Gap finder
Search review questions
Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.
2,325 questions in 216 reviews · Airways
current versionsNo studies 249 · 10.7%Ungraded 107 · 4.6%Very low 276 · 11.9%Low 751 · 32.3%Moderate 718 · 30.9%High 224 · 9.6%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Enhanced education vs control versus usual care Other outcomes · adults and children with asthma Interventions to improve inhaler technique for people with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Multimedia training vs control versus usual care Correct inhaler technique Immediately after intervention · adults and children with asthma Interventions to improve inhaler technique for people with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | OR 2.15 [0.84, 5.5] | 2 studies · 164 participants | Moderate |
Multimedia training vs control versus usual care Correct inhaler technique 2‐Week · adults and children with asthma Interventions to improve inhaler technique for people with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | OR 1.78 [0.4, 7.94] | 1 study · 28 participants | Low |
Multimedia training vs control versus usual care Inhaler technique score · adults and children with asthma Interventions to improve inhaler technique for people with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 136 participants | Ungraded |
Intervention NR Health‐related quality of life (respiratory specific) St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ; total score) Scale from 0‐100 Lower value post intervention is favourable, indicating improvement in health‐related quality of life · people with stable COPD Singing for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 58 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Health‐related quality of life (generic) SF‐36 (Physical Component Summary (PCS) score) Scale from 0‐100 Higher value post intervention is favourable, indicating improvement in health‐related quality of life · people with stable COPD Singing for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 52 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Health‐related quality of life (generic) SF‐36 (Mental Component Sumary (MCS) score) Scale from 0‐100 Higher value post intervention is favourable, indicating improvement in health‐related quality of life · people with stable COPD Singing for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 52 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Dyspnoea Basal Dyspnea Index (BDI) (score) Scale from 0‐12 Higher value post intervention is favourable, indicating improvement in dyspnoea · people with stable COPD Singing for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 30 participants | Very low |
Shared decision‐making vs usual care Asthma‐related quality of life ( · adults and children with asthma Shared decision‐making for people with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | OR 1.9 [1.24, 2.91] | 1 study · 371 participants | Moderate |
Shared decision‐making vs usual care Parent/patient satisfaction · adults and children with asthma Shared decision‐making for people with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Shared decision‐making vs usual care Medication adherence ( · adults and children with asthma Shared decision‐making for people with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 371 participants | Moderate |
Shared decision‐making vs usual care Exacerbations of asthma ( · adults and children with asthma Shared decision‐making for people with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | OR 0.29 [0.05, 1.6] | 1 study · 53 participants | Low |
Shared decision‐making vs usual care Asthma control ( · adults and children with asthma Shared decision‐making for people with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | OR 1.9 [1.26, 2.87] | 1 study · 371 participants | Moderate |
Shared decision‐making vs usual care Adverse events (all) · adults and children with asthma Shared decision‐making for people with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Intervention NR Asthma‐related quality of life (PAQLQ) · adolescents with asthma Lay‐led and peer support interventions for adolescents with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 578 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Asthma‐related quality of life (MCID) · adolescents with asthma Lay‐led and peer support interventions for adolescents with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 251 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Asthma control Scale (range, score) ACT (5‐23) and ACQ (4‐16) · adolescents with asthma Lay‐led and peer support interventions for adolescents with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 166 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Unscheduled visits 9 months · adolescents with asthma Lay‐led and peer support interventions for adolescents with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 84 participants | Ungraded |
Intervention NR Medication adherence 2.5 months · adolescents with asthma Lay‐led and peer support interventions for adolescents with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 68 participants | Ungraded |
Intervention NR Smoking 3 to 4 months · adolescents with asthma Lay‐led and peer support interventions for adolescents with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 244 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Adverse events · adolescents with asthma Lay‐led and peer support interventions for adolescents with asthma (2017) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Intervention NR Early mortality (90 days) · patients with diffuse emphysema Lung volume reduction surgery for diffuse emphysema (2016) · Cochrane | OR 6.16 [3.22, 11.79] | 5 studies · 1489 participants | Moderate |
Intervention NR Long‐term mortality (> 36 months) · patients with diffuse emphysema Lung volume reduction surgery for diffuse emphysema (2016) · Cochrane | OR 0.76 [0.61, 0.95] | 2 studies · 1280 participants | Moderate |
Intervention NR Change in total scores SGRQ (end of · patients with diffuse emphysema Lung volume reduction surgery for diffuse emphysema (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 1326 participants | Moderate |
Intervention NR Walking distance (end of · patients with diffuse emphysema Lung volume reduction surgery for diffuse emphysema (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 215 participants | Low |
Intervention NR FEV1 (end of · patients with diffuse emphysema Lung volume reduction surgery for diffuse emphysema (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 4 studies · 188 participants | Low |
Intervention NR RV (end of · patients with diffuse emphysema Lung volume reduction surgery for diffuse emphysema (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 4 studies · 177 participants | Low |
Intervention NR TLC (end of · patients with diffuse emphysema Lung volume reduction surgery for diffuse emphysema (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 4 studies · 178 participants | Low |
Action plan vs usual care Hospitalisations for COPD/100 patient‐years (action plan + phone · individuals with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Action plans with brief patient education for exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | Rate ratio 0.69 [0.47, 1.01] | 1 study · 743 participants | Moderate |
Action plan vs usual care Hospitalisations and emergency visits for COPD/100 patient‐years (action plan + phone · individuals with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Action plans with brief patient education for exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | Rate ratio 0.59 [0.44, 0.79] | 1 study · 743 participants | High |
Action plan vs usual care At least 1 hospital admission · individuals with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Action plans with brief patient education for exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | Odds ratio 0.69 [0.49, 0.97] | 2 studies · 897 participants | Moderate |
Action plan vs usual care Mortality (all‐cause) · individuals with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Action plans with brief patient education for exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | Odds ratio 0.88 [0.59, 1.31] | 4 studies · 1134 participants | Moderate |
Action plan vs usual care Courses of oral corticosteroids · individuals with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Action plans with brief patient education for exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 200 participants | Moderate |
Action plan vs usual care Courses of antibiotics · individuals with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Action plans with brief patient education for exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 943 participants | Moderate |
Action plan vs usual care Respiratory‐related quality of life: SGRQ overall score Scale from 0 (best) to 100 (maximum impairment) · individuals with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Action plans with brief patient education for exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 1009 participants | Moderate |
Action plan vs usual care Depression score · individuals with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Action plans with brief patient education for exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 154 participants | Low |
Pulmonary rehabilitation vs usual care Hospital readmission (to end of · participants with COPD who had experienced a recent exacerbation Pulmonary rehabilitation following exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | OR 0.44 [0.21, 0.91] | 8 studies · 810 participants | Moderate |
Pulmonary rehabilitation vs usual care Mortality (to end of · participants with COPD who had experienced a recent exacerbation Pulmonary rehabilitation following exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | OR 0.68 [0.28, 1.67] | 6 studies · 670 participants | Low |
Pulmonary rehabilitation vs usual care Health‐related quality of life: St George's Respiratory Questionnaire ‐ SGRQ: total score (to end of · participants with COPD who had experienced a recent exacerbation Pulmonary rehabilitation following exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 8 studies · 1003 participants | High |
Pulmonary rehabilitation vs usual care Change from baseline in 6‐minute walking test (to end of · participants with COPD who had experienced a recent exacerbation Pulmonary rehabilitation following exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 13 studies · 819 participants | High |
Intervention NR Breathlessness ‐ all trials Lower score indicates improvement in breathlessness · patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home oxygen therapy Oxygen for breathlessness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home… (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 32 studies · 865 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Breathlessness ‐ subgroup analysis ‐ studies using short‐burst oxygen Lower score indicates improvement in breathlessness · patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home oxygen therapy Oxygen for breathlessness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home… (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 4 studies · 90 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Breathlessness ‐ subgroup analysis ‐ studies not using short‐burst oxygen Lower score indicates improvement in breathlessness · patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home oxygen therapy Oxygen for breathlessness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home… (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 28 studies · 775 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Breathlessness ‐ subgroup analysis ‐ studies measuring during exercise test Lower score indicates improvement in breathlessness · patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home oxygen therapy Oxygen for breathlessness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home… (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 30 studies · 591 participants | Moderate |
Intervention NR Breathlessness ‐ subgroup analysis ‐ studies not measuring during exercise test Lower score indicates improvement in breathlessness · patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home oxygen therapy Oxygen for breathlessness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home… (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 274 participants | Low |
Intervention NR Health‐related quality of life ‐ all trials Higher scores indicate improved health‐related quality of life · patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home oxygen therapy Oxygen for breathlessness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who do not qualify for home… (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 267 participants | Low |
Tiotropium + LABA/ICS combination vs tiotropium Mortality (all‐cause) · patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Combination inhaled steroid and long‐acting beta₂‐agonist in addition to tiotropium versus tiotropium or… (2016) · Cochrane | OR 1.8 [0.55, 5.91] | 2 studies · 961 participants | Moderate |
Tiotropium + LABA/ICS combination vs tiotropium Hospital admission (all causes) · patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Combination inhaled steroid and long‐acting beta₂‐agonist in addition to tiotropium versus tiotropium or… (2016) · Cochrane | OR 0.84 [0.53, 1.33] | 2 studies · 961 participants | Low |
Tiotropium + LABA/ICS combination vs tiotropium Exacerbation ‐ at 12‐month · patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Combination inhaled steroid and long‐acting beta₂‐agonist in addition to tiotropium versus tiotropium or… (2016) · Cochrane | OR 0.89 [0.56, 1.41] | 1 study · 301 participants | Low |
Tiotropium + LABA/ICS combination vs tiotropium Serious adverse events (non‐fatal) · patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Combination inhaled steroid and long‐acting beta₂‐agonist in addition to tiotropium versus tiotropium or… (2016) · Cochrane | OR 0.86 [0.57, 1.3] | 4 studies · 1758 participants | Low |