A step-by-step guide to systematically identify all relevant animal studies

Abstract

Before starting a new animal experiment, thorough analysis of previously performed experiments is essential from a scientific as well as from an ethical point of view. The method that is most suitable to carry out such a thorough analysis of the literature is a systematic review (SR). An essential first step in an SR is to search and find all potentially relevant studies. It is important to include all available evidence in an SR to minimize bias and reduce hampered interpretation of experimental outcomes. Despite the recent development of search filters to find animal studies in PubMed and EMBASE, searching for all available animal studies remains a challenge. Available guidelines from the clinical field cannot be copied directly to the situation within animal research, and although there are plenty of books and courses on searching the literature, there is no compact guide available to search and find relevant animal studies. Therefore, in order to facilitate a structured, thorough and transparent search for animal studies (in both preclinical and fundamental science), an easy-to-use, step-by-step guide was prepared and optimized using feedback from scientists in the field of animal experimentation. The step-by-step guide will assist scientists in performing a comprehensive literature search and, consequently, improve the scientific quality of the resulting review and prevent unnecessary animal use in the future.

Animal models of chemically induced intestinal inflammation: Predictivity and ethical issues

“…randomization, allocation concealment and blinding). Moreover, careful consideration of experimental design robustness, avoiding experimental duplicates, minimization of random errors and systematic review of the most relevant experiments previously performed can lead to a significant reduction of animal use (Leenaars et al, 2012).…”

Hippocampal neurogenesis and pattern separation: A meta‐analysis of behavioral data

“…Four databases were search: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct. The search string for each database was constructed based on the research question and using the tutorial elaborated by Leenaars et al () as a general guideline. The research question was: “what is the effect of HN ablation on behavioral pattern separation in mammals?” Therefore, the search strings were based on terms related to “adult neurogenesis,” “hippocampus,” “dentate gyrus,” “behavioral pattern separation,” and specifically in the case of PubMed, there were terms regarding animal models.…”

Actual Usage and Quality of Experimental Colitis Models in Preclinical Efficacy Testing

“…Our search strategy was performed according to a step-by-step guide to systematically identify all relevant animal studies written by Syrcle. 11 Each search consisted of 2 elements, of which the first described colitis and the second described the pharmaceutical of interest. We used Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms, if available.…”