Additional file 6: Summary of main impacts for 60 selected reviews
Review title and year of publication1
Knowledge production
Follow-on research
Informing policy
Impact on practice/services
Airways
Educational, supportive and behavioural
GS2 citations =59
Yes (1 national)
interventions to improve usage of
continuous positive airway pressure
machines for adults with obstructive
sleep apnoea 2009
Pulmonary rehabilitation following
GS citations =168
Yes –RCT
exacerbations of chronic obstructive
Yes (6 national, 1
international)
pulmonary disease 2009
Phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors for
GS citations =41
Phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
no longer recommended in
2011
practice. Potential link to
review. Puhan(2011)
Bone Joint and Muscle Trauma
Exercise for improving balance in adults
2007
GS citations =737
Yes (1national)
Podcast on CL & press
release (81 press mentions)
Interventions for preventing falls in older
people living in the community 2009
GS citations =737
Yes – primary research
One of top 10 most cited
Impact on choice of
reviews in CL in 2011
outcome measures for falls
Yes (3 national, 1
local)
reviews (not verified).
Has led to a number of
follow on publications
High number of downloads,
high altmetric score
Interventions for preventing falls in older
people in nursing care facilities and
hospitals 2010
GS citations =242
Yes (4 national, 1
local)
One of top 10 most cited
reviews in CL in 2011, high
altmetric score
Cystic Fibrosis
Oscillating devices for airway clearance
GS citations =25
Yes – RCT
in people with cystic fibrosis 2009
Duration of intravenous antibiotic
therapy in people with cystic fibrosis
2008
Yes (2 national, 1
local)
GS citations =19
Yes – RCT
Oral deferiprone for iron chelation in
GS citations =43
Yes (1national)
people with thalassaemia 2007
Dementia and Cognitive Improvement
Physical activity programs for persons
GS citations =100
with dementia 2008
Statins for the prevention of dementia
GS citations = 147
Cochrane quality &
2009
Interventions for preventing delirium in
productivity topic
GS citations =185
Yes (1national)
hospitalised patients 2007
Depression, Anxiety and Depression
Family interventions for bipolar disorder
GS citations =24
Yes (details not clear)
2007
Exercise for depression 2008
Yes (1
Anecdotal evidence used to
international, 2
influence local practice (no
national)
supporting evidence)
GS citations =441
Yes (4 national, 1
One of top 10 most cited
international)
reviews in CL in 2011
Cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic
GS citations =276
Yes
fatigue syndrome in adults 2008
(1international)
Ear, nose and throat
Corticosteroids as adjuvant to antiviral
GS citations =18
treatment in Ramsay Hunt syndrome
(herpes zoster oticus with facial palsy) in
adults 2008
Nasal saline irrigations for the symptoms
GS citations =168
Yes (1
of chronic rhinosinusitis 2007
international, 4
national)
Allergen injection immunotherapy for
seasonal allergic rhinitis 2007
GS citations =338
Yes (2
international, 1
Highly cited
national)
Epilepsy
Vigabatrin for refractory partial epilepsy
GS citations =32
2008
Antiepileptic drugs for treating seizures
GS citations =10
in adults with brain tumours 2011
Drug management for acute tonic-clonic
GS citations =100
Yes (1
convulsions including convulsive status
international)
epilepticus in children 2008
Eyes and Vision
Laser trabeculoplasty for open angle
GS citations =45
Yes (2 national)
glaucoma 2007
Medical vs surgical interventions for
GS citations =65
open angle glaucoma 2009
Antiangiogenic therapy with anti-
GS citations =34
Yes (2 local)
vascular endothelial growth factor
Anecdotal evidence that
findings of review have
modalities for diabetic macular oedema
Resulted in follow on paper
impacted on local clinical
2009
(97)
practice (not verified)
Gynaecological Cancer
Adjuvant radiotherapy for stage I
GS citations =64
endometrial cancer 2007
Intraperitoneal chemotherapy for the
GS citations =129
initial management of primary epithelial
ovarian cancer 2011
Anticoagulation for the long term
GS citations =61
treatment of venous thromboembolism in
Yes – led to further
Cochrane reviews
patients with cancer 2008
Heart
Hawthorn extract for treating chronic
heart failure 2008
GS citations =95
Yes (1 national)
Statins for the primary prevention of
cardiovascular disease 2011
GS citations =282
Yes (2 national)
High number of downloads,
highly cited since
publication
Structured telephone support or
telemonitoring programmes for patients
with chronic heart failure 2010
GS citations = 225
Yes (1
international, 1
Podcast and press release
national)
(100 press mentions)
Incontinence
Absorbent products for light urinary
GS citations =15
Yes (1 national)
GS citations =5
Yes
incontinence in women 2007
Surgery for stress urinary incontinence
due to presumed sphincter deficiency
(1International)
after prostate surgery 2011
Washout policies in long-term indwelling
GS citations =11
Yes (1
urinary catheterisation in adults
international)
Injuries
Bradykinin beta-2 receptor antagonists
for acute traumatic brain injury 2008
GS citations =13
Yes – further systematic
review & further RCT
Yes (1 national)
Indirect impact – in response
to follow on research
commercial development of
drug was stopped
Colloids vs crystalloids for fluid
resuscitation in critically ill patients 2007
GS citations =735
Yes – RCTs
Highly cited
Yes (1
Review (and follow on
international, 1
research) led to review by
national)
EMA & suspension of use of
HES
Cochrane quality &
productivity topic
Anti-fibrinolytic use for minimising
perioperative allogeneic blood
GS citations =595
Highly cited
Yes – further review and
Yes (1
Potentially – may have
further RCT
international, 1
impacted on EMA review
national)
Potential impact on practice –
transfusion 2007
has been switch away from
other Anti-fibrinolytic drugs to
Tranexamic acid
Neuromuscular
Drug treatment for spinal muscular
GS citations =9
atrophy type I 2009
Treatment for POEMS (polyneuropathy,
organomegaly, endocrinopathy, Mprotein, and skin changes) syndrome.
2008
GS citations =46
Some follow on
publications
Yes (1
international)
Glucocorticoid corticosteroids for
GS citations = 305
Yes (1 national)
Duchenne muscular dystrophy. 2008
Oral health
Occlusal interventions for periodontitis in
GS citations =6
adults. 2008
Interventions for the treatment of oral
GS citations =14
and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical
treatment. 2007
Fluoride toothpastes of different
concentrations for preventing dental
caries in children and adolescents. 2010
GS citations =103
Yes (7 national, 2
local)
Podcast & press release (37
press mentions)
PaPaS
Psychological therapies for chronic pain
(excluding headache) in adults. 2009
Non pharmacological interventions for
GS citations = 151
Yes 1 (national)
Related publication
GS citations =139
Yes ( 2 national)
use in breathlessness in the advanced
productivity topic
stages of malignant and non-malignant
diseases. 2008
Exercise for the management of cancer
related fatigue in adults. 2008
Cochrane quality &
GS citations =276
Yes (2 national)
Pregnancy and Childbirth
Fetal fibronectin testing for reducing the
Potential economic impact – in
GS citations =37
risk of preterm birth. 2008
US health insurers may not
pay for testing in
asymptomatic women
(anecdotal no supporting
evidence)
Intracervical prostaglandins for induction
GS citations =34
of labour. 2008
Active versus expectant management for
women in the third stage of labour. 2010
Yes – Qualitative study
GS citations =499
Further review
Yes (2
Change in midwifery practice
international)
in Ireland (unpublished data)
Yes (2 national)
.
Schizophrenia
Atypical antipsychotics for people with
GS citations =20
both schizophrenia and depression. 2008
Exercise Therapy for Schizophrenia.
2010
GS citations =74
Podcast & press release (54
press mentions)
Yes, primary research
Impact on local practice
(details not clear)
(anecdotal)
Number of related
publications published
Psychosocial Interventions for people
with both severe mental illness and
substance misuse. 2008
GS citations =103
Number of related
Yes- primary research
Yes (1 national)
(details not clear)
publications published
Skin
Psychological and educational
GS citations =67
Yes – RCT
Yes (1 national)
GS citations =16
Yes – primary research
Yes (2 national, 1
Potential – reduce adverse
(details not clear)
international)
effects
interventions for atopic eczema in
children. 2007
Safety of topical corticosteroids in
pregnancy. 2009
Surgical excision margins for primary
GS citations =70
cutaneous melanoma. 2009
Tobacco
Mass media interventions for smoking
GS citations =162
cessation in adults. 2008
Interventions for preventing weight gain
after smoking cessation. 2009
GS citations =126
Yes – primary research
(RCTs)
Yes (1 national)
Legislative smoking bans for reducing
secondhand smoke exposure, smoking
prevalence and tobacco consumption.
GS citations =123
Podcast & press release (49
press mentions)
2010
Wounds
Risk assessment tools for the prevention
GS citations =51
Yes (2 national)
GS citations =5
Yes (1 national)
GS citations =102
Yes (3 national)
of pressure ulcers. 2008
Support surfaces for treating pressure
ulcers. 2011
Antibiotics and antiseptics for venous leg
ulcers. 2008