Diagnostic accuracy of molecular methods for detecting markers of antimalarial drug resistance in clinical samples of Plasmodium falciparum : protocol for an update to a systematic review and meta-analysis

The objective of this update to this systematic review is to improve and update identification of the sensitivity and specificity of each molecular method for detecting selected antimalarial drug resistance markers.MethodsWe will include diagnostic accuracy studies that compare at least two of any molecular methods to examine blood samples from patients diagnosed with, or suspected of having malaria, to detect at least one selected marker of antimalarial drug resistance. We will search PubMed, EMBASE, BIOSIS, and Web of Science from 2000 to present. Two reviewers will independently screen all results, extract data, consider applicability, and evaluate the methodological quality of included studies using QUADAS-2. We will carry out a meta-analysis and use statistical methods to compare results from homogenous studies. We will use narrative to synthesise and compare results of heterogeneous studies.DiscussionThis review will help to identify sub-optimal molecular methods for antimalarial marker detection which may be discontinued and identify more sensitive and specific methods which may be adopted. More sensitive and specific detection of drug resistance can be used to improve the breadth and accuracy of surveillance. This would enable the identification of previously undiscovered areas of antimalarial resistances and susceptibilities, improve the precision of estimates of the prevalence of resistances, and improve our ability to detect smaller changes in these patterns. Highe...
Source: Systematic Reviews - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research