Elsevier Embase Search Filters

These search filters have NOT been revised

Controlled trials (31 May 2022)

'adaptive clinical trial (topic)'/de OR 'adaptive clinical trial'/de OR 'clinical trial (topic)'/de OR 'clinical trial'/de OR 'controlled clinical trial (topic)'/de OR 'controlled clinical trial'/de OR 'double blind procedure'/de OR 'early termination of clinical trial'/de OR 'equivalence trial (topic)'/de OR 'equivalence trial'/de OR 'intention to treat analysis'/de OR 'multicenter study (topic)'/de OR 'multicenter study'/de OR 'non-inferiority trial'/de OR 'phase 1 clinical trial (topic)'/de OR 'phase 1 clinical trial'/de OR 'phase 2 clinical trial (topic)'/de OR 'phase 2 clinical trial'/de OR 'phase 3 clinical trial (topic)'/de OR 'phase 3 clinical trial'/de OR 'phase 4 clinical trial (topic)'/de OR 'phase 4 clinical trial'/de OR 'pragmatic trial'/de OR 'randomized controlled trial (topic)'/de OR 'randomized controlled trial'/de OR 'superiority trial'/de OR 'multicenter study':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase I':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase II':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase III':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase IV':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase 1':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase 2':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase 3':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase 4':ti,ab,kw OR ((randomised OR randomized) NEAR/7 trial*) OR (controlled NEAR/3 trial*) OR (clinical NEAR/2 trial*) OR ((single:ti,ab,kw OR doubl*:ti,ab,kw OR tripl*:ti,ab,kw OR treb*:ti,ab,kw) and (blind*:ti,ab,kw OR mask*:ti,ab,kw)) OR '4 arm':ti,ab,kw OR 'four arm':ti,ab,kw

Remove plant and animal studies (Revised 26 March 2024)

• It's not possible to remove all plant and animal studies using the NOT-NOT filter at the end of the search statement, but it will remove a significant number of them. Also, as you add other terms/concepts to the search, more of the non-relevant results will be removed.

('adaptive clinical trial (topic)'/exp OR 'adaptive clinical trial (topic)' OR 'adaptive clinical trial'/exp OR 'adaptive clinical trial' OR 'clinical trial (topic)'/exp OR 'clinical trial (topic)' OR 'clinical trial'/exp OR 'clinical trial' OR 'controlled clinical trial (topic)'/exp OR 'controlled clinical trial (topic)' OR 'controlled clinical trial'/exp OR 'controlled clinical trial' OR 'double blind procedure'/exp OR 'double blind procedure' OR 'early termination of clinical trial'/exp OR 'early termination of clinical trial' OR 'equivalence trial (topic)'/exp OR 'equivalence trial (topic)' OR 'equivalence trial'/exp OR 'equivalence trial' OR 'intention to treat analysis'/exp OR 'intention to treat analysis' OR 'multicenter study (topic)'/exp OR 'multicenter study (topic)' OR 'multicenter study'/exp OR 'multicenter study' OR 'non-inferiority trial'/exp OR 'non-inferiority trial' OR 'phase 1 clinical trial (topic)'/exp OR 'phase 1 clinical trial (topic)' OR 'phase 1 clinical trial'/exp OR 'phase 1 clinical trial' OR 'phase 2 clinical trial (topic)'/exp OR 'phase 2 clinical trial (topic)' OR 'phase 2 clinical trial'/exp OR 'phase 2 clinical trial' OR 'phase 3 clinical trial (topic)'/exp OR 'phase 3 clinical trial (topic)' OR 'phase 3 clinical trial'/exp OR 'phase 3 clinical trial' OR 'phase 4 clinical trial (topic)'/exp OR 'phase 4 clinical trial (topic)' OR 'phase 4 clinical trial'/exp OR 'phase 4 clinical trial' OR 'pragmatic trial'/exp OR 'pragmatic trial' OR 'randomized controlled trial (topic)'/exp OR 'randomized controlled trial (topic)' OR 'randomized controlled trial'/exp OR 'randomized controlled trial' OR 'superiority trial'/exp OR 'superiority trial' OR 'multicenter study':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase i':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase ii':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase iii':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase iv':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase 1':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase 2':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase 3':ti,ab,kw OR 'phase 4':ti,ab,kw OR ((randomised OR randomized) NEAR/7 trial*) OR (controlled NEAR/3 trial*) OR (clinical NEAR/2 trial*) OR ((single:ti,ab,kw OR doubl*:ti,ab,kw OR tripl*:ti,ab,kw OR treb*:ti,ab,kw) AND (blind*:ti,ab,kw OR mask*:ti,ab,kw)) OR '4 arm':ti,ab,kw OR 'four arm':ti,ab,kw) NOT (('animal'/exp OR 'animal experiment'/exp OR 'plant'/exp) NOT 'human'/exp)

Remove plant and animal studies: Coming soon

With comparative studies

Terms for non-randomized trials/quasi-experimental: Coming soon

To guide vocabulary development, I used the following article:

• Harris AD, McGregor JC, Perencevich EN, Furuno JP, Zhu J, Peterson DE, Finkelstein J. The use and interpretation of quasi-experimental studies in medical informatics. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2006 Jan-Feb;13(1):16-23. doi: 10.1197/jamia.M1749. Epub 2005 Oct 12. PMID: 16221933; PMCID: PMC1380192.

Comparative studies: Coming soon

NLM scope note:

• “Comparison of outcomes, results, responses, etc for different techniques, therapeutic approaches or other inputs”

One could argue that clinical trials, by definition, are comparative studies, even if the comparison is against a placebo or sham, so figuring out the right terms is complicated. Consider this a high-yield start to a search filter with probably a somewhat lower sensitivity (we're guessing ~80%) and higher specificity. Also note that comparative studies can be experimental or not.

There are currently 2 versions as we continue testing:

Limit to trials: reduces the number of observational studies

Without limiting to trials: much broader

Program evaluation/quasi-experimental studies: Coming soon

Use the trials filter for experimental studies.

Quality improvement: Coming soon

QI studies are hard to categorize as some will be randomized trials, some are pre-post studies, and some are continuous improvement projects. The article below describes the life cycle of a QI project.

• Likosky DS. Developing and executing quality improvement projects (concept, methods, and evaluation). J Extra Corpor Technol. 2014 Mar;46(1):38-44. PMID: 24779118; PMCID: PMC4557509.