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Systematic review, 2022

What makes some PMS studies more reliable than others?

Most PMS studies have quality problems, but studies with fewer authors and lower-profile journals tend to be better designed. We still need more rigorous research on PMS treatments.

Strong study design Analysis of 38 published studies on PMS interventions

What they did

Systematic review of 1,668 non-randomized studies from 2010 to 2021, narrowed to 38 that met inclusion criteria. They used the ROBINS-1 tool to assess how much bias each study had.

What they found

31.6% of studies had low or moderate risk of bias, while 68.4% had serious or critical risk. Studies with fewer authors and lower impact factor journals showed better quality.

What it means for you

Most PMS intervention studies do not meet high quality standards. This review examined research quality itself, not whether treatments work, so it doesn't answer questions about what helps PMS.

31.6%

Studies with low or moderate bias

68.4%

Studies with serious or critical bias

38

Studies reviewed

About the study

Original title
Risk of Bias Assessment in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions for Premenstrual Syndrome: A Systematic Review
Authors
Tehfe H, Chow R, Li S et al.
Journal
Journal of family & reproductive health
Year
2022
Study design
Systematic review
What was tested
None. This assessed research quality, not tested a treatment.
Open access
Yes

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