PubMed Advanced Interface - V.
Running the Systematic Search
To run the
systematic search you will need to copy one from the tables below to Clipboard and paste
it into the PubMed search box. Return to the Preview/Index page and clear the top search
box. If you want to use the Haynes Therapy (specific) filter you would then copy and paste
(double
[WORD] AND blind* [WORD]) OR placebo [WORD] into the top box and press
Preview.
Table
1. Systematic Searches
| Category |
Search String (from Haynes et al.) |
Results |
| Therapy sensitivity |
"randomized controlled trial" [PTYP] OR "drug
therapy" [SH] OR "therapeutic use" [SH:NOEXP] OR "random*" [WORD] |
1196311 |
| Therapy specificity |
(double [WORD] AND blind* [WORD]) OR placebo [WORD] |
98649 |
| Diagnosis sensitivity |
"sensitivity and specificity" [MESH] OR
"sensitivity" [WORD] OR "diagnosis" [SH] OR "diagnostic use"
[SH] OR "specificity" [WORD] |
2640389 |
| Diagnosis specificity |
"sensitivity and specificity" [MESH] OR (
"predictive" [WORD] AND "value*" [WORD]) |
102645 |
| Aetiology sensitivity |
"cohort studies" [MESH] OR "risk" [MESH] OR
("odds" [WORD] AND "ratio*" [WORD]) OR ("relative" [WORD]
AND "risk" [WORD]) OR ("case" [WORD] AND "control*" [WORD]) |
628689 |
| Aetiology specificity |
"case-control studies" [MH:NOEXP] OR "cohort
studies" [MH:NOEXP] |
56309 |
| Prognosis sensitivity |
"incidence" [MESH] OR "mortality" [MESH] OR
"follow-up studies" [MESH] OR "mortality" [SH] OR prognos* [WORD] OR
predict* [WORD] OR course [WORD] |
1004204 |
| Prognosis specificity |
prognosis [MH:NOEXP] OR "survival analysis" [MH:NOEXP] |
178159 |
Table
2. Other Useful Searches
| Category |
Search String |
Comment |
| REVIEWS |
("systematic" [WORD] AND "review*" [WORD]) OR
("data" [WORD] AND "synthesis" [WORD]) OR ("published"
[WORD] AND "studies" [WORD]) OR ("data" [WORD] AND
"extraction" [WORD]) OR "meta-analysis" [MH:NOEXP] OR
"meta-analysis" [TI] |
Mid-range sensitivity/specificity search as recommended by NHS CRD. Note that PubMed has no ADJ
operator. See also article
in ACP for other search strategies for reviews. |
| IRRELEVANT |
("comment" [PTYP] OR "letter" [PTYP] OR
"editorial" [PTYP]) OR ("animal" [MH:NOEXP] NOT ("animal"
[MH:NOEXP] and "human" [MH:NOEXP])) |
Exclude irrelevant hits such as animal studies or letters by
combining with other search using the NOT operator. e.g. REVIEWS NOT IRRELEVANT |
| GUIDELINES |
guidelines [MESH] OR guideline [PTYP] OR "practice
guideline" [PTYP] OR "health planning guidelines" [MESH] OR guideline*
[WORD] OR recommend* [WORD] OR consensus [WORD] |
This search is based on recommendation from the Canadian Centres for Health Evidence |
Combining
the Subject and Systematic Searches
Combine
your subject search final line with your systematic search using syntax such as #1 AND #2 in the search box. Note that,
for PubMed, the Boolean operator must be in capitals (Ovid doesn't mind upper or lower
case) and the search numbers must be preceded by the hash character #. Press the "Go"
button to display the search results.
Tidying
Up
At this
stage you can tidy up your search. I often run my 'Irrelevant' search and combine it using
'NOT' to exclude letters, comments and editorials, and animal studies. In addition, you
can set the date range, and specify English language if you wish, using the Limits screen,
which is fairly intuitive.
Summary
Going through the steps
above has taken some time, but once you are familiar with the screens you can usually
complete a search in a couple of minutes. The preliminary search strategy is to: -
- Type in search string, which PubMed automatically maps to a MeSH (exploded) and textword
search, and Index it. This is the most sensitive
subject search.
- Execute the relevant
systematic search, and Index it.
- Combine the subject search and the systematic search on the Preview/Index screen, using
Boolean
AND.
- If you wish, add limits such as language and date.
If you find too many
results you can increase the specificity of the subject search by using MAJR (focus), and
by selecting only some of the floating sub-headings for your subject. You can also use a
more specific systematic search. |
