Andrea Tricco

• PhD, MSc
• Researcher at St. Michael's Hospital

Systematic reviews with network meta-analysis (NMA) have potential biases in their conduct, analysis, and interpretation. If the results or conclusions of an NMA are integrated into policy or practice without any consideration of risks of bias, decisions could unknowingly be based on incorrect results, which could translate to poor patient outcomes...

Background In microsimulation models of diseases with an early, acute phase requiring short cycle lengths followed by a chronic phase, fixed short cycles may lead to computational inefficiency. Examples include epidemic or resource constraint models with early short cycles where long-term economic consequences are of interest for individuals surviv...

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effectiveness of different SARS‐CoV‐2 testing strategies in reducing COVID‐19 cases, hospitalisations, and deaths among suspected cases and asymptomatic individuals.

Background Patient and public involvement (PPI), also called patient engagement, patient partnership, or consumer involvement, holds potential to change approaches and outcomes in research and healthcare. All research teams have complex power dynamics, including those with patient/public members. We present our perceptions and understandings of pow...

STANDFIRST This scoping review represents the initial step in updating the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for network meta-analysis (NMA) to improve the usability and relevance of systematic reviews with NMA for diverse audiences. The update will address gaps in reporting, such as documenting m...

Objective The objective of this scoping review will be to describe existing guidance documents or studies reporting on the conduct of meta-analyses in updated systematic reviews (USRs) or living systematic reviews (LSRs). Introduction The rapid increase in the medical literature poses a substantial challenge in keeping systematic reviews up to dat...

Objective The objective of this scoping review is to develop a list of items for potential inclusion in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines for network meta-analysis (NMA), scoping reviews (ScRs), and rapid reviews (RRs). Introduction The PRISMA extensions for NMA and ScRs were publi...

Background With a shortage of geriatricians and an aging population, strategies are needed to optimise the distribution of geriatricians across different healthcare settings (acute care, rehabilitation and community clinics). The perspectives of knowledge users on staffing geriatricians in different healthcare settings are unknown. We aimed to unde...

Background Geriatric rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary intervention that promotes functional recovery in older adults. Our objective was to assess the efficacy of geriatric rehabilitation in inpatient and geriatric day hospital settings. Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, PEDro and Ag...

The underrepresentation of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in health research limits the understanding of intervention impacts across diverse populations. This study aims to assess the extent of EDI consideration in SARS-CoV-2 testing strategy research and highlight the need for integrating these aspects into health research.

Objective The objectives of this review are to identify barriers/facilitators to designing, maintaining, and utilizing rare disease patient registries (RDPRs); determine whether and how these differ among patient partners, other knowledge users (KUs), and researchers; and chart definitions of rare diseases and RDPRs. Introduction RDPRs are vital t...

Recently, Ades and colleagues discussed the controversies and advancements in network meta‐analysis (NMA) over the past two decades, discussing its reliability, assumptions, novel approaches, and provided some useful recommendations for the conduction of NMAs. The present discussion paper builds on the insights by Ades and colleagues, providing a r...

Rapid reviews (RRs) are produced using abbreviated methods compared with standard systematic reviews (SR) to expedite the process for decision-making. This paper provides interim guidance to support the complete reporting of RRs. Recommendations emerged from a survey informed by empirical studies of RR reporting, in addition to collective experienc...

Purpose Although comprehensive and widespread guidelines on how to conduct systematic reviews of outcome measurement instruments (OMIs) exist, for example from the COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) initiative, key information is often missing in published reports. This article describes the devel...

Purpose Although comprehensive and widespread guidelines on how to conduct systematic reviews of outcome measurement instruments (OMIs) exist, for example from the COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) initiative, key information is often missing in published reports. This article describes the devel...

Purpose Although comprehensive and widespread guidelines on how to conduct systematic reviews of outcome measurement instruments (OMIs) exist, for example from the COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) initiative, key information is often missing in published reports. This article describes the devel...

Background Systematic reviews (SRs) are being published at an accelerated rate. Decision-makers may struggle with comparing and choosing between multiple SRs on the same topic. We aimed to understand how healthcare decision-makers (eg, practitioners, policymakers, researchers) use SRs to inform decision-making and to explore the potential role of a...

Objectives To compare the efficacy of influenza vaccines of any valency for adults 60 years and older. Design and setting Systematic review with network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). MEDLINE, EMBASE, JBI Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Database, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Evidence -Based Medicine database were searched from...

Background Various studies have demonstrated gender disparities in workplace settings and the need for further intervention. This study identifies and examines evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on interventions examining gender equity in workplace or volunteer settings. An additional aim was to determine whether interventions consid...

Aims To explore youth, caregiver and staff perspectives on their vision of trauma‐informed care, and to identify and understand potential considerations for the implementation of a trauma‐informed care programme in an inpatient mental health unit within a paediatric hospital. Design and Methods We applied the Interpretive Description approach, gui...

Some patients with back pain contribute disproportionately to high healthcare costs; however, characteristics of high-cost users with back pain are not well defined. We described high-cost healthcare users based on total costs among a population-based cohort of adults with back pain within the Ontario government's single-payer health system across...

Objectives To identify, chart and analyse the literature on recent initiatives to improve long-term care (LTC) coverage, financial protection and financial sustainability for persons aged 60 and older. Design Rapid scoping review. Data sources Four databases and four sources of grey literature were searched for reports published between 2017 and...

Introduction Network meta-analyses (NMAs) have gained popularity and grown in number due to their ability to provide estimates of the comparative effectiveness of multiple treatments for the same condition. The aim of this study is to conduct a methodological review to compile a preliminary list of concepts related to bias in NMAs. Methods and ana...

This scoping review aims to identify and systematically review published mapping reviews to assess their commonality and heterogeneity and determine whether additional efforts should be made to standardise methodology and reporting. The following databases were searched; Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Campbell collaboration database, Socia...

Chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) is a prevalent and disabling condition that often requires rehabilitation interventions to improve function and alleviate pain. This paper aims to advance future research, including systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials (RCTs), on CPLBP management. We provide methodological and reporting recommend...

Purpose Evaluate benefits and harms of education/advice for chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) in adults to inform a World Health Organization (WHO) standard clinical guideline. Methods Electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing education/advice compared with placebo/sham, usual care, or no intervention...

Purpose To evaluate benefits and harms of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) in adults to inform a World Health Organization (WHO) standard clinical guideline. Methods We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from various electronic databases from July 1, 2007 to March 9, 2022. E...

Purpose Evaluate benefits and harms of structured exercise programs for chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) in adults to inform a World Health Organization (WHO) standard clinical guideline. Methods We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in electronic databases (inception to 17 May 2022). Eligible RCTs targeted structured exercise p...

As commissioned by the WHO, we updated and expanded the scope of four systematic reviews to inform its (in development) clinical practice guideline for the management of CPLBP in adults, including older adults. Methodological details and results of each review are described in the respective articles in this series. In the last article of this seri...

Purpose Evaluate benefits and harms of needling therapies (NT) for chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) in adults to inform a World Health Organization (WHO) standard clinical guideline. Methods Electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing NT compared with placebo/sham, usual care, or no intervention (compa...

Introduction Rapid identification of severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infections by testing potentially reduced coronavirus disease‐19 (COVID‐19) cases. Testing strategies varied across countries and during different stages of the pandemic. This scoping review aims to map the available evidence on the effectiveness of SA...

Background There is increasing evidence that co-design can lead to more engaging, acceptable, relevant, feasible, and even effective interventions. However, no guidance is provided on the specific designs and associated methods or methodologies involved in the process. We propose the development of the Preferred Components for Co-design in Research...

Trauma-informed care (TIC) is an approach to care emerging in research and in practice that involves addressing the needs of individuals with histories of trauma. The aim of this scoping review was to examine the current literature relating to TIC interventions used in pediatric mental health inpatient and residential settings. We sought to answer...

Trauma-informed care (TIC) is an approach to care emerging in research and in practice that involves addressing the needs of individuals with histories of trauma. The aim of this scoping review was to examine the current literature relating to TIC interventions used in pediatric mental health inpatient and residential settings. We sought to answer...

Objective We conducted a systematic review to evaluate associations between influenza vaccination during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes and maternal non-obstetric serious adverse events (SAEs), taking into consideration confounding and temporal biases. Methods Electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE ALL, Embase Classic+Embase and the Cochrane Cen...

Background There is growing evidence that context mediates the effects of implementation interventions intended to increase healthcare professionals’ use of research evidence in clinical practice. However, conceptual clarity about what comprises context is elusive. The purpose of this study was to advance conceptual clarity on context by developing...

Background Chronic disease management (CDM) through sustained knowledge translation (KT) interventions ensures long-term, high-quality care. We assessed implementation of KT interventions for supporting CDM and their efficacy when sustained in older adults. Methods Design: Systematic review with meta-analysis engaging 17 knowledge users using inte...

Introduction Rapid systematic reviews (RRs) have the potential to provide timely information to decision-makers, thus directly impacting healthcare. However, consensus regarding the most efficient approaches to performing RRs and the presence of several unaddressed methodological issues pose challenges. With such a large potential research agenda f...

BACKGROUND There is increasing evidence that co-design can lead to more engaging, acceptable, relevant, feasible, and even effective interventions. However, no guidance is provided on the specific designs and associated methods or methodologies involved in the process. We propose the development of the Preferred Components for Co-design in Research...

Background Demand for rapid evidence-based syntheses to inform health policy and systems decision-making has increased worldwide, including in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To promote use of rapid syntheses in LMICs, the WHO’s Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (AHPSR) created the Embedding Rapid Reviews in Health Systems D...

Objective: Data extraction is a prerequisite for analyzing, summarizing and interpreting evidence in systematic reviews. Yet guidance is limited, and little is known about current approaches. We surveyed systematic reviewers on their current approaches to data extraction, opinions on methods and research needs. Study design and setting: We devel...

Background: There is a large body of evidence evaluating quality improvement (QI) programmes to improve care for adults living with diabetes. These programmes are often comprised of multiple QI strategies, which may be implemented in various combinations. Decision-makers planning to implement or evaluate a new QI programme, or both, need reliable...

BACKGROUND Electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) is an approach designed to assist in facilitating safe and appropriate prescriptions for patients. Currently, it is unknown to what extent e-prescribing can influence the use of opioids and their specific clinical outcomes. To address this gap, a rapid scoping review was conducted. OBJECTIVE The ob...

Background e-Prescribing is designed to assist in facilitating safe and appropriate prescriptions for patients. Currently, it is unknown to what extent e-prescribing for opioids influences experiences and outcomes. To address this gap, a rapid scoping review was conducted. Objective This rapid scoping review aims to (1) explore how e-prescribing h...

Background Evidence has shown that private industry-sponsored randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses are more likely to report intervention-favourable results compared with other sources of funding. However, this has not been assessed in network meta-analyses (NMAs). Objectives To (a) explore the recommendation rate of industry-spon...

Objectives: To demonstrate how the 22-item Patient Engagement In Research Scale (PEIRS-22) can be used to develop recommendations for improving the meaningfulness of patient engagement. Study design and setting: PEIRS-22 previously captured quantitative evaluation data from 15 patient partners in a self-study of Strategy for Patient-Oriented Res...

Background: Among people who inject drugs, frequent injecting and experiencing withdrawal are associated with facilitating others' first injections. As these factors may reflect an underlying substance use disorder, we investigated whether first-line oral opioid agonist treatment (OAT; methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone) reduces the likelihood th...

Background Preliminary evidence suggests that people who inject drugs (PWID) may be at an increased risk of developing infective endocarditis (IE), hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and/or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection from hydromorphone controlled-release formulation. The hypothesized mechanism is related to insolubility of the dru...

Background Rapid reviews (RRs) have been used to provide timely evidence for policymakers, health providers, and the public in several healthcare scenarios, most recently during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Despite the essential role of diagnosis in clinical management, data about how to perform RRs of diagnostic tests are scarce. We aime...

Background The global spread of COVID-19 created an explosion in rapid tests with results in < 1 hour, but their relative performance characteristics are not fully understood yet. Our aim was to determine the most sensitive and specific rapid test for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Methods Design: Rapid review and diagnostic test accuracy network me...

Scoping reviews, mapping reviews, and evidence and gap maps are evidence synthesis methodologies that address broad research questions, aiming to describe a bigger picture rather than address a specific question about intervention effectiveness. They are being increasingly used to support a range of purposes including guiding research priorities an...

Objectives To chart the global literature on gender equity in academic health research. Design Scoping review. Participants Quantitative studies were eligible if they examined gender equity within academic institutions including health researchers. Primary and secondary outcome measures Outcomes related to equity across gender and other social i...

Objectives To identify ML tools in hospital settings and how they were implemented to inform decision-making for patient care through a scoping review. We investigated the following research questions: What ML interventions have been used to inform decision-making for patient care in hospital settings? What strategies have been used to implement th...

This review examines the effectiveness of positive parenting interventions aimed at improving sensitivity, responsiveness, and/or non-harsh discipline on children’s early cognitive skills, in four meta-analyses addressing general mental abilities, language, executive functioning, and pre-academics. The objectives are to assess the magnitude of inte...

Pediatric anxiety disorders (AD) are prevalent disorders with an impact on all aspects of a child's life and functioning.1 Although evidence supports commonly used treatments, there are notable concerns with the research to date.2 Heterogeneity in outcome selection, measurement, analysis, and reporting is a contributing factor to the hinderance of...

Purpose Model-based economic evaluations require conceptualization of the model structure. Our objectives were to identify important health states, events, and patient attributes to be included in a model-based cost-effectiveness analysis of fall prevention interventions, to develop a model structure to examine cost-effectiveness of fall prevention...