Search Strategies Used for Meta-Analyses Published on Cardiovascular Drug Therapy.

Purpose: Meta-analyses are routinely shaping patient care decisions. However, it is unknown whether meta-analyses are increasing in cardiology or whether complete search strategies are used. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of search strategies of meta-analyses.

Methods: Meta-analyses assessing cardiovascular drug therapy published from 2006 to 2011 were identified through PubMed/Medline with the terms "cardiovascular agents" and "drug therapy."

Results: A total of 130 meta-analyses were identified. There was a 100% increase with the largest growth from 2008 to 2009. Only half of the analyses used 3 databases to identify studies for inclusion, which was predictive of using search terms ( P < .01; odds ratio, 3.05, 95% confidence interval, 1.341-6.952) and using a quality assessment tool ( P < .001; odds ratio, 3.05; 95% confidence interval, 2.038-8.066).

Conclusions: Meta-analyses evaluating cardiovascular drug therapy increased in 2011. Meta-analyses should exhaust all resources to identify trials for inclusion. As meta-analyses continue to change clinical practice, researchers and clinicians must critically assess the quality of these studies.