Abstract Background Redundant publication of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) on the same topic presents an increasing burden for clinicians. The aim of this study was to describe variabilities in effect size and methodological quality of overlapping surgery-related SRs/MAs and to investigate factors associated with their postpublication citations. Methods PubMed/MEDLINE was searched to identify SRs/MAs of RCTs on thoracoabdominal surgeries published in 2015. Previous SRs/MAs on the same topics published within the preceding 5 years (2011–2015) were identified and 5-year citation counts (through to 2020) were evaluated. Discrepancies in pooled effect sizes and their methodological quality using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) among overlapping SRs/MAs were assessed. The SR/MA-level factors associated with 5-year citation counts were explored, using a mixed-effects regression model with a random intercept for surgical topics. Results A total of 57 surgery-related SRs/MAs (48 topics) published in 2015 were identified, and 146 SRs/MAs had overlapping publications on 29 topics (60.4 per cent of all topics) in the preceding 5 years. There was considerable variability in methodological quality of SRs/MAs and coverage probability for relevant RCTs, resulting in discrepant effect size estimates for the same topic. High quality (AMSTAR score 8–11) was independently associated with higher 5-year citation counts (coefficient = 32.82; 95 per cent c.i. 15.63 to 50.02; P < 0.001). Conclusion Overlapping SRs/MAs with high variability in results and methodological quality were common in surgery. A high-quality SR/MA score was an independent predictor of more frequent citations. Researchers and journal editors should concentrate their efforts on limiting publications to higher-quality reviews.

中文翻译：

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外科手术中相同主题的重叠系统评价的结果和方法学质量存在很大差异：一项荟萃流行病学研究

摘要 背景关于同一主题的系统评价和荟萃分析（SR/MA）的重复发表给临床医生带来了越来越大的负担。本研究的目的是描述重叠手术相关 SR/MA 的效应大小和方法学质量的变异性，并调查与其发表后引用相关的因素。 方法检索了 PubMed/MEDLINE，以确定 2015 年发表的胸腹部手术随机对照试验的 SR/MA。确定了过去 5 年（2011-2015 年）内发表的相同主题的先前 SR/MA 以及 5 年引用计数（截至 2020 年） ）进行了评估。使用评估系统评价测量工具 (AMSTAR) 评估重叠 SR/MA 之间的汇总效应大小及其方法质量的差异。使用混合效应回归模型对外科主题进行随机截距，探讨了与 5 年引用计数相关的 SR/MA 水平因素。 结果2015 年共确定了 57 个与手术相关的 SR/MA（48 个主题），其中 146 个 SR/MA 在过去 5 年中在 29 个主题（占所有主题的 60.4%）上有重叠出版物。SR/MA 的方法学质量和相关 RCT 的覆盖概率存在相当大的差异，导致同一主题的效应大小估计存在差异。高质量（AMSTAR 评分 8-11）与较高的 5 年引用计数独立相关（系数 = 32.82；95% CI 15.63 至 50.02；P < 0.001）。 结论在手术中，结果和方法质量差异较大的重叠 SR/MA 很常见。高质量的 SR/MA 分数是更频繁引用的独立预测因素。研究人员和期刊编辑应集中精力将出版物限制在更高质量的评论上。