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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.

Limit to evidence status or GRADE (optional)

2,395 questions in 172 reviews · Gut

current versions
No studies 420 · 17.5%Ungraded 60 · 2.5%Very low 821 · 34.3%Low 602 · 25.1%Moderate 397 · 16.6%High 95 · 4%

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.

QuestionEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Laparoscopic vs open transhiatal oesophagectomy
Serious adverse events (proportion) · patients with oesophageal cancer
Laparoscopic versus open transhiatal oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 0.49 [0.24, 0.99]3 studies · 213 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic vs open transhiatal oesophagectomy
Anastomotic stenosis · patients with oesophageal cancer
Laparoscopic versus open transhiatal oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.37 [0.33, 5.7]1 study · 73 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic vs open transhiatal oesophagectomy
Short‐term recurrence (within 6 months) · patients with oesophageal cancer
Laparoscopic versus open transhiatal oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 0.88 [0.04, 18.47]1 study · 20 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic vs open transhiatal oesophagectomy
Long‐term recurrence · patients with oesophageal cancer
Laparoscopic versus open transhiatal oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
HR 1 [0.84, 1.18]2 studies · 173 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic vs open transhiatal oesophagectomy
Adverse events (proportion) · patients with oesophageal cancer
Laparoscopic versus open transhiatal oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 0.64 [0.48, 0.86]3 studies · 213 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic vs open transhiatal oesophagectomy
Blood transfusion (proportion) · patients with oesophageal cancer
Laparoscopic versus open transhiatal oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 0.08 [0, 1.35]1 study · 73 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic vs open transhiatal oesophagectomy
Blood transfusion (quantity) · patients with oesophageal cancer
Laparoscopic versus open transhiatal oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 93 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy vs open distal pancreatectomy
Short‐term mortality · patients with pancreatic cancer
Laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer (2016) · Cochrane
OR 0.48 [0.11, 2.17]9 studies · 1451 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy vs open distal pancreatectomy
Long‐term mortality · patients with pancreatic cancer
Laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer (2016) · Cochrane
HR 0.96 [0.82, 1.12]3 studies · 277 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy vs open distal pancreatectomy
Serious adverse events (proportion) · patients with pancreatic cancer
Laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer (2016) · Cochrane
OR 1.79 [0.53, 6.06]3 studies · 206 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy vs open distal pancreatectomy
Pancreatic fistula (grade B or C) · patients with pancreatic cancer
Laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer (2016) · Cochrane
OR 1.19 [0.47, 3.02]4 studies · 246 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy vs open distal pancreatectomy
Recurrence at maximal · patients with pancreatic cancer
Laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer (2016) · Cochrane
OR 0.58 [0.32, 1.05]2 studies · 184 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy vs open distal pancreatectomy
Adverse events (proportion) · patients with pancreatic cancer
Laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer (2016) · Cochrane
OR 0.95 [0.54, 1.66]4 studies · 246 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy vs open distal pancreatectomy
Length of hospital stay · patients with pancreatic cancer
Laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted5 studies · 1068 participantsVery low
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy vs open distal pancreatectomy
Positive resection margins · patients with pancreatic cancer
Laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer (2016) · Cochrane
OR 0.74 [0.49, 1.1]10 studies · 1466 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Short‐term mortality · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Intervention NR
Open surgical drainage versus EUS‐guided drainage · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
OR 11.18 [0.56, 222.98]1 study · 40 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Hospital stay · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Intervention NR
Costs · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Intervention NR
Endoscopic drainage versus EUS‐guided drainage · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
OR 3 [0.11, 79.91]2 studies · 89 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
EUS‐guided drainage with nasocystic drainage versus EUS‐guided drainage · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 47 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Open surgical drainage versus EUS‐guided drainage · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 40 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Serious adverse events · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Intervention NR
Open surgical drainage versus EUS‐guided drainage Scale from: 0 to 100. Higher indicates better · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 40 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Adverse events · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Intervention NR
Endoscopic drainage versus EUS‐guided drainage · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
OR 2.42 [0.51, 11.46]2 studies · 89 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
EUS‐guided drainage with nasocystic drainage versus EUS‐guided drainage · patients with pancreatic pseudocysts
Management strategies for pancreatic pseudocysts (2016) · Cochrane
OR 0.2 [0.06, 0.73]1 study · 47 participantsLow
Summary of findings: Molecular‐targeted therapy plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone
Overall survival · people with advanced gastric cancer
Molecular‐targeted first‐line therapy for advanced gastric cancer (2016) · Cochrane
HR 0.92 [0.8, 1.05]10 studies · 3843 participantsLow
Summary of findings: Molecular‐targeted therapy plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone
Progression‐free survival · people with advanced gastric cancer
Molecular‐targeted first‐line therapy for advanced gastric cancer (2016) · Cochrane
HR 0.9 [0.78, 1.04]11 studies · 4014 participantsLow
Summary of findings: Molecular‐targeted therapy plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone
Quality of life (change from baseline in EORTC QOL30 global health status scale) Duration of · people with advanced gastric cancer
Molecular‐targeted first‐line therapy for advanced gastric cancer (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 53 participantsVery low
Summary of findings: Molecular‐targeted therapy plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone
Overall response rate Duration of · people with advanced gastric cancer
Molecular‐targeted first‐line therapy for advanced gastric cancer (2016) · Cochrane
OR 1.24 [1, 1.55]11 studies · 3723 participantsLow
Summary of findings: Molecular‐targeted therapy plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone
Adverse event (any) Duration of · people with advanced gastric cancer
Molecular‐targeted first‐line therapy for advanced gastric cancer (2016) · Cochrane
OR 2.23 [1.27, 3.92]5 studies · 2290 participantsModerate
Summary of findings: Molecular‐targeted therapy plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone
Severe adverse event (grade ≥ 3 ) Duration of · people with advanced gastric cancer
Molecular‐targeted first‐line therapy for advanced gastric cancer (2016) · Cochrane
OR 1.19 [1.03, 1.37]8 studies · 3800 participantsModerate
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (primary outcomes)
Short‐term mortality All‐cause mortality either in‐hospital or within 3 months · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 0.39 [0.11, 1.35]5 studies · 689 participantsVery low
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (secondary outcomes)
Long‐term recurrence (binary outcome) Local recurrence, surgical wound recurrence, or distal metastases · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.05 [0.87, 1.28]2 studies · 339 participantsVery low
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (secondary outcomes)
Long‐term recurrence (time‐to‐event outcome) Local recurrence, surgical wound recurrence, or distal metastases · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
HR 0.96 [0.8, 1.16]2 studies · 349 participantsLow
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (secondary outcomes)
Local recurrence (binary) · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 0.89 [0.7, 1.12]3 studies · 449 participantsVery low
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (secondary outcomes)
Proportion with any adverse event within 3 months Any adverse event within 3 months of any severity · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.73 [1.11, 2.67]1 study · 80 participantsVery low
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (secondary outcomes)
Length of hospital stay (days) Including the index admission for oesophagectomy (the hospital admission during which the oesophagectomy is performed) and any surgical complication‐related readmissions · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted2 studies · 342 participantsVery low
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (secondary outcomes)
Dysphagia at maximal · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.48 [1.01, 2.19]1 study · 139 participantsVery low
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (primary outcomes)
Long‐term mortality (binary outcome) All‐cause mortality for the duration of · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.03 [0.92, 1.14]3 studies · 511 participantsLow
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (primary outcomes)
Long‐term mortality (time‐to‐event outcome): chemoradiotherapy versus surgery All‐cause mortality for the duration of · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
HR 0.88 [0.76, 1.03]4 studies · 602 participantsLow
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (primary outcomes)
Long‐term mortality (time‐to‐event outcome): radiotherapy versus surgery All‐cause mortality for the duration of · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
HR 1.39 [1.18, 1.64]3 studies · 512 participantsVery low
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (primary outcomes)
Long‐term mortality (binary): definitive chemoradiotherapy versus surgery with neoadjuvant chemotherapy All‐cause mortality for the duration of · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 1.04 [0.93, 1.16]2 studies · 431 participantsLow
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (primary outcomes)
Long‐term mortality (time‐to‐event): definitive chemoradiotherapy versus surgery with neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy All‐cause mortality for the duration of · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
HR 0.99 [0.78, 1.26]2 studies · 431 participantsVery low
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (primary outcomes)
Proportion with a serious adverse event within 3 months Serious adverse event within 3 months as defined by ICH‐GCP International Conference on Harmonisation ‐ Good Clinical Practice guideline (ICH‐GCP 1996) or reasonable variations thereof · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
RR 0.61 [0.25, 1.47]1 study · 80 participantsVery low
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (primary outcomes)
Short‐term health‐related quality of life Any validated scale · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 165 participantsVery low
Non‐surgical vs surgical treatment of oesophageal cancer (primary outcomes)
Medium‐term health‐related quality of life Any validated scale · people with oesophageal cancer
Non‐surgical versus surgical treatment for oesophageal cancer (2016) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 62 participantsVery low
Duodenum‐preserving pancreatic resection vs pancreaticoduodenectomy
Short‐term mortality · people requiring surgery for chronic pancreatitis
Duodenum‐preserving pancreatic resection versus pancreaticoduodenectomy for chronic pancreatitis (2016) · Cochrane
RR 2.89 [0.31, 26.87]5 studies · 269 participantsVery low
Duodenum‐preserving pancreatic resection vs pancreaticoduodenectomy
New‐onset diabetes · people requiring surgery for chronic pancreatitis
Duodenum‐preserving pancreatic resection versus pancreaticoduodenectomy for chronic pancreatitis (2016) · Cochrane
RR 0.78 [0.5, 1.22]5 studies · 269 participantsVery low