EROS: a new software for early stage of systematic reviews

GLUJOVSKY, D; BARDACH, ARIEL; GARCIA MARTÍ, SEBASTIAN; COMANDE, D; CIAPPONI, AGUSTÍN

Colorado

Conferencia; XVIII Cochrane Colloquium. The Joint Colloquium of the Cochrane & Campbell Collaborations.; 2010

Background: Sometimes, the workload involved in performing a sound systematic review (SR) is underestimated. When performing a SR, one of the most important steps is a first very sensitive screening of the studies, usually done by pairs of independent reviewers. This process is not only time-consuming, but it also is complicated, tiresome, and prone to mistakes. A computer-software designed to cope with the overwork of the initial phases of a SR would be of great help. There is a generalized lack of development in this regard, and the available options are not very accessible. Even RevMan 5.0.23 does not include such functionality yet. Objectives: The objective of this study is to show the advances in the development of a web-based software to serve in the initial phases of a SR process. Methods: We developed a new online software that helps in performing the first following consecutive stages of a SR: importation of citation from a reference manager software (Endnote), screening by title/abstract, first consensus, uploading of full-text, screening by full-text (tracking exclusion reasons), second consensus based on full-text, and distribution of full-text for quality assessment and data collection. Its main characteristics are: a) ability to manage different projects; b) differentiation of roles assigned to reviewers, administrators and librarians; c) possibility to work simultaneously in a multi-language environment; d) adequate, equitable and timely delivery of full-texts for evaluation and data abstraction (thus reducing email overload and delays); e) real-time tracking of the whole process for each role; f) building the study flowchart; g) possibility to work simultaneously in different SR s stages; h) configurable inclusion/exclusion criteria and other relevant features. Results: Results will be shown during the Colloquium. Conclusions: A computerized tool that organizes the initial phases in SR saves time, reduces workload for each involved role, and probably enhances SR s methodological quality.