Journal
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
Volume 75, Issue -, Pages 56-65Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2016.01.020
Keywords
Bias; Data interpretation; Distortion; Spin; Systematic reviews; Classification
Funding
- Fondation pour la Recherche Medicale [FDT20140930875]
- University Research Chair
- Cancer Research UK [16895] Funding Source: researchfish
- National Institute for Health Research [NF-SI-0513-10131] Funding Source: researchfish
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Objectives: We aimed to (1) identify and classify spin (i.e., a description that overstates efficacy and/or understates harm) in systematic reviews and (2) rank spin in abstracts of systematic reviews according to their severity (i.e., the likelihood of distorting readers' interpretation of the results). Study Design: First, we used a four-phase consensus process to develop a classification of different types of spin. Second, we ranked the types of spin in abstracts according to their severity using a Q-sort survey with members of the Cochrane Collaboration. Results: We identified 39 types of spin, 28 from the main text and 21 from the abstract; 13 were specific to the systematic review design. Spin was classified into three categories: (1) misleading reporting, (2) misleading interpretation, and (3) inappropriate extrapolation. Spin ranked as the most severe by the 122 people who participated in the survey were (1) recommendations for clinical practice not supported by findings in the conclusion, (2) misleading title, and (3) selective reporting. Conclusion: This study allowed for identifying spin that is likely to distort interpretation. Our classification could help authors, editors, and reviewers avoid spin in reports of systematic reviews. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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