How to facilitate SRs:

moving towards evidence-based

translational research

Dr Marlies Leenaars

SYRCLE, Nijmegen

Added value of systematic reviews of animal studies

Get an overview of existing knowledge

Help design a clinical trial (patient safety)

Collaboration between disciplines

Transparency in (quality of) all primary studies

Facilitate translational research Get an idea of missing „inconclusive‟ data

Prevent unnecessary animals studies

New results without using animals

Pound et al BMJ 2004, Where is the evidence that animal research benefits humans? 'Conclusion: The contribution of animal studies to clinical medicine requires urgent formal evaluation. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the existing animal experiments would represent an important step forward in this process’

Performing SR of animal studies results in:

A valuable publication in a peer reviewed journal (Hooijmans, J of Alz Dis; van Drongelen, Am J Phys; Wever, PlosOne)

(Impact factor: 3.7 - 4.1)

Costs:

Systematic review:

-Computer

-Time

Rough estimate:

€ 20.000

Animal experiment:

-Computer

-Time

-Animals, housing, materials, etc.

-Analyses of samples

etc

Rough estimate:

€ 100.000

SYRCLE

Since 2008 our research group facilitates:

implementation of SR of animal studies

Education on SRs

Developing methodology for SRs (tools)

Executing SRs

(Inter)national collaboration

Implementation of SRs:

Education:

Increase awareness of potential of concept of SRs

Improve skills in performing SRs

Developing tools and guidelines:

Facilitate performing SRs

Ease the process

“If you take a closer look, you see more”

Increase awareness

Education for future animal researchers

Since 2009: education on SRs in course on Laboratory

Animal Science (obligatory 2 weeks course)

o Lecture on SRs

o Workshop on: „comprehensive search strategies‟

Quote of student: “This is

so logical. Why is this not

common practice in animal

research?”

Helsinki, Finland

Prof. Rob Scholten, The Dutch Cochrane

Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Do like us!

Increase awareness

www.ccac.wc8.ca

Increase awareness

Talks are available on

YouTube via link on:

www.umcn.nl/SYRCLE

Increase awareness

Implementation of SRs:

Education:

Increase awareness of potential of concept of SRs

Improve skills in performing SRs

Developing tools and guidelines:

Facilitate performing SRs

Ease the process

Education to improve (skills in) performing SRs

• Since 2010; 1 EC = 1 week

• In curriculum of Biomedical Sciences MSc. students

Main objectives:

- Improve skills in performing SRs

- Critical appraisal of animal data

- Increase knowledge: move towards

evidence-based translational research

* internal validity

* external validity

Student evaluations

Score January 2012: 8.3

Question: Was this topic relevant for you?

“Zeer leerzaam en state-of-the-art”

“It gave me a completely different view on animal

studies and published papers”

“Never done this in another course. Very relevant not

only for animal studies but also for clinical studies”

“SRs could be very helpful in all majors”

Training to improve skills in performing SRs

One day hands-on training for PhD students, researchers

Topics:

1. Comprehensive search strategies

2. Risk of bias assessment

3. Data extraction and meta analysis

February 10th 2012

Implementation of SRs:

Education:

Increase awareness of potential of concept of SRs

Improve skills in performing SRs

Developing tools and guidelines:

Facilitate performing SRs

Ease the process

Identify all relevant animal studies

Tools to ease

the process

Tools used

educational

programs

Tools to ease the process: identify all animal studies

- Step-by-step guide to identify relevant animal studies (Leenaars et al., 2012, Laboratory Animals, 46(1), 24-31)

- EMBASE filter to find all animal studies

(De Vries et al., 2011, Laboratory Animals, 45(4), 268-270)

- PubMed filter to find all animal studies (Hooijmans et al., 2010, Laboratory Animals, 44(3), 170-175)

Open Access available!

Quote about tools and guidelines

Sent: Friday 6 July 2012 20:09

Topic: Thank you and I‟m using the articles and guides and

support materials from SYRCLE

“.. It reaffirmed my faith that it is possible to do

much more, now that your group has provided

the Why and Hows, validated by researchers

who use animals.”

Ann Viera: Associate Professor; Veterinary Librarian

Pendergrass AG-VET MED Library

University of Tennessee Knoxville

Implementation of SRs of animal studies in the future

Further development education:

Translational research

Curriculum of BSc students

Molecular Mechanisms of disease (MMD) MSc. students

(Inter)national workshops (clinical PhD council)

Further development tools and guidelines (i.e. risk of bias

tool, protocol SR, handbook)

New EU directive 2010/63 on animal experimentation:

o Course on laboratory animal science

o Continuing education

SYRCLE SYstematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation

- Prof. Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga

- Dr Marlies Leenaars

- Dr Carlijn Hooijmans

- Dr Rob de Vries

- MSc Judith van Luijk (PhD student)

Collaboration in Nijmegen:

oProf. Maroeska Rovers

oAlice Tillema (Information specialist)

www.umcn.nl/SYRCLE

M.Leenaars@cdl.umcn.nl

• Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

• Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

• Department of Operating Rooms

• Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and HTA

• Department of Surgery

• Department of Urology

• Department of Paediatric Physical Therapy

• IQ Health care

• Department of Orthodontics and Craniofacial

Biology

• Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• QM Diagnostics

NKCA

Marcel Gyger

Thanks for

your attention!