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4 CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS<br />

4.1 Critique <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> methods <strong>of</strong> review(s)<br />

Two systematic reviews relating to clinical effectiveness were included in <strong>the</strong> MS, one <strong>for</strong> direct<br />

evidence <strong>of</strong> efficacy <strong>for</strong> rivaroxaban versus any competitor, <strong>and</strong> a second review <strong>of</strong> indirect evidence<br />

to in<strong>for</strong>m a MTC. The first <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se reviews was per<strong>for</strong>med systematically. The second review was<br />

not a full systematic review, as a relatively recent high quality systematic review was identified at <strong>the</strong><br />

scoping search stage, <strong>and</strong> no fur<strong>the</strong>r searches were conducted.<br />

4.1.1 Searches<br />

4.1.1.1 Direct evidence review<br />

The manufacturer searched four databases: Medline, Medline in Process, Embase <strong>and</strong> Cochrane<br />

Central <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> identification <strong>of</strong> direct evidence. Fur<strong>the</strong>r searching through o<strong>the</strong>r means by <strong>the</strong> sponsor<br />

was reported including reference follow-up <strong>of</strong> included studies <strong>and</strong> guidelines reference searching.<br />

Since <strong>the</strong> searches were restricted by r<strong>and</strong>omised controlled trial (RCT) study design, <strong>the</strong> ERG<br />

suggests that fur<strong>the</strong>r sources could be searched such as <strong>the</strong> multidisciplinary Science Citation Index<br />

database <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Web <strong>of</strong> Science Conference Proceedings Index. Terms within <strong>the</strong> concept<br />

rivaroxaban were combined with <strong>the</strong> disease condition thromboembolism <strong>and</strong> a published RCT filter<br />

to identify relevant titles. The ERG repeated <strong>the</strong>se searches <strong>and</strong> found that <strong>the</strong> record numbers were<br />

similar <strong>and</strong> can confirm that <strong>the</strong> included studies were retrieved by <strong>the</strong>se searches. The ERG does not<br />

consider that any studies are missing.<br />

4.1.1.2 Indirect evidence review<br />

The indirect evidence review started with a scoping search <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cochrane library using a simple free<br />

text search <strong>for</strong> “anticoagulation <strong>and</strong> cancer”. As a recent review was identified, no fur<strong>the</strong>r searches<br />

were per<strong>for</strong>med. However, <strong>the</strong> review used (Akl et al. 2011) 31 included searches which were<br />

completed in February 2010. It is <strong>the</strong> opinion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ERG that update searches <strong>for</strong> this review should<br />

have been per<strong>for</strong>med to see if any additional relevant literature has been published since <strong>the</strong>n.<br />

The search strategy within <strong>the</strong> Akl 2011 review comprised searches <strong>for</strong> evidence in Medline,<br />

Cochrane Central, Embase <strong>and</strong> Web <strong>of</strong> Science. The ERG have repeated <strong>the</strong>se searches <strong>and</strong> even<br />

though <strong>the</strong> record numbers retrieved from <strong>the</strong>se databases were not given, <strong>the</strong> included studies were<br />

indeed retrieved by <strong>the</strong>se searches.<br />

4.1.1.3 Adverse events<br />

32<br />

Copyright 2012 Queen's Printer <strong>and</strong> Controller <strong>of</strong> HMSO. All rights reserved.

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