Systematic Review Now Available

Lower Limb Prostheses: Measurement Instruments, Comparison of Component Effects by Subgroups, and Long-Term Outcomes (Systematic Review, released on September 6, 2018)

Selected Key Messages:

Thirty of 50 evaluated instruments (ambulatory/functional outcomes and other measures) have evidence of validity and reliability. Many studies use non validated instruments.
Based on a small number of studies, patient characteristics do not predict who would most benefit from a given lower limb prostheses (LLP) component. Half of studies used non validated instruments and analyses were inadequate.
Only a few studies assessed long-term LLP use; 11 to 22 percent of patients abandon their LLP after 1 year; people with above-the-knee amputations are more likely to abandon their prostheses than people with below-the-knee amputations; 24 to 29 percent of people with LLPs use them only indoors 1 year after they first receive the prostheses.The studies, though, had important methodological issues.

For more see: https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/topics/prosthesis/research

Technology Assessment Now Available

Short- and Long-Term Outcomes after Bariatric Surgery in the Medicare Population
(Technology Assessment, released on September 5, 2018)

Selected Key Messages:

Among patients who are eligible for Medicare:

There are no randomized trials evaluating the effectiveness and safety of bariatric surgical or endoscopic procedures; there are few direct (head-to-head) comparisons between different surgical procedures with sufficient evidence in nonrandomized studies and none for endoscopic procedures.
Bariatric surgery overall, and in particular the procedures of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and adjustable gastric banding, leads to improvements in weight loss outcomes beyond one year after surgery.
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass performs better compared to sleeve gastrectomy or adjustable gastric banding for metabolic, cardiovascular outcomes, renal function outcomes and for postoperative complications; Roux-en-Y gastric bypass also performs better for weight loss outcomes.

Opportunity to Comment on Draft Report

We encourage the public to participate in the development of our research projects. Comments can be submitted for:

Labor DystociaAvailable for comment until October 1, 2018

Opportunity to Submit Scientific Information

The Effective Health Care (EHC) Program is interested in receiving supplemental evidence and data (SEADs) for systematic reviews that are relevant to the questions in our evidence reports. To ensure that it has full access to relevant research, whether or not it is published, the EHC Program is interested in receiving SEADs containing detailed study-specific information. Opportunities to submit scientific information are available for:
Achieving Health Equity in Preventive Services: Systematic Evidence Review
Available for submissions until October 1, 2018

About us: AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program is committed to providing the best available evidence on the outcomes, benefits and harms, and appropriateness of drugs, devices, and health care services and by helping health care professionals, patients, policymakers, and health care systems make informed health care decisions. The program partners with research centers, academic institutions, health professional societies, consumer organizations, and other stakeholders to conduct research, evidence synthesis, evidence translation, dissemination, and implementation of research findings.

To learn more: https://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov