Table 4Strengths and Limitations of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses using AMSTAR-212

StrengthsLimitations
Behzadi, 201816
  • The authors completed data extraction in duplicate; however, no consensus process was detailed.
  • The authors assessed the risk of bias for the included studies using ACROBAT-NRSI
  • The authors reported on the sources of funding for the studies included in the review in the Discussion section of the systematic review.
  • The authors provided adequate detail for the methods used in the meta-analysis.
  • The authors discussed the potential impact of risk of bias in the individual studies on the results of the meta-analysis.
  • The authors accounted for risk of bias in individual studies in the discussion of the results of the review.
  • The authors described the heterogeneity in the results of review.
  • The authors reported any potential sources of conflict.
  • The research question and inclusion criteria (PICO) were not well defined in the systematic review
  • It was unclear to what extent the review methods were established prior to the completion of the review (e.g. a protocol)
  • The selection of study designs for inclusion in the review was unclear
  • The literature search strategy was not well reported. The authors note that PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched and provide the key words searched.
  • The article does not explicitly state whether study selection was completed in duplicate, or what type of consensus strategy was used.
  • A list of excluded studies was not provided.
  • The authors did not describe the included studies in detail.
  • The authors did not provide a discussion of publication bias and its possible impact on the results of the review.
Olchowy, 201717
  • The research question and inclusion criteria (PICO) can be discerned through the systematic review.
  • The literature search strategy was presented in the systematic review and included PubMed and Medline databases. These searches were supplemented with grey literature.
  • Study selection was performed in duplicate.
  • The authors note that heterogeneity of study samples may be a sources of bias in the systematic review as a technical consideration.
  • The authors reported any potential sources of conflict.
  • It was unclear to what extent the review methods were established prior to the completion of the review (e.g. a protocol)
  • The selection of study designs for inclusion in the review was unclear
  • Process for data extraction was unclear in the systematic review
  • A list of excluded studies was not provided.
  • The authors did not describe the included studies in detail.
  • The authors did not perform any risk of bias assessment
  • The review did not report sources of funding for the included studies

ACROBAT-NRSI = A Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions; PICO = Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome

From: Macrocyclic and Linear Gadolinium Based Contrast Agents for Adults Undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Review of Safety

Cover of Macrocyclic and Linear Gadolinium Based Contrast Agents for Adults Undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Review of Safety
Macrocyclic and Linear Gadolinium Based Contrast Agents for Adults Undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Review of Safety [Internet].
Cowling T, Frey N.
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