Protocol for a systematic review of economic evaluations of preoperative smoking cessation interventions for preventing surgical complications

Preoperative Smoking-Cessation Interventions to Prevent Postoperative Complications: A Quality Assessment and Overview of Systematic Review Evidence

Multiple systematic reviews have investigated the effectiveness of preoperative interventions for smoking-cessation, although relatively few have focused on the prevention of surgical complications. This overview of systematic reviews aimed to describe the types of smoking interventions studied to prevent postoperative complications, summarize the results, and evaluate the quality of the reviews and strength of evidence to inform clinicians, health practitioners, policy developers, and government bodies. Comprehensive searches of Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Johanna Briggs Institute databases were conducted to identify systematic reviews of preoperative smoking-cessation interventions to prevent surgical complications (inception-May 14, 2024). Search results were independently screened by 2 reviewers for articles meeting the eligibility criteria. Data on key review characteristics and included studies were extracted: aim, search strategy, included studies, risk of bias, population, sample size, intervention, comparator, main findings, and conclusions. Quality appraisal of the reviews was undertaken using the AMSTAR 2 tool and evidence certainty was evaluated using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Sixty-seven full-text articles from 838 citations were screened, resulting in 6 included systematic reviews with 12 primary studies reporting postoperative complications. Four reviews which included all primary studies, provided moderate to high strength of evidence. There was high-certainty evidence suggesting interventions started ≥4 weeks before surgery incorporating multiple behavioral support sessions and pharmacotherapy are needed to prevent postoperative complications, particularly the incidence of surgical site infections. High-certainty evidence also indicates the duration of smoking-cessation is important, with benefits amplified for longer periods. However, medium- to high-certainty evidence suggests interventions initiated <4 weeks before surgery even with multiple behavioral support sessions (with or without pharmacotherapy), and interventions commenced >4 weeks before surgery but with only 1 interventional component, increase quit rates but do not reduce complications. This overview provides the most up-to-date summary and quality assessment of systematic review evidence on the effectiveness of preoperative smoking-cessation interventions to prevent surgical complications. The evidence supports providing smoking-cessation interventions which include multiple behavioral support sessions and pharmacotherapy implemented at least 4 weeks before surgery to reduce postoperative complications. Consequently, anesthesiologists need to work with primary care physicians, consultants, and surgeons to optimize smoking-cessation interventions way in advance of surgery.

Protocol for a systematic review of reviews on training primary care providers in dermoscopy to detect skin cancers

INTRODUCTION

Globally, incidence, prevalence and mortality rates of skin cancers are escalating. Earlier detection by well-trained primary care providers in techniques such as dermoscopy could reduce unnecessary referrals and improve longer term outcomes. A review of reviews is planned to compare and contrast the conduct, quality, findings and conclusions of multiple systematic and scoping reviews addressing the effectiveness of training primary care providers in dermoscopy, which will provide a critique and synthesis of the current body of review evidence.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Four databases (Cochrane, CINAHL, EMBASE and MEDLINE Complete) will be comprehensively searched from database inception to identify published, peer-reviewed English-language articles describing scoping and systematic reviews of the effectiveness of training primary care providers in the use of dermoscopy to detect skin cancers. Two researchers will independently conduct the searches and screen the results for potentially eligible studies using 'Research Screener' (a semi-automated machine learning tool). Backwards and forwards citation tracing will be conducted to supplement the search. A narrative summary of included reviews will be conducted. Study characteristics, for example, population; type of educational programme, including content, delivery method, duration and assessment; and outcomes for dermoscopy will be extracted into a standardised table. Data extraction will be checked by the second reviewer. Methodological quality will be evaluated by two reviewers independently using the Critical Appraisal Tool for Health Promotion and Prevention Reviews. Results of the assessments will be considered by the two reviewers and any discrepancies will be resolved by team consensus.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval is not required to conduct the planned systematic review of peer-reviewed, published articles because the research does not involve human participants. Findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, presented at leading public health, cancer and primary care conferences, and disseminated via website postings and social media channels.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42023396276.

A systematic review of economic evaluations of preoperative smoking cessation for preventing surgical complications

BACKGROUND

Whilst there is a substantial body of evidence on the costs and benefits of smoking cessation generally, the benefits of routinely providing smoking cessation for surgical populations are less well known. This review summarises the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of preoperative smoking cessation to prevent surgical complications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A search of the Cochrane, Econlit, EMBASE, Health Technology Assessment, Medline Complete and Scopus databases was conducted from inception until 23/06/2021. Peer-reviewed, English-language articles describing economic evaluations of preoperative smoking cessation interventions to prevent surgical complications were included. Search results were independently screened for potentially eligible studies. Study characteristics, economic evaluation methods and cost-effectiveness results were extracted by one reviewer and details checked by a second. Two authors independently assessed reporting and methodological quality using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards statement (CHEERS) and the Quality of Health Economic Studies Instrument checklist (QHES) respectively.

RESULTS

After removing duplicates, twenty full text articles were screened from 1423 database records, resulting in six included economic evaluations. Studies from the United States (n = 4), France (n = 1) and Spain (n = 1) were reported between 2009 and 2020. Four evaluations were conducted from a payer perspective. Two-thirds of evaluations were well-conducted (mean score 83) and well-reported (on average, 86% items reported). All studies concluded preoperative smoking cessation is cost-effective for preventing surgical complications; results ranged from cost saving to €53,131 per quality adjusted life year gained.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative smoking cessation is cost-effective for preventing surgical complications from a payer or provider perspective when compared to standard care. There is no evidence from outside the United States and Europe to inform healthcare providers, funders and policy-makers in other jurisdictions and more information is needed to clarify the optimal point of implementation to maximise cost-effectiveness of preoperative smoking cessation intervention.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO 2021 CRD42021257740. RESEARCH REGISTRY REGISTRATION NUMBER: reviewregistry1369.