Proposal for a register of diagnostic test accuracy studies

Members of the Cochrane Diagnostic Reviews of Test Accuracy Working Group (CDRTA) have been exploring the feasibility of developing a register of diagnostic test accuracy studies similar to Cochrane’s CENTRAL register of controlled trials.

The group has developed a proposal which sets out a model for developing such a register. It considers issues such as searching, training, quality control, research possibilities, cost and funding. Comments about the model and the issues raised are welcome.

The main concern has been to develop a model that will ultimately provide an essential and useful resource to support Review Groups undertaking systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy studies, and which will at the same time limit the amount of extra work for Review Group staff, particularly Trials Search Co-ordinators.

The working group has secured enough funding from outside the Collaboration to enable the costs to be met for a one-year start-up and development phase for the register, beginning early 2006. This phase will consist of the following components:

        1.      Consultation with interested parties, including Trials Search Coordinators, Review Group Coordinators, Coordinating     Editors, the Cochrane Screening and Diagnostic Test Methods Group, the Steering Group, th CENTRAL Vision Group, the IMS, the Information Retrieval Methods Group, Fields and Centres.
        2.      Development of a structure for the register, including relevant fields and coding.
        3.      Development of protocols for searching MEDLINE  and screening records for inclusion in the register.
        4.      Consideration of training requirements for TSCs in assisting authors of diagnostic test accuracy reviews.

This project is at a very early stage, and it will take some time before the register evolves into the essential resource as envisioned by the Collaboration.

Once again, your input would be appreciated, so please take some time to read the proposal, and direct any comments to Ruth Mitchell.  

From:

Ruth Mitchell - Trials Search Coordinator, Cochrane Renal Group
Jon Deeks – CDRTA working group co-convenor
Patrick Bossuyt – CDRTA working group co-convenor
Constantine Gatsonis – CDRTA working group co-convenor
Jonathan Craig – CDRTA working group co-convenor

April 2006