The challenges of replicating the methodology between Phases I and III of the ISAAC programme

TY - JOUR

T1 - The challenges of replicating the methodology between Phases I and III of the ISAAC programme

AU - Ellwood, Philippa

AU - Asher, M. I.

AU - Stewart, A. W.

AU - Aït-Khaled, N.

AU - Mallol, J.

AU - Strachan, D.

AU - Anderson, H. R.

AU - Beasley, R.

AU - Björkstén, B.

AU - Brunekreef, B.

AU - Crane, J.

AU - Flohr, C.

AU - Foliaki, S.

AU - Forastiere, F.

AU - García-Marcos, L.

AU - Keil, U.

AU - Lai, C. K.W.

AU - Mitchell, E. A.

AU - Montefort, S.

AU - Odhiambo, J.

AU - Pearce, N.

AU - Robertson, C. F.

AU - Von Mutius, E.

AU - Weiland, S. K.

AU - Weinmayr, G.

AU - Williams, H.

AU - Wong, G.

PY - 2012/5/1

Y1 - 2012/5/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) used standardised methods to examine symptom prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema in adolescents and children between Phases I and III. Centres followed essential rules to ensure comparability of methodology, examined by a centralised data centre. METHODS: Centre reports (CRs) were compared for both phases and age groups. Methodological differences were categorised under major deviations (centres excluded), minor deviations (deviations identified in published tables) and very minor deviations (deviations not identified). RESULTS: There were 112 CRs for adolescents and 70 for children. Six centres for adolescents and four for children had major deviations and were excluded. Minor deviations (35 for adolescents and 20 for children) were identified in the publications. Very minor deviations (92 for adolescents and 51 for children) were not identified. The odds ratios for having any differences in methodology between phases with a change in Principal Investigator were 0.80 (95%CI 0.36-1.81) for adolescents and 0.91 (95%CI 0.32-2.62) for children. CONCLUSION: The majority of the centres replicated the ISAAC methodology to a high standard. Careful documentation of methodology using standardised tools with careful checks allows the full potential of studies such as ISAAC to be realised.

AB - BACKGROUND: The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) used standardised methods to examine symptom prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema in adolescents and children between Phases I and III. Centres followed essential rules to ensure comparability of methodology, examined by a centralised data centre. METHODS: Centre reports (CRs) were compared for both phases and age groups. Methodological differences were categorised under major deviations (centres excluded), minor deviations (deviations identified in published tables) and very minor deviations (deviations not identified). RESULTS: There were 112 CRs for adolescents and 70 for children. Six centres for adolescents and four for children had major deviations and were excluded. Minor deviations (35 for adolescents and 20 for children) were identified in the publications. Very minor deviations (92 for adolescents and 51 for children) were not identified. The odds ratios for having any differences in methodology between phases with a change in Principal Investigator were 0.80 (95%CI 0.36-1.81) for adolescents and 0.91 (95%CI 0.32-2.62) for children. CONCLUSION: The majority of the centres replicated the ISAAC methodology to a high standard. Careful documentation of methodology using standardised tools with careful checks allows the full potential of studies such as ISAAC to be realised.

KW - Adolescents

KW - Children

KW - ISAAC

KW - Methodology

KW - Replication

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84859717213&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.5588/ijtld.11.0226

DO - 10.5588/ijtld.11.0226

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84859717213

SN - 1027-3719

VL - 16

SP - 687

EP - 693

JO - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TUBERCULOSIS AND LUNG DISEASE

JF - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TUBERCULOSIS AND LUNG DISEASE

IS - 5

ER -