title: Quality analysis of research on the use of benzodiazepines by elderly patients in the emergency room: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the quality of research on the use of benzodiazepines (BZDs) in the emergency room by the elderly population through the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) initiative.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review was carried out according to the following steps: (1) identification of studies, in which studies were selected from different combinations of the descriptors "elderly-aged," "benzodiazepines," and "emergency room" in the EMBASE-MEDLINE, SciELO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases; (2) evaluation of studies, in which the title, abstract, and full text of the studies were assessed; (3) evaluation of the methodological quality of the studies. The criteria used were those included in the STROBE recommendations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the selection process, only six articles were identified which met the specific criteria. The sample sizes in these studies varied from 118 to 1,611 patients. More than half (4) of the studies did not describe the type of design used, whereas all collected demographic data and analyzed details on the use of BZDs, such as type administered and/or its relationship to the symptoms, were shown. No article fully complied with the STROBE criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review shows a lack of methodological quality in the studies performed to date that have evaluated the use of BZDs in elderly patients in emergency rooms. These findings should guide future research in this subject area, providing a more complete approach on aspects related to the use of medications by this specific population.
authors: Pre-clinical Pharmacology Laboratory (LAPEC), Physiology Department, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil. anateresacouto@hotmail.com
authors: Ana Teresa R
authors: AT
authors: Couto
authors: Daniel T
authors: DT
authors: Silva
authors: Carina C
authors: CC
authors: Silvestre
authors: Divaldo P
authors: DP
authors: Lyra
authors: Lucindo J
authors: LJ
authors: Quintans
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011786:Quality Control; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D001569:Benzodiazepines
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