, Cogo E, Foerster V, Lefebvre C. PRESS peer review of electronic search strategies: 2015 guideline statement. J Clin Epidemiol. 2016;75:40–6.CrossRefPubMed
39.
Haynes RB, Wilczynski NL. Optimal search strategies for retrieving scientifically strong studies of diagnosis from Medline: analytical survey. Bmj. 2004;328(7447):1040.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
40.
Davies K, Harrison J. The information-seeking behaviour of doctors: a review of the evidence. Health Inf Libr J. 2007;24(2):78–94.CrossRef
41.
42.
O'Mara-Eves A, Thomas J, McNaught J, Miwa M, Ananiadou S. Using text mining for study identification in systematic reviews: a systematic review of current approaches. Syst Rev. 2015;4:5.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
43.
Shemilt I, Simon A, Hollands GJ, Marteau TM, Ogilvie D, O'Mara-Eves A, Kelly MP, Thomas J. Pinpointing needles in giant haystacks: use of text mining to reduce impractical screening workload in extremely large scoping reviews. Res Synth Methods. 2014;5(1):31–49.CrossRefPubMed
44.
Rathbone J, Hoffmann T, Glasziou P. Faster title and abstract screening? Evaluating Abstrackr, a semi-automated online screening program for systematic reviewers. Syst Rev. 2015;4:80.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
Metadata
Title
Development and validation of a MEDLINE search filter/hedge for degenerative cervical myelopathy
Publication date
01-12-2018
Published in
BMC Medical Research Methodology / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2288
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-018-0529-3

Other articles of this Issue 1/2018

BMC Medical Research Methodology 1/2018 Go to the issue

Research article

Rapid response in health technology assessment: a Delphi study for a Brazilian guideline

Research article

Assessment of research waste part 1: an exemplar from examining study design, surrogate and clinical endpoints in studies of calcium intake and vitamin D supplementation

Research article

A descriptive analysis of non-Cochrane child-relevant systematic reviews published in 2014

Research article

A nonparametric Bayesian continual reassessment method in single-agent dose-finding studies

Research article

Evaluation of the quality and value of data sources for postmarket surveillance of the safety of cough and cold medications in children

Technical advance

A new approach for sample size calculation in cost-effectiveness studies based on value of information