Evidence mapPaperPMID 27782847Full record

Trial reportTrials2016

Understanding variations in patient screening and recruitment in a multicentre pilot randomised controlled trial: a vignette-based study.

Paul Hilton, Brian S Buckley, Elaine McColl, Denise Howel, Douglas G Tincello, Catherine Brennand, INVESTIGATE studies group

Open access · goldAbstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Trials, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 31% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Using Vignette-Based Methodology to Examine Study Recruitment in Older African American Adults: A Methods Paper.Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine · 2021
    Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Paul HiltonFaculty of Medical Sciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK. paul.hilton@newcastle.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-2541-5195
Brian S BuckleyInstitute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
Elaine McCollInstitute for Health and Society, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
Denise HowelInstitute for Health and Society, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
Douglas G TincelloDepartment of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
Catherine BrennandNewcastle Clinical Trials Unit, Institute for Health and Society, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AE, UK.
INVESTIGATE studies group
Newcastle University · GBUniversity of Leicester · GBUniversity of Aberdeen · GBUniversity of the Philippines Manila · PH

Funding

Department of Health 09/22/136
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe INVESTIGATE-I study was designed to inform a future definitive randomised trial of invasive urodynamic testing, compared to basic clinical assessment with noninvasive tests prior to surgical treatment, in women with stress urinary incontinence or stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence. In a pilot randomised controlled trial, women from seven participating sites were screened, consented and randomised. Overall, 771 patients were identified from clinic notes and correspondence as being potential recruits and were sent the Patient Information Leaflet. Of those screened, 284 were deemed eligible, giving an overall 'screen positive' rate of 37 %. The numbers screened at individual centres varied between 14 and 399; the 'screen positive' rate varied between 22 and 79 % and the percentage of eligible women recruited varied between 55 and 100 %. The aim of this additional substudy was to explore why 'screen positive' rates may have varied so widely between apparently similar sites.

resultsAll 11 trial staff involved in screening in the seven recruiting sites were asked to evaluate a series of 20 identical vignettes, mainly based on actual general practitioner referral letters. Of the vignettes, 16 mentioned one or more definite inclusion criteria; the remainder had possible inclusions. Four had definite exclusions; 12 had possible exclusions. Free-text comments were sought to clarify the screeners' decisions. For six vignettes everyone agreed that the patient was eligible; for one all agreed she was not eligible; the breakdown for the remainder was mixed. Free-text comments illuminated uncertainties that may have led to variability in judging potential eligibility.

conclusionsVariability in judgements about potential trial eligibility highlights the importance of explicit and objective inclusion and exclusion criteria, and of agreed strategies for making judgements when information is missing. During the development and planning of trials, vignettes might be a valuable tool for training those involved in screening and recruiting patients, for identifying potential problems and ensuring greater consistency in the application of eligibility criteria.

trial registrationISTCTN registry: ISRCTN71327395 , registered on 7 June 2010.

Indexed as

Eligibility DeterminationPatient SelectionResearch SubjectsUrodynamicsHealthcare DisparitiesHumansJudgmentObserver VariationPilot ProjectsPredictive Value of TestsReproducibility of ResultsTherapeutic EquipoiseUnited KingdomUrinary BladderUrinary Incontinence, StressUrinary Incontinence, UrgeEligibilityEquipoiseRandomised controlled trialRecruitmentScreeningStress urinary incontinenceSurgeryUrodynamic investigationVignette

Identifiers

PMID27782847
PMCPMC5080689
OpenAlexW2538406216

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.