Relationships between abstract features and methodological quality explained variations of social media activity derived from systematic reviews about psoriasis interventions.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the relationship among abstract structure, readability, and completeness, and how these features may influence social media activity and bibliometric results, considering systematic reviews (SRs) about interventions in psoriasis classified by methodological quality. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Systematic literature searches about psoriasis interventions were undertaken on relevant databases. For each review, methodological quality was evaluated using the assessing the methodological quality of systematic reviews tool. Abstract extension, structure, readability, and quality and completeness of reporting were analyzed. Social media activity, which consider Twitter and Facebook mention counts, as well as Mendeley readers and Google scholar citations were obtained for each article. Analyses were conducted to describe any potential influence of abstract characteristics on review's social media diffusion. RESULTS: We classified 139 intervention SRs as displaying high/moderate/low methodological quality. We observed that abstract readability of SRs has been maintained high for last 20 years, although there are some differences based on their methodological quality. Free format abstracts were most sensitive to the increase of text readability as compared with more structured abstracts (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion or eight headings), yielding opposite effects on their quality and completeness depending on the methodological quality: a worsening in low quality reviews and an improvement in those of high quality. Both readability indices and preferred reporting items of systematic reviews and meta-analyses for Abstract total scores showed an inverse relationship with social media activity and bibliometric results in high methodological quality reviews but not in those of lower quality. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that increasing abstract readability must be specially considered when writing free format summaries of high-quality reviews because this fact correlates with an improvement of their completeness and quality, and this may help to achieve broader social media visibility and article usage.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses on psoriasis: role of funding sources, conflict of interest and bibliometric indices as predictors of methodological quality.

BACKGROUND: The quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease that severely impairs quality of life and is associated with high costs, remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: To assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews published on psoriasis. METHODS: After a comprehensive search in MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Database (PROSPERO: CDR42016041611), the quality of studies was assessed by two raters using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool. Article metadata and journal-related bibliometric indices were also obtained. Systematic reviews were classified as low (0-4), moderate (5-8) or high (9-11) quality. A prediction model for methodological quality was fitted using principal component and multivariate ordinal logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: We classified 220 studies as high (17·2%), moderate (55·0%) or low (27·8%) quality. Lower compliance rates were found for AMSTAR question (Q)5 (list of studies provided, 11·4%), Q10 (publication bias assessed, 27·7%), Q4 (status of publication included, 39·5%) and Q1 (a priori design provided, 40·9%). Factors such as meta-analysis inclusion [odds ratio (OR) 6·22; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2·78-14·86], funding by academic institutions (OR 2·90, 95% CI 1·11-7·89), Article Influence score (OR 2·14, 95% CI 1·05-6·67), 5-year impact factor (OR 1·34, 95% CI 1·02-1·40) and article page count (OR 1·08, 95% CI 1·02-1·15) significantly predicted higher quality. A high number of authors with a conflict of interest (OR 0·90, 95% CI 0·82-0·99) was significantly associated with lower quality. CONCLUSIONS: The methodological quality of systematic reviews published about psoriasis remains suboptimal. The type of funding sources and author conflicts may compromise study quality, increasing the risk of bias.

[Evaluation of adverse events caused by intravesical BCG instillations: Has the strain used a potential implication?]. / Évaluation des effets indésirables des instillations endovésicales par BCG : implication potentielle de la souche utilisée ?

INTRODUCTION: Intravesical instillations of BCG represent an established treatment of high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer but also carry considerable toxicity. The aim of this work was to identify adverse effects, their impact on the treatment and the possible involvement of the BCG strain used. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To evaluate adverse events in terms of incidence, severity and moment of occurrence, we performed a retrospective analysis of all patients treated with BCG in our institution from 1998 to 2012. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-six patients were retained for analysis, 140 (95.9%) finished their first induction cycle. Thirty patients (20.6%) had to stop the treatment because of BCG-related adverse events, 80% of which happened during the first 3 BCG cycles (12 instillations). The strain used may have had a significant impact: 16 out of 42 patients (38.1%) treated with Connaught (Immucyst®) and 14 out of 104 patients (13.5%) treated with Tice (Oncotice®) had to stop treatment because of BCG related adverse events (P=0.0019) with an odds ratio of 2.83 (IC 95%: 1.52-5.23). CONCLUSION: BCG-related adverse events generally occur at the beginning of the treatment and therefore do not limit the use of BCG maintenance therapy. Good instillation practice and, in our series, the shift from Connaught to Tice strain enabled to significantly reduce BCG-related adverse events through time. The potential implication of the BCG strain used should be evaluated in prospective trials.

Dietary changes and colorectal cancer trends in Spain during 1951-2007.

OBJECTIVES: Analysis of the evolution of colorectal cancer in Spain during the period 1951-2007 and its relationship with diet. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Calculation of incidence rates, standardized mortality and years of potential life lost (world population) and per capita consumption of different foods. RESULTS: Red and processed meats, poultry, fish and fruits intake has increased and consumption of vegetables, cereals and legumes has decreased. The incidence of colorectal cancer has steadily increased in both genders, more markedly among men, and across all age groups, in contrast to what has been observed in other countries. Mortality increased during the period 1951-2000, but from that time until 2007 these rates have kept steady in men and fallen in women. The years of potential life lost (YPLL) shows a similar distribution to mortality. The correlation coefficients have values close to one for consumption of red meat, poultry, fish, vegetables and fruits and strongly negative values for the consumption of cereals and vegetables with the incidence and mortality in both genders, and the YPLL, but only among men, with weaker correlations for women. CONCLUSIONS: In colorectal cancer, a minimal time span of ten-fifteen years is necessary for changes in exposure to risk factors to be able to modify the incidence of this tumour. Therefore, Spanish State and Regional Governments should implement legislative and educational measures in the field of Health Promotion regarding the diet urgently.

Cambios en la dieta y tendencia del cáncer colorrectal en España durante 1951-2007 / Dietary changes and colorectal cancer trends in Spain during 1951-2007

Objetivos: análisis de la evolución del cáncer colorrectal enEspaña durante el periodo 1951-2007 y su relación con la dieta.Material y métodos: cálculo de tasas de incidencia, mortalidady años potenciales de vida perdidos ajustadas (población mundial),así como de consumos per capita de distintos alimentos.Resultados: el consumo de carnes rojas y procesadas, pollo,pescado y frutas ha aumentado y el de hortalizas, cereales y legumbresha descendido.La incidencia de cáncer colorrectal ha experimentado un aumentoconstante en ambos géneros, más marcado en varones, entodos los grupos de edad, en contraposición con lo ocurrido enotros países. La mortalidad aumentó durante el periodo 1951-2000, pero desde ese momento hasta 2007 se ha estabilizado envarones y decrecido en mujeres.Los años potenciales de vida perdidos muestran una distribuciónsimilar a la mortalidad.Los coeficientes de correlación presentan valores cercanos auno para el consumo de carnes rojas, pollo, pescado, hortalizas yfrutas y valores fuertemente negativos para el consumo de cerealesy legumbres con la incidencia y la mortalidad, en ambos géneros,y con los años potenciales de vida perdidos, aunque sólo envarones, con correlaciones débiles en mujeres.Conclusiones: en el cáncer colorrectal es necesario un mínimode diez-quince años para que cambios en la exposición a factoresde riesgo y protección puedan modificar su incidencia. Porello, se deben aplicar medidas legislativas y educativas en materiade Promoción de la Salud respecto a dieta por parte del Estado ylos Gobiernos Regionales de forma urgente(AU)

Objectives: analysis of the evolution of colorectal cancer inSpain during the period 1951-2007 and its relationship with diet.Material and methods: calculation of incidence rates, standardizedmortality and years of potential life lost (world population)and per capita consumption of different foods.Results: red and processed meats, poultry, fish and fruits intakehas increased and consumption of vegetables, cereals andlegumes has decreased.The incidence of colorectal cancer has steadily increased inboth genders, more markedly among men, and across all agegroups, in contrast to what has been observed in other countries.Mortality increased during the period 1951-2000, but from thattime until 2007 these rates have kept steady in men and fallen inwomen.The years of potential life lost (YPLL) shows a similar distributionto mortality.The correlation coefficients have values close to one for consumptionof red meat, poultry, fish, vegetables and fruits andstrongly negative values for the consumption of cereals andvegetables with the incidence and mortality in both genders,and the YPLL, but only among men, with weaker correlationsfor women.Conclusions: in colorectal cancer, a minimal time span often-fifteen years is necessary for changes in exposure to risk factorsto be able to modify the incidence of this tumour. Therefore,Spanish State and Regional Governments should implement legislativeand educational measures in the field of Health Promotionregarding the diet urgently(AU)