A process for prioritising systematic reviews in tinnitus

Sereda, Magdalena; McFerran, Don; Axon, Emma; Baguley, David M.; Hall, Deborah A.; Potgieter, Iskra; Cima, Rilana; Cox, Samantha; Hoare, Derek J.

Abstract

© 2020 British Society of Audiology, International Society of Audiology, and Nordic Audiological Society. Objective: To develop an innovative prioritisation process to identify topics for new or updated systematic reviews of tinnitus research. Design: A two-stage prioritisation process was devised. First, a scoping review assessed the amount of randomized controlled trial-level evidence available. This enabled development of selection criteria for future reviews, aided the design of template protocol and suggested the scale of work that would be required to conduct these reviews. Second, using the pre-defined primary and secondary criteria, interventions were prioritised for systematic review. Study sample: Searches identified 1080 records. After removal of duplicates and out of scope works, 437 records remained for full data charting. Results: The process was tested, using subjective tinnitus as the clinical condition and using Cochrane as the systematic review platform. The criteria produced by this process identified three high priority reviews: (1) Sound therapy using amplification devices and/or sound generators; (2) Betahistine and (3) Cognitive behaviour therapy. Further secondary priorities were: (4) Gingko biloba, (5) Anxiolytics, (6) Hypnotics, (7) Antiepileptics and (8) Neuromodulation. Conclusions: A process was developed which successfully identified priority areas for Cochrane systematic reviews of interventions for subjective tinnitus. This technique could easily be transferred to other conditions and other types of systematic reviews.

Citation

Sereda, M., McFerran, D., Axon, E., Baguley, D. M., Hall, D. A., Potgieter, I., …Hoare, D. J. (2020). A process for prioritising systematic reviews in tinnitus. International Journal of Audiology, 59(8), 640-646. https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2020.1733677

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 10, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Mar 5, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020
• Deposit Date: Mar 13, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 6, 2021
• Journal: International Journal of Audiology
• Print ISSN: 1499-2027
• Electronic ISSN: 1708-8186
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 59
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 640-646
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2020.1733677
• Keywords: Speech and Hearing; Linguistics and Language; Language and Linguistics
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4100702
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14992027.2020.1733677
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Audiology on 5 March 2020, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14992027.2020.1733677