title: Assessing the impact of defining a global priority research agenda to address HIV-associated tuberculosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In 2010, the WHO issued 77 priority research questions (PRQs) to address HIV-associated TB. Objective of the this study was to assess the impact of defining the research agenda in stimulating and directing research around priority research questions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used number and type of scientific publications as a proxy to quantitatively assess the impact of research agenda setting. We conducted 77 single systematic reviews - one for every PRQ - building 77 different search strategies using PRQs' keywords. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to assess the quantity and quality of research produced over time and accounting for selected covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2009-2015, PRQs were addressed by 1631 publications (median: 11 studies published per PRQ, range 1-96). The most published area was 'Intensified TB case finding' (median: 23 studies/PRQ, range: 2-74). The majority (62.1%, n = 1013) were published as original studies, and more than half (58%, n = 585) were conducted in the African region. Original studies' publication increased over the study period (P trend = <0.001). They focused more on the 'Intensified TB case finding' (OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.56-2.93) and 'Drug-resistant TB and HIV infection' (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.47-3.06) areas than non-original studies. Original studies were published in journals of lower impact factor and received a smaller number of citations than non-original studies (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.42-0.69).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The generation of evidence to address PRQs has increased over time particularly in selected fields. Setting a priority research agenda for HIV-associated TB might have positively influenced the direction and the conduct of research and contributed to the global response to such a major threat to health.
authors: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. anna.odone@lshtm.ac.uk.|Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological and Translational Sciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy. anna.odone@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Odone
authors: WHO Collaborating Centre for TB/HIV and TB Elimination, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Matteelli
authors: Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological and Translational Sciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors: Valentina
authors: V
authors: Chiesa
authors: Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological and Translational Sciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Cella
authors: Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological and Translational Sciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Ferrari
authors: Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological and Translational Sciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Pezzetti
authors: Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological and Translational Sciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.|University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Signorelli
authors: Global TB Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Haileyesus
authors: H
authors: Getahun
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D035843:Biomedical Research; D014943:Global Health; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: HIV-associated TB; OMS; PLHIV; TB asociada al VIH; TB associée au VIH; TB-HIV co-infection; WHO; coinfección TB-VIH; coinfection TB-VIH; establecimiento de prioridades; investigación; personas viviendo con VIH; personnes vivant avec le VIH; recherche; research priority setting; revisión sistemática; revue systématique; systematic review; établissement des priorités