Journal club MCQ April 2019

Reference ranges for Doppler indices of umbilical and fetal middle cerebral arteries and cerebroplac

Learning objectives

·         To understand what features were used to distinguish high versus low risk of bias for the studies included in this paper

·         To understand the features of studies included in this analysis

·         To recognise that the heterogeneity and variability of results meant that reference ranges for UA, MCA or CPR could not be determined.

·         To understand that there are no features of the studies that correlate with quality score on univariate or multiple regression analysis

Question Title

* 1. What study features constitute a low risk of bias in Oros et al?

a. Study design is cross-sectional or longitudinal, population at low risk of pregnancy complications, prospective study

b. Study design is cross-sectional or longitudinal, population at low risk of pregnancy complications

b. Study design is cross-sectional or longitudinal, population at high risk of pregnancy complications, prospective study

d. Study is a mix of cross sectional and longitudinal data, population at low risk of pregnancy complications, prospective study

Question Title

* 2. What study features constitute a high risk of bias in Oros et al?

a. Population at high risk of pregnancy complications, routine scan rather than dedicated research scan, lack of a-priori sample size

b. Population at high risk of pregnancy complications, routine scan rather than dedicated research scan, a priori determination of sample size

c. Population at low risk of pregnancy complications, routine scan rather than dedicated research scan, lack of a-priori sample size

d. Population at high risk of pregnancy complications, research dedicated scan, lack of a-priori sample size

Question Title

* 3. What were the inclusion criteria into this study

a. High risk pregnancies

b. Pregnancies with an abnormal outcome

c. Low risk pregnancies

d. Multiple pregnancies

Question Title

* 4. Regarding the reference range for UA, MCA and CPR

a. The studies with low risk of bias had similar reference ranges

b. The studies with high risk of bias had similar reference ranges

c. Despite high methodological quality all studies reported similar reference ranges

d. Despite high methodological quality all studies reported quite variable reference ranges

Question Title

* 5. Where there features of the studies that were significant predictors of quality score on univariate or multiple regression analysis

a. The year of publication

b. Teaching hospital

c. Number of sonographers performing the ultrasound

d. No factors were significant predictors of quality score