Screening for Cervical Cancer With High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Testing: Updated Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Importance: Cervical cancer can be prevented with detection and treatment of precancerous cell changes caused primarily by high-risk types of human papillomavirus (hrHPV), the causative agents in more than 90% of cervical cancers.

Objective: To systematically review benefits and harms of cervical cancer screening for hrHPV to inform the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Collaboration Registry of Controlled Trials from January 2011 through February 15, 2017; surveillance through May 25, 2018.

Screening for Obesity and Intervention for Weight Management in Children and Adolescents: Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Importance: Obesity is common in children and adolescents in the United States, is associated with negative health effects, and increases the likelihood of obesity in adulthood.

Objective: To systematically review the benefits and harms of screening and treatment for obesity and overweight in children and adolescents to inform the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Collaboration Registry of Controlled Trials, and the Education Resources Information Center through January 22, 2016; references of relevant publications; government websites.

Preeclampsia Screening: Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Importance: Preeclampsia is a complex disease of pregnancy with sometimes serious effects on maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. It is defined by hypertension after 20 weeks' gestation and proteinuria or other evidence of multisystem involvement.

Objective: To systematically review the benefits and harms of preeclampsia screening and risk assessment for the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Estimating data from figures with a Web-based program: Considerations for a systematic review.

Background: Systematic reviewers often encounter incomplete or missing data, and the information desired may be difficult to obtain from a study author. Thus, systematic reviewers may have to resort to estimating data from figures with little or no raw data in a study's corresponding text or tables.

Methods: We discuss a case study in which participants used a publically available Web-based program, called webplotdigitizer, to estimate data from 2 figures.

Limitations of A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and suggestions for improvement.

A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) is a commonly used tool to assess the quality of systematic reviews; however, modifications are needed to improve its usability, reliability, and validity. In this commentary, we summarize our experience and the experiences of others who have used AMSTAR and provide suggestions for its improvement. We propose that AMSTAR should modify a number of individual items and their instructions and responses to make them more congruent with an assessment of the methodologic quality of systematic reviews.

Aspirin for the Prevention of Cancer Incidence and Mortality: Systematic Evidence Reviews for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Background: Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States.

Purpose: To conduct systematic reviews of aspirin and 1) total cancer mortality and incidence in persons eligible for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 2) colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality and incidence in persons at average CRC risk.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials through January 2015 and relevant references from other reviews.

Bleeding Risks With Aspirin Use for Primary Prevention in Adults: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Background: The balance between potential aspirin-related risks and benefits is critical in primary prevention.

Purpose: To evaluate the risk for serious bleeding with regular aspirin use in cardiovascular disease (CVD) primary prevention.

Data Sources: PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (2010 through 6 January 2015), and relevant references from other reviews.

Primary Care Screening for and Treatment of Depression in Pregnant and Postpartum Women: Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Importance: Depression is a source of substantial burden for individuals and their families, including women during the pregnant and postpartum period.

Objective: To systematically review the benefits and harms of depression screening and treatment, and accuracy of selected screening instruments, for pregnant and postpartum women. Evidence for depression screening in adults in general is available in the full report.

Diagnostic and predictive accuracy of blood pressure screening methods with consideration of rescreening intervals: a systematic review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Background: Elevated blood pressure (BP) is the largest contributing risk factor to all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Purpose: To update a systematic review on the benefits and harms of screening for high BP in adults and to summarize evidence on rescreening intervals and diagnostic and predictive accuracy of different BP methods for cardiovascular events.

Data Sources: Selected databases searched through 24 February 2014.

Behavioral sexual risk-reduction counseling in primary care to prevent sexually transmitted infections: a systematic review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are common and preventable.

Purpose: To update a previous systematic review about the benefits and harms of sexual risk-reduction counseling to prevent STIs for the U.S.

Primary care behavioral interventions to prevent or reduce illicit drug use and nonmedical pharmaceutical use in children and adolescents: a systematic evidence review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Background: Drug use among youths is associated with negative health and social consequences. Even infrequent use increases the risk for serious adverse events by increasing risk-taking behaviors in intoxicated or impaired persons.

Purpose: To systematically review the benefits and harms of primary care-relevant interventions designed to prevent or reduce illicit drug use or the nonmedical use of prescription drugs among youths.

Vitamin and mineral supplements in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer: An updated systematic evidence review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Background: Vitamin and mineral supplements are commonly used to prevent chronic diseases.

Purpose: To systematically review evidence for the benefit and harms of vitamin and mineral supplements in community-dwelling, nutrient-sufficient adults for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects were searched from January 2005 to 29 January 2013, with manual searches of reference lists and gray literature.

Conflicts of interest among authors of clinical practice guidelines for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Conflict of interest (COI) is an important potential source of bias in the development of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs).

Objectives: To examine rates of disclosure of COI, including financial interests in companies that manufacture drugs that are recommended in CPGs on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus, and to explore the relationship between recommendations for specific drugs in a guideline and author COI.

Methods: We identified a cohort of relevant guidelines from the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC) and abstracted COI disclosures from all guideline authors for this observational, cross-sectional study.