Individual patient data meta-analysis of diagnostic and prognostic studies in obstetrics, gynaecology and reproductive medicine

Table 1 Variables from the original studies to be included in the IPD meta-analyses.

Topics	Postmenopausal bleeding	Preterm birth	Tubal pathology	Ovarian response in IVF
Population	Postmenopausal bleeding	Asymptomatic early pregnancies	Subfertility	Indication for IVF treatment
		Threatened pre-term labour
Patient characteristics	-Age	-Age	-Age	-Age
	-HRT use	-Obstetric history	-Fertility history	-Fertility history
	-BMI	-BMI	-PID	-BMI
	-Time since menopause	-Multiple pregnancies	-Ectopic pregnancy	-Previous ART
	-Diabetes	-Parity	-BMI	-Smoking
	-Hypertension	-Diabetes	-Pelvic surgery
	-Use of anticoagulants
	-Previous cancer
	-Thyroid dysfunction
Diagnostic tests	-TVS*	-Blood pressure	-CAT*	-FSH*
	-Hysteroscopy/curettage*	-Cervical length measurement*	-HSG*	-AFC
	-Histology of carcinoma*	-Fibronectin test*	-Laparoscopy*	-AMH
Target condition	Endometrial carcinoma*	Childs condition	Tubal pathology*	Ovarian response Pregnancy*
		Delivery prior to 32 weeks*

Overview of variables that will be requested from the original authors.
Marked variables (*) are the minimal requested variables; studies missing a substantial part of these variables will be excluded.
Abbreviations used: HRT: Hormone Replacement Therapy, TVs: Trans Vaginal Sonography, BMI: Body Mass Index, PID: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, CAT: Chlamydia Antibody Test, HSG: Hysterosalpingography, ART: Assisted Reproductive Therapy, FSH: Follicle Stimulating Hormone, AFC: Antral Follicle Count, AMH: Anti Mullerian Hormone.

ISSN: 1471-2288