[Bibliographic research of efficiency tests: analysis of the validity of the meta-database].
OBJECTIVE
The use of a meta-database as a first approach to bibliographic research can be just as efficient as interrogating single data-bases of the literature. The advantages and drawbacks of the two strategies are compared .


METHODS
A comparison of the results obtained using an identical interrogation made using the TRIP meta-database and different single databases (15 of guide-lines, 4 of systematic reviews, 3 prevalently consisting of primary studies) made it possible to analyse these methods as well as to study 4 meta-databases and identify the most efficient one.


RESULTS
Using the same MeSH terms in both strategies, the following results were obtained: 204 publications using TRIP and 475 using different databases. Evaluation demonstrated the pertinence of 142 (69,6%) of the 204 found using TRIP compared to 185 (38,9%) of those elicited by single data-bases.


CONCLUSIONS
The TRIP meta-database yields a lower number of documents but with a higher degree of pertinency, meaning that the researcher employs less time finding pertinent documents. With respect to the traditional approach, beginning research by testing the efficiency of the TRIP meta-database proved advantageous.
Galbiati
Giancarlo
G
Terapia Intensiva Cardiochirurgica Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti di Bergamo.
Casati
Monica
M
D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results