How to organize a journal club? Prof. P. Devroey
Definition A group of individuals meeting regularly Critical evaluation of recent articles In the academic literature Organized around a defined topic
Technology Appropriateness of the study design Evaluation of the statistics Evaluation of the controls Discussion on results Design of new research
Purpose To make students/practicioners familiar with advanced research To better understand To debate current topics Evaluation of the journal
New technology Online communication Using Twitter Web applications i.e. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Primary Care Medicine…
Approval of the written documents of the previous meeting Methodology On a regular basis i.e. once a month One leader Written documents One topic Approval of the written documents of the previous meeting
Which type of general topics? How to do a study? How to do statistics? How to do a randomized controlled trial? How to do a review? How to define evidence?
How to write an abstract? How to give a lecture? How to write a paper? How to organize an ethics committee? …
Hirsch factor Proposed in 2005 by Jorge E. Hirsch Author-level metric Productivity and citation impact of the publications Based on the most cited papers Can be applied to evaluate the impact of a journal, group of scientists or an individual
Systematic reviews Systematic reviews Cochrane Evidence Implication for daily practice Organization of study design
Proposals for study designs (1) Randomized controlled trial Two arms Delivery rate per started cycle without PGS Delivery rate per started cycle with PGS Result?
Last article published in 2008 Result Pubmed 08 09 2017 Last article published in 2008 Result Delivery rates with live birth per started cycle were not significantly different.
Proposals for study designs (2) Randomized controlled trial Day 3 or day 5 embryo replacements IVF/ICSI Result?
Pubmed 08 09 2017 Last article published in 2012 There was no difference in clinical pregnancy rate between early cleavage and blastocyst transfer in the 23 RCTs (Peto OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.32) (Day 2 to 3: 38.6%; Day 5 to 6: 41.6%)
Proposal for study designs (3) Randomized controlled trial The luteal phase supplementation with progesterone alone or progesterone and oestradiol valerate Result?
Pubmed 08 09 2017 Last one published in 2016 In conclusion, the addition of 4 mg estrogen daily to progesterone for luteal support in antagonist ICSI cycles is not beneficial for pregnancy outcome.
More questions Pregnancy rates after single or double ET per started cycle? Pregnancy rates after assisted hatching versus no assisted hatching? Pregnancy rates after luteal progesterone in clomid cycles? …
Conclusion Urgent need for searching evidence based medicine Organization of evidence based medicine Implementation of local ethical review board Organization of journal club Following the results of the randomized controlled trials