Table S1.
MEDLINE literature search strategy, limited to english language
| Term group | Search # | Search terms |
|---|---|---|
| Population of interest | #1 | “Multiple Sclerosis”[MeSH] OR “multiple sclerosis”[Text Word] OR “Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting”[MeSH] |
| Interventions of interest | #2 | “Adrenocorticotropic Hormone”[MeSH] OR ACTH[Title/Abstract] OR A.C.T.H.[Title/Abstract] OR Acthar[Title/Abstract] OR adrenocorticotropic hormone[Title/Abstract] OR corticotrophin[Title/Abstract] OR corticotropin[Title/Abstract] OR adrenocorticotropin[Title/Abstract] OR “Anti-Inflammatory Agents”[MeSH] OR “Methylprednisolone”[MeSH] OR methylprednisolone[Title/Abstract] OR prednisone[Title/Abstract] OR solumedrol[Title/Abstract] OR Solu-Medrol[Title/Abstract] OR IVMP[Title/Abstract] OR “Immunoglobulins, Intravenous”[MeSH] OR intravenous immunoglobulin[Title/Abstract] OR immunoglobulin[Title/Abstract] OR “Plasmapheresis”[MeSH]) OR “Plasma Exchange”[MeSH] OR plasmapheresis[Title/Abstract] OR plasma exchange[Title/Abstract] OR immunoadsorption[Title/Abstract] |
| Study type (clinical trials)a | #3 | “Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic”[MeSH] OR “Randomized Controlled Trial”[Publication Type] OR “randomised clinical trial”[Text Word] OR “randomised clinical trials”[Text Word] OR “randomized clinical trial”[Text Word] OR “randomised clinical study”[Text Word] OR “randomized clinical study”[Text Word] OR “randomized clinical trials”[Text Word] OR “randomised controlled trial”[Text Word] OR “randomized controlled trials”[Text Word] OR “randomized controlled trial”[Text Word] OR “randomized controlled trials”[Text Word] OR “randomised trial”[Text Word] OR “randomised trials”[Text Word] OR “randomized trial”[Text Word] OR “randomized trials”[Text Word] OR “random allocation”[Text Word] OR “allocated random*”[Text word] OR (random* AND trial*) OR “Controlled Clinical Trial”[Publication Type] OR “Clinical Trials as Topic”[MeSH:NoExp] OR open-label trial*[Text Word] OR open-label stud*[Text Word] OR non-blinded stud*[Text Word] OR “Clinical Trial, Phase II”[Publication Type] OR “Clinical Trial, Phase III”[Publication Type] OR “Clinical Trial, Phase IV”[Publication Type] OR “Multicenter Study”[Publication Type] |
| #4 | #1 AND #2 AND #3 | |
| Exclusion terms | #5 | “Animals”[MeSH] NOT “Humans”[MeSH] |
| #6 | “Clinical Trial, Phase I”[Publication Type] OR “Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic”[MeSH] OR “Comment”[Publication Type] OR “Editorial”[Publication Type] OR “Letter”[Publication Type] OR “Guideline”[Publication Type] OR “Guidelines as Topic”[MeSH] OR “prognostic”[Text Word] OR animal model*[Text Word] OR “Case Reports”[Publication Type] OR case report*[Text Word] OR “case series”[Text Word] OR “case study”[Text Word] OR “case studies”[Text Word] | |
| #7 | #4 NOT (#5 OR #6) No date limits | |
| #8 | #7, limited to English language |
Notes: Search conducted May 1, 2016. aPlease note: the search was initially designed to identify randomized and nonrandomized trials, prospective and retrospective studies; however, for the purposes of this manuscript, which focuses on RCTs, selection of full texts during level 2 screen was limited to RCTs only. The search strategy for PubMed therefore reflects this and presents terms for RCTs only.
Abbreviation: RCT, randomized controlled trial.