Table 3.
Normalizing eligibility criteria in 6 steps | Before normalization process | After normalization process |
---|---|---|
1- Remove redundancy among inclusion and exclusion criteria |
IC: no contraindication to low weight molecular heparin EC: any contraindication to low weight molecular heparin |
EC: any contraindication to low weight molecular heparin |
2- Identify individual criteria (e.g. split a single complex criterion into multiple simple criteria) | IC: renal artery imaging dated less than 1 year confirming the existence of two normal-sized kidneys > 90 mm and showing no renal artery stenosis |
IC: renal artery imaging dated less than 1 year; IC: kidney size > 90 mm; IC: no renal artery stenosis |
3- Reformulate criteria (e.g. negate and switch from inclusion to exclusion) | IC: no renal artery stenosis |
EC: renal artery stenosis (Negation removed) |
4- Recognition of individual medical concepts: | EC: known pregnancy or no effective contraception for women of childbearing age or breastfeeding | - Pregnancy - Effective contraception - Age - Breastfeeding |
5- Remove semantic ambiguity (based on knowledge sources or human expertise) | - Female contraception | - Oral contraception - Intrauterine device - Diaphragm - Spermicide |
- Impossible follow-up | - No translation | |
6- Translating medical concepts from local languages to English | EC: Grossesse connue ou absence de contraception efficace pour les femmes en âge de procréer ou allaitement. | EC: Known pregnancy or no effective contraception for women of childbearing age or breastfeeding |
IC inclusion criterion, EC exclusion criterion