Clinical and pharmacokinetic/dynamic outcomes of prolonged infusions of beta-lactam antimicrobials: An overview of systematic reviews

Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for carpal tunnel syndrome: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Background

Several systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) have explored the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), but findings are inconsistent and vary in quality. Therefore, this overview aims to evaluate these SRs and MAs critically, synthesizing existing evidence on acupuncture in treating CTS.

Methods

We searched 7 databases from their inception to April 25, 2024, using the keywords "acupuncture", "carpal tunnel syndrome", and "systematic review". Methodology and reporting quality were assessed using AMSTAR 2 and PRISMA. The risk of bias was evaluated using ROBIS, and evidence certainty was appraised using GRADE.

Results

9 related SRs/MAs were included, with 8 judged as critically low quality and 1 rated as low quality by AMSTAR 2. According to the PRISMA checklist, while 7 SR/MAs were found to adequately report over 70 %, none reported all items. The ROBIS assessment rated 4 SRs/MAs with a low risk of bias and 5 with a high risk. The quality of evidence evaluated by GRADE was low or very low. Descriptive analyses indicated that acupuncture could effectively reduce pain intensity, but evidence on responder rate, symptom severity, functional status, and electrophysiological parameters was inconsistent. No serious adverse events associated with acupuncture were found.

Conclusions

Acupuncture might be beneficial for CTS. However, given the existing evidence limitations, the efficacy of acupuncture for CTS requires confirmation through further high-quality research.

Protocol registration

PROSPERO (CRD42023409659).

[What is confirmed in the treatment of sepsis? : An update]

BACKGROUND

Sepsis is defined as "being evoked as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by an inadequate host response to infection". The most recent German S3 guidelines were published in 2018 and the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) last published the current recommendations for the treatment of sepsis and septic shock in 2021.

OBJECTIVE

This article explores and discusses which evidence in the treatment of sepsis and septic shock has been confirmed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Discussion of the 2018 German S3 guidelines, supplementation of the content of the 2021 international guidelines and recent research results since 2021.

RESULTS

The primary objective for managing sepsis and septic shock still includes rapid identification, early initiation of anti-infective treatment, and focus cleansing when feasible. In addition, the focus is on hemodynamic stabilization, including the early use of vasopressors for prevention of hypervolemia and, if necessary, the use of organ support procedures. Supportive treatment, such as the administration of corticosteroids and the use of apheresis, can be advantageous in specific scenarios. The focus is increasingly shifting towards post-intensive care unit (ICU) follow-up care, improving the quality of life after surviving sepsis and the close involvement of relatives of the patient.

CONCLUSION

Despite the fact that considerable progress has been made in understanding the pathophysiology and treatment of sepsis, the early administration of anti-infective agents, focus control, nuanced volume therapy and the use of catecholamines continue to be fundamental to sepsis management. New recommendations emphasize the early use of vasopressors (primarily norepinephrine) and the administration of corticosteroids, especially in cases of septic shock and pneumonia.

The Short-Term Impact of Educational Programs on Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Antimicrobial Stewardship among Veterinary Students in Serbia

Effective antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is crucial for combating the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), particularly in veterinary medicine. Educational programs targeting veterinary students can play a significant role in shaping their knowledge and attitudes toward antimicrobial use and stewardship. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of educational programs on the knowledge and attitudes regarding AMS among veterinary students in Serbia. A structured educational program on AMS was implemented for veterinary students at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad. Pre- and post-symposium assessments were conducted to measure changes in students' knowledge and attitudes. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and focus groups, to gather quantitative and qualitative data. The study resulted in significant short-term improvements in students' knowledge of AMS principles and their attitudes toward responsible antimicrobial use. Participants demonstrated a better understanding of the mechanisms of resistance and the importance of adhering to stewardship guidelines. Qualitative feedback indicated increased awareness of the consequences of inappropriate antimicrobial use and a stronger commitment to applying stewardship practices in their future careers. The educational programs effectively enhanced immediate veterinary students' knowledge and attitudes regarding AMS. These findings underscore the importance of integrating targeted educational programs into veterinary curricula to promote responsible antimicrobial use and combat resistance in veterinary practice.

Continuous vs Intermittent β-Lactam Antibiotic Infusions in Critically Ill Patients With Sepsis: The BLING III Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

Whether β-lactam antibiotics administered by continuous compared with intermittent infusion reduces the risk of death in patients with sepsis is uncertain.

Objective

To evaluate whether continuous vs intermittent infusion of a β-lactam antibiotic (piperacillin-tazobactam or meropenem) results in decreased all-cause mortality at 90 days in critically ill patients with sepsis.

Design, Setting, and Participants

An international, open-label, randomized clinical trial conducted in 104 intensive care units (ICUs) in Australia, Belgium, France, Malaysia, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Recruitment occurred from March 26, 2018, to January 11, 2023, with follow-up completed on April 12, 2023. Participants were critically ill adults (≥18 years) treated with piperacillin-tazobactam or meropenem for sepsis.

Intervention

Eligible patients were randomized to receive an equivalent 24-hour dose of a β-lactam antibiotic by either continuous (n = 3498) or intermittent (n = 3533) infusion for a clinician-determined duration of treatment or until ICU discharge, whichever occurred first.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was all-cause mortality within 90 days after randomization. Secondary outcomes were clinical cure up to 14 days after randomization; new acquisition, colonization, or infection with a multiresistant organism or Clostridioides difficile infection up to 14 days after randomization; ICU mortality; and in-hospital mortality.

Results

Among 7202 randomized participants, 7031 (mean [SD] age, 59 [16] years; 2423 women [35%]) met consent requirements for inclusion in the primary analysis (97.6%). Within 90 days, 864 of 3474 patients (24.9%) assigned to receive continuous infusion had died compared with 939 of 3507 (26.8%) assigned intermittent infusion (absolute difference, -1.9% [95% CI, -4.9% to 1.1%]; odds ratio, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.81 to 1.01]; P = .08). Clinical cure was higher in the continuous vs intermittent infusion group (1930/3467 [55.7%] and 1744/3491 [50.0%], respectively; absolute difference, 5.7% [95% CI, 2.4% to 9.1%]). Other secondary outcomes were not statistically different.

Conclusions and Relevance

The observed difference in 90-day mortality between continuous vs intermittent infusions of β-lactam antibiotics did not meet statistical significance in the primary analysis. However, the confidence interval around the effect estimate includes the possibility of both no important effect and a clinically important benefit in the use of continuous infusions in this group of patients.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03213990.

Usage of Meropenem Continuous Infusion for Treatment of Infectious Complications in Orthopedic Elderly Patients with Anemia: A Case Series

Background and Objectives: The prolonged infusion of meropenem is recommended by guidelines for the treatment of sepsis. However, studies provide controversial data on the advantages of prolonged infusions over intermittent ones. In our opinion, this can be related to age, which possibly distorts the final data, as older people have age-related characteristics. In our study, we analyzed the ventilatory status, laboratory tests and vital signs of the patient and carried out microbiological cultures. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective single-center case series investigation conducted from June 2022 to June 2023. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of continuous infusion in elderly patients with severe infectious complications after orthopedic interventions. The primary endpoints were 28-day survival and the emergence of new multidrug-resistant strains. Secondary endpoints were long-term mortality and length of stay in the ICU. Results: Three patients (median age 65, 100% female) received a continuous infusion of meropenem. Two patients were alive at hospital discharge, and one patient died on the 105th day of hospitalization. Multi-resistant bacteria were observed in one patient. Conclusions: The use of a continuous meropenem infusion in the complex treatment of purulent-septic complications in elderly patients with periprosthetic infection and anemia probably led to clinical improvement in these case reports. However, the emergence of new pan-resistant strains and overall mortality using this infusion technique remains unclear. Further, high-quality RCTs for the elderly are needed.

Continuous infusion of beta-lactam antibiotics in pediatric intensive care unit: A monocenter before/after implementation study

CONTEXT

Beta-lactam continuous infusion (CI) is currently recommended in adult intensive care units to achieve target concentrations. In pediatric intensive care (PICU), few studies suggest the value of Beta-lactam CI to achieve target concentration. Our objective was to analyze the impact of Beta-lactam CI protocolization on the achievement of target concentration in PICU patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted a single-center retrospective study in patients with beta-lactam treatment for more than 2 days and at least one sample for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). From January 2018 to February 2022 (period 1, P1), BL were administered as an intermittent infusion with TDM upon request. From February to September 2022 (period 2, P2), Beta-lactam CI with TDM at day one was protocolized. The primary endpoint concerned achieving fT>4× Minimum Inhibitory Concentration = 100%.

RESULTS

In P1, 214 assays involved 103 patients; in P2, 199 assays involved 72 patients. Target concentration achievement was more frequent in P2 (P2 = 73.7% vs. P1 = 29.1%; p < 0.001). At day 5/6 after Beta-lactam initiation, c-reactive protein concentrations were P1 = 84.9 ± 79.2 mg/L; P2 = 53.7±49.8 mg/L (p < 0.05). In the multivariable logistic regression model: P2, BSA, and albumin were positively associated with target achievement; urea, and male sex were negatively associated with target achievement. The daily average cost of beta-lactam vial consumption per child was: P1 = 5.04 ± 2.6 € vs. P2 = 3.21 ± 2.7 € (p-value < 0.001). The daily average reconstitution time of Beta-lactam syringes per child was: P1 = 23.5 ± 8.7 min, P2 = 13.9 ± 9.2 min (p-value < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Protocolization of Beta-lactam continuous infusion was associated with more frequent target concentration achievements in PICU. This implementation could be cost-effective and nurse time-saving.

Suicidality risk after using cannabis and cannabinoids: An umbrella review

The increasing prevalence and burden of suicide have led to numerous studies to identify its risk factors. Cannabis is the most common illicit substance detected in suicide victims' toxicology tests. This study aims to identify and appraise systematic reviews investigating suicidality after using cannabis and cannabinoids. Seven databases and two registries were searched without restrictions for systematic reviews investigating cannabis effects on suicidality. AMSTAR-2 was used for quality assessment and corrected covered area and citation matrix were used to determine overlap. Twenty-five studies were included, of which 24 were on recreational use and one was on therapeutic use. Only three of the studies on recreational use reported no effect or inconsistent results. Evidence generally showed a positive association between cannabis use and suicidal ideation and attempt among the general population, military veterans, and bipolar or major depression patients. A bidirectional causal association between cannabis and suicidal ideation was also mentioned. Moreover, a younger age of initiation, long-term use, and heavy consumption were reported to be associated with even worse suicidal outcomes. On the contrary, current evidence indicates that the therapeutic cannabis is safe. In conclusion, the literature supports the cannabis-suicidality association in recreational use but considers cannabidiol safe for treatment. Further studies with quantitative and interventional approaches are recommended.

Practical considerations for individualizing drug dosing in critically ill adults receiving renal replacement therapy

Critically ill patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) often present with or develop renal dysfunction requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) in addition to antimicrobial therapy. While early and appropriate antimicrobials for sepsis have been associated with an increased probability of survival, adequate dosing is also required in these patients. Adequate dosing of antimicrobials refers to dosing strategies that achieve serum drug levels at the site of infection that are able to provide a microbiological and/or clinical response while avoiding toxicity from excessive antibiotic exposure. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is the recommended strategy to achieve this goal, however, TDM is not routinely available in all ICUs and for all antimicrobials. In the absence of TDM, clinicians are therefore required to make dosing decisions based on the clinical condition of the patient, the causative organism, the characteristics of RRT, and an understanding of the physicochemical properties of the antimicrobial. Pharmacokinetics (PK) of antimicrobials can be highly variable between critically ill patients and also within the same patient over the course of their ICU stay. The initiation of RRT, which can be in the form of intermittent hemodialysis, continuous, or prolonged intermittent therapy, further complicates the predictability of drug disposition. This variability highlights the need for individualized dosing. This review highlights the practical considerations for the clinician for antimicrobial dosing in critically ill patients receiving RRT.

Continuous infusion of beta-lactam antibiotics: narrative review of systematic reviews, and implications for outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy

INTRODUCTION

Continuous infusion (CI) of beta-lactam antibiotics may be of benefit in some patients, particularly those with severe infections. However, most studies have been small and conflicting results have been reported. The best available evidence on clinical outcomes of beta-lactam CI comes from systematic reviews/meta-analyses that integrate the available data.

AREAS COVERED

A search of PubMed from inception to the end of February 2022 for systematic reviews of clinical outcomes with beta-lactam CI for any indication identified 12 reviews, all of which focused on hospitalized patients, most of whom were critically ill. A narrative overview of these systematic reviews/meta-analyses is provided. No systematic reviews evaluating the use of beta-lactam CI for outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) were identified, as few studies have focused on this area. Relevant data are summarized, and consideration is given to issues that need to be addressed when using beta-lactam CI in the setting of OPAT.

EXPERT OPINION

Evidence from systematic reviews supports a role for beta-lactam CI in the treatment of hospitalized patients with severe/life-threatening infections. Beta-lactam CI can play a role in patients receiving OPAT for severe chronic/difficult-to-treat infections, but additional data are needed to clarify its optimal use.

Piperacillin Steady State Concentrations in Target Tissues Relevant for PJI Treatment—A Randomized Porcine Microdialysis Study Comparing Continuous Infusion with Intermittent Short-Term Infusion

(1) Introduction: Piperacillin is a common antibiotic choice in the treatment of periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the time with free piperacillin concentration above the minimum inhibitory concentration (fT > MIC) at steady state in target tissues relevant for PJI treatment following continuous and intermittent short-term infusion. (2) Methods: 16 pigs were randomized to receive either continuous or intermittent short-term infusion of piperacillin. Steady state piperacillin concentrations were assessed using microdialysis in tibial cortical bone, tibial cancellous bone, synovial fluid of the knee joint, and subcutaneous tissue. MIC-targets of 4, 8, 16, and 64 mg/L were applied. Plasma samples were obtained as reference. (3) Results: Continuous infusion resulted in longer fT > MIC for MIC targets of 4 mg/L and 8 mg/L compared to intermittent short-term infusion in all compartments with the exception of tibial cortical bone. For the MIC-target of 16 mg/L, continuous infusion resulted in a longer fT > MIC in all compartments except for the bone compartments. No differences between groups were seen when applying a MIC-target of 64 mg/L. (4) Conclusions: An aggressive dosing strategy may be necessary to obtain sufficient piperacillin concentrations in all bone compartments, particularly if more aggressive targets are applied. Based on the present study, continuous infusion should be considered in the treatment of PJI.

Continuous Piperacillin-Tazobactam Infusion Improves Clinical Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients with Sepsis: A Retrospective, Single-Centre Study

Continuous infusion of beta-lactam antibiotics has emerged as an alternative for the treatment of sepsis because of the favourable pharmacokinetics of continuous infusion. This study aimed to evaluate the survival benefits of continuous vs. intermittent infusion of piperacillin-tazobactam in critically ill patients with sepsis. We retrospectively conducted a single-centre study of continuous infusion vs. intermittent infusion of piperacillin-tazobactam for adult patients who met the Sepsis-3 criteria and were treated at a medical ICU within 48 h after hospitalisation between 1 May 2018 and 30 April 2020. The primary outcome was mortality at 28 days. A total of 157 patients (47 in the continuous group and 110 in the intermittent group) met the inclusion criteria for evaluation. The 28-day mortality rates were 12.8% in the continuous group and 27.3% in the intermittent group (p = 0.07). However, after adjustment for potential covariables, patients in the continuous group (12.8%) showed significantly lower mortality at 28 days than those in the intermittent group (27.3%; adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 0.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.13-0.79; p = 0.013). In sepsis patients, continuous infusion of piperacillin-tazobactam may confer a benefit regarding the avoidance of mortality at 28 days compared with intermittent infusion.

Model-Informed Translation of In Vitro Effects of Short-, Prolonged- and Continuous-Infusion Meropenem against Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Clinical Settings

Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PKPD) models have met increasing interest as tools to identify potential efficacious antibiotic dosing regimens in vitro and in vivo. We sought to investigate the impact of diversely shaped clinical pharmacokinetic profiles of meropenem on the growth/killing patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ARU552, MIC = 16 mg/L) over time using a semi-mechanistic PKPD model and a PK/PD index-based approach. Bacterial growth/killing were driven by the PK profiles of six patient populations (infected adults, burns, critically ill, neurosurgery, obese patients) given varied pathogen features (e.g., EC50, growth rate, inoculum), patient characteristics (e.g., creatinine clearance), and ten dosing regimens (including two dose levels and 0.5-h, 3-h and continuous-infusion regimens). Conclusions regarding the most favourable dosing regimen depended on the assessment of (i) the total bacterial load or fT>MIC (time that unbound concentrations exceed the minimum inhibitory concentration); (ii) the median or P0.95 profile of the population; and (iii) 8 h or 24 h time points. Continuous infusion plus loading dose as well as 3-h infusions (3-h infusions: e.g., for scenarios associated with low meropenem concentrations, P0.95 profiles, and MIC ≥ 16 mg/L) appeared superior to standard 0.5-h infusions at 24 h. The developed platform can serve to identify promising strategies of efficacious dosing for clinical trials.

Optimizing antibiotic therapies to reduce the risk of bacterial resistance

The incidence of infections caused by bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics is constantly increasing. In Europe alone, it has been estimated that each year about 33'000 deaths are attributable to such infections. One important driver of antimicrobial resistance is the use and abuse of antibiotics in human medicine. Inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics is still very frequent: up to 50% of all antimicrobials prescribed in humans might be unnecessary and several studies show that at least 50% of antibiotic treatments are inadequate, depending on the setting. Possible strategies to optimize antibiotic use in everyday clinical practice and to reduce the risk of inducing bacterial resistance include: the implementation of rapid microbiological diagnostics for identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, the use of inflammation markers to guide initiation and duration of therapies, the reduction of standard durations of antibiotic courses, the individualization of antibiotic therapies and dosing considering pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics targets, and avoiding antibiotic classes carrying a higher risk for induction of bacterial resistance. Importantly, measures to improve antibiotic prescribing and antibiotic stewardship programs should focus on facilitating clinical reasoning and improving prescribing environment in order to remove any barriers to good prescribing.

An optimal extended-infusion dosing of cefepime and ceftazidime in critically ill patients with continuous renal replacement therapy

PURPOSE

This study aimed to determine optimal extended-infusion dosing regimens for cefepime and ceftazidime in critically ill patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy using Monte Carlo Simulations (MCS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pharmacokinetic models were built using published pharmacokinetic/demographic data to predict drug disposition in 5000 virtual critically ill patients receiving continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) with the standard (20-30 mL/kg/h) and a higher (40 mL/kg/h) effluent rates. MCS was performed to assess the probability of target attainment (PTA) of four cefepime and ceftazidime doses administered over 4-h with the target of ≥60% fT > 4×MIC. The lowest dose attaining PTA ≥90% during the first 48-h was considered optimal. Additionally, risk of drug toxicity was assessed at 48-h using suggested neurotoxicity thresholds.

RESULTS

Cefepime 2 g loading dose (LD), then extended-infusion of 2 g q8hr was optimal in CVVH at 20 mL/kg/h and the same ceftazidime dose was optimal in CVVH at 20-30 mL/kg/h. Higher cefepime and ceftazidime doses were required to be optimal at higher effluent rates. This optimal dose particularly for cefepime likely increases neurotoxicity risk in most virtual patients with all CVVH settings.

CONCLUSIONS

Cefepime and ceftazidime 2 g LD, followed by extended-infusion 2 g q8hr may be optimal in CVVH with standard effluent rates.

Effect of Different Piperacillin-Tazobactam Dosage Regimens on Synergy of the Combination with Tobramycin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the Pharmacokinetics of Critically Ill Patients in a Dynamic Infection Model

We evaluated piperacillin-tazobactam and tobramycin regimens against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from critically ill patients. Static-concentration time-kill studies (SCTK) assessed piperacillin-tazobactam and tobramycin monotherapies and combinations against four isolates over 72 h. A 120 h-dynamic in vitro infection model (IVM) investigated isolates Pa1281 (MICpiperacillin 4 mg/L, MICtobramycin 0.5 mg/L) and CR380 (MICpiperacillin 32 mg/L, MICtobramycin 1 mg/L), simulating the pharmacokinetics of: (A) tobramycin 7 mg/kg q24 h (0.5 h-infusions, t1/2 = 3.1 h); (B) piperacillin 4 g q4 h (0.5 h-infusions, t1/2 = 1.5 h); (C) piperacillin 24 g/day, continuous infusion; A + B; A + C. Total and less-susceptible bacteria were determined. SCTK demonstrated synergy of the combination for all isolates. In the IVM, regimens A and B provided initial killing, followed by extensive regrowth by 72 h for both isolates. C provided >4 log10 CFU/mL killing, followed by regrowth close to initial inoculum by 96 h for Pa1281, and suppressed growth to <4 log10 CFU/mL for CR380. A and A + B initially suppressed counts of both isolates to <1 log10 CFU/mL, before regrowth to control or starting inoculum and resistance emergence by 72 h. Overall, the combination including intermittent piperacillin-tazobactam did not provide a benefit over tobramycin monotherapy. A + C, the combination regimen with continuous infusion of piperacillin-tazobactam, provided synergistic killing (counts <1 log10 CFU/mL) of Pa1281 and CR380, and suppressed regrowth to <2 and <4 log10 CFU/mL, respectively, and resistance emergence over 120 h. The shape of the concentration-time curve was important for synergy of the combination.

Timing of antibiotic therapy in the ICU

Severe or life threatening infections are common among patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Most infections in the ICU are bacterial or fungal in origin and require antimicrobial therapy for clinical resolution. Antibiotics are the cornerstone of therapy for infected critically ill patients. However, antibiotics are often not optimally administered resulting in less favorable patient outcomes including greater mortality. The timing of antibiotics in patients with life threatening infections including sepsis and septic shock is now recognized as one of the most important determinants of survival for this population. Individuals who have a delay in the administration of antibiotic therapy for serious infections can have a doubling or more in their mortality. Additionally, the timing of an appropriate antibiotic regimen, one that is active against the offending pathogens based on in vitro susceptibility, also influences survival. Thus not only is early empiric antibiotic administration important but the selection of those agents is crucial as well. The duration of antibiotic infusions, especially for β-lactams, can also influence antibiotic efficacy by increasing antimicrobial drug exposure for the offending pathogen. However, due to mounting antibiotic resistance, aggressive antimicrobial de-escalation based on microbiology results is necessary to counterbalance the pressures of early broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. In this review, we examine time related variables impacting antibiotic optimization as it relates to the treatment of life threatening infections in the ICU. In addition to highlighting the importance of antibiotic timing in the ICU we hope to provide an approach to antimicrobials that also minimizes the unnecessary use of these agents. Such approaches will increasingly be linked to advances in molecular microbiology testing and artificial intelligence/machine learning. Such advances should help identify patients needing empiric antibiotic therapy at an earlier time point as well as the specific antibiotics required in order to avoid unnecessary administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Managing overlap of primary study results across systematic reviews: practical considerations for authors of overviews of reviews

BACKGROUND

Overviews often identify and synthesise a large number of systematic reviews on the same topic, which is likely to lead to overlap (i.e. duplication) in primary studies across the reviews. Using a primary study result multiple times in the same analysis overstates its sample size and number of events, falsely leading to greater precision in the analysis. This paper aims to: (a) describe types of overlapping data that arise from the same primary studies reported across multiple reviews, (b) describe methods to identify and explain overlap of primary study data, and (c) present six case studies illustrating different approaches to manage overlap.

METHODS

We first updated the search in PubMed for methods from the MOoR framework relating to overlap of primary studies. One author screened the studies titles and abstracts, and any full-text articles retrieved, extracted methods data relating to overlap of primary studies and mapped it to the overlap methods from the MOoR framework. We also describe six case studies as examples of overviews that use specific overlap methods across the steps in the conduct of an overview. For each case study, we discuss potential methodological implications in terms of limitations, efficiency, usability, and resource use.

RESULTS

Nine methods studies were found and mapped to the methods identified by the MOoR framework to address overlap. Overlap methods were mapped across four steps in the conduct of an overview - the eligibility criteria step, the data extraction step, the assessment of risk of bias step, and the synthesis step. Our overview case studies used multiple methods to reduce overlap at different steps in the conduct of an overview.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study underlines that there is currently no standard methodological approach to deal with overlap in primary studies across reviews. The level of complexity when dealing with overlap can vary depending on the yield, trends and patterns of the included literature and the scope of the overview question. Choosing a method might be dependent on the number of included reviews and their primary studies. Gaps in evaluation of methods to address overlap were found and further investigation in this area is needed.