Indexing criteria and codes

This page contains the indexing criteria and codes used in PEDro:

Criteria
Codes

1. Criteria

Criteria for inclusion of clinical trials

The following criteria are used to distinguish between clinical trials that are eligible for inclusion in PEDro and those that are not:

The trial must involve comparison of at least two interventions and report the intervention effectiveness results of the comparisons. One of these interventions could be a no treatment control, or a sham treatment. Alternatively, the trial could involve comparison of two or more interventions that are thought to be effective, with the aim of determining which is most effective. Crossover trials in which each subject is subjected to more than one intervention will be included in PEDro provided the other criteria are also met. Cluster trials in which subjects are allocated to interventions in groups will be included in PEDro provided the other criteria are also met. The interventions could include (but need not be limited to) treatments, prevention strategies, diagnostic tests or techniques, or management or education strategies. Protocol papers of a clinical trial will not be archived on PEDro.
At least one of the interventions being evaluated must be currently part of physiotherapy practice or could become part of physiotherapy practice. However, the study need not be carried out by physiotherapists. Nor is it necessary that the interventions be carried out by a physiotherapist in the trial.
The interventions should be applied to subjects who are representative (or who are intended to be representative) of those to whom the intervention might be applied in the course of physiotherapy practice. This will usually mean that the intervention is applied to people with a health condition or disability (in the case of a treatment) or at risk of developing a health condition or disability (in the case of a prevention strategy). Trials performed on animals other than humans will not be archived on PEDro.
The trial should involve random allocation or intended-to-be-random allocation of subjects to interventions. By intended-to-be-random allocation, we mean methods of allocation such as alternation (eg, “every second patient attending the clinic was allocated to the treatment group”), or allocation by odd and even birth dates or hospital record numbers. To be included in PEDro, the study must definitely have used random or intended-to-be-random allocation (that is, if it is not certain that one of these methods of allocation was used, the study will not be included).
The paper must be a full paper (not an abstract) in a peer-reviewed journal.

Judgments as to the quality of the methods used or whether the authors actually did what they claimed are not to be used to decide if a clinical trial is eligible for inclusion in PEDro.

Criteria for inclusion of systematic reviews

Systematic reviews evaluating physiotherapy interventions are also archived in PEDro. Systematic reviews (sometimes called meta-analyses, although the term is used inconsistently) are distinguished from traditional (“narrative”) reviews by the use of methods to minimise bias. The following criteria are used to distinguish between systematic reviews that are eligible for inclusion in PEDro and those that are not:

The review must contain a Methods section which describes the search strategy and inclusion criteria.
The review must include at least one trial, review or guideline (or explicitly search for but not find a trial, review or guideline) that satisfies the criteria for inclusion in PEDro.
The paper must be a full paper (not an abstract) in a peer-reviewed journal.

Judgments as to the quality of the methods used or whether the authors actually did what they claimed are not to be used to decide if a systematic review is eligible for inclusion in PEDro.

Criteria for inclusion of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines

Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines will be included if they satisfy the following criteria:

The clinical practice guideline was produced under the auspices of a health professional association or society, public or private organisation, health care organisation or plan, or government agency. A clinical practice guideline developed and issued by an individual or group of individuals not officially sponsored or supported by one of the above types of organisations does not meet the inclusion criteria for PEDro.
The clinical practice guideline is publicly available.
A systematic literature search and review of existing scientific evidence published in peer-reviewed journals was performed during the guideline development OR the guidelines were based on a systematic review published in the four years preceding publication of the guideline.
The clinical practice guideline contains systematically developed statements that include recommendations, strategies, or information to guide decisions about appropriate health care.
At least one recommendation concerns at least one intervention that is currently part of physiotherapy practice or that could become part of physiotherapy practice.
Physiotherapy recommendations are based on at least one randomised controlled trial or systematic review related to physiotherapy.

Judgments as to the quality of the methods used or whether the authors actually did what they claimed are not to be used to decide if a clinical practice guideline is eligible for inclusion in PEDro.

2. Codes

Subdiscipline

These categories refer to various aspects of physiotherapy. If the area for a particular paper does not fit under any of these, the code “no appropriate value in this field” should be used.

cardiothoracics
includes, but is not restricted to, papers evaluating acute and rehabilitation cardiothoracic interventions or fitness training on those with conditions affecting the cardiothoracic system. This subdiscipline does not include studies of general fitness training among patient populations. Studies of general fitness training for healthy populations are not indexed on PEDro

continence and women’s health
includes, but is not restricted to male and female incontinence and pre- and post-natal interventions for the mother

ergonomics and occupational health
includes, but is not restricted to, interventions based at workplaces or on workers for work-related conditions

gerontology
includes papers where the average age of the study sample is over 60, and papers on conditions which commonly affect older people (eg, arthritis)

musculoskeletal
includes, but is not restricted to, low back pain, rheumatoid disease, entrapment syndromes, neuralgia

neurology
includes, but is not restricted to, lesions of the central and peripheral nervous systems excluding those whose primary presentation is pain or paraesthesia such as carpal tunnel syndrome, neuralgia or sciatica

oncology
includes papers evaluating interventions for health problems due to tumours or cancers

orthopaedics
includes only fractures and intervention before or after orthopaedic surgery (eg, knee replacements, ligament repairs)

paediatrics
includes papers where the average age of the study sample is under 16, and papers on conditions which commonly affect children (eg, cystic fibrosis)

sports
includes papers which specifically mention sports injuries as well as conditions which commonly affect sports people (eg, ligament repairs)

no appropriate value in this field

Intervention

These categories cover broad aspects of physiotherapy intervention. If the intervention used in a particular paper does not fit under any of these, the code “no appropriate value in this field” should be used.

acupuncture
behaviour modification
education
electrotherapy, heat, cold
fitness training
health promotion
hydrotherapy, balneotherapy
neurodevelopmental therapy, neurofacilitation
orthoses, taping, splinting
respiratory therapy
skill training
strength training
stretching, mobilisation, manipulation, massage
no appropriate value in this field

Problem

This problem list has been developed to cover broad categories of problems treated by physiotherapists. Note that the problem has been described at the level of physiotherapy intervention. If the problem being treated in a particular paper does not fit under any of these, the code “no appropriate value in this field” should be used.

difficulty with sputum clearance
frailty
impaired ventilation
incontinence
motor incoordination
muscle shortening, reduced joint compliance
muscle weakness
oedema
pain
reduced exercise tolerance
reduced work tolerance
skin lesion, wound, burn
no appropriate value in this field

Body part

These categories refer to the body part being treated. If there is no one body part being treated, or if the intervention is targeted at whole body systems rather than a body part (eg, training walking following a stroke), the code “no appropriate value in this field” should be used.

head or neck
upper arm, shoulder or shoulder girdle
forearm or elbow
hand or wrist
chest (for cardiothoracic trials)
thoracic spine
lumbar spine, SIJ or pelvis
perineum or genito-urinary system
thigh or hip
lower leg or knee
foot or ankle
no appropriate value in this field

Topic

These categories refer to specific populations treated by physiotherapists. If the topic for a particular paper does not fit under any of these, the code “no appropriate value in this field” should be used.

cerebral palsy
includes papers evaluating management of cerebral palsy

chronic pain
includes papers evaluating management of chronic pain including chronic pain of musculoskeletal or neurological origin

chronic respiratory disease
includes papers evaluating management of chronic respiratory disease including interstitial lung disease, bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

neurotrauma
includes papers evaluating management of spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury

whiplash
includes papers evaluating management of whiplash associated disorders