Introduction: An increasing growth of systematic reviews (SRs) presents notable challenges for decision-makers seeking to answer clinical questions. Overviews of systematic reviews aim to address these challenges by summarising results of SRs and making sense of potentially discrepant SR results and conclusions. In 1997, an algorithm was created by Jadad to assess discordance in results across SRs on the same topic. Since this tool pre-dates the advent of overviews, it has been inconsistently applied in this context. Our study aims to (a) replicate assessments done in a sample of overviews using the Jadad algorithm to determine if the same SR would have been chosen, (b) evaluate the Jadad algorithm in terms of utility, efficiency, and comprehensiveness, and (c) describe how overviews address discordance in results across multiple SRs. Methods and Analysis: We will use a database of 1218 overviews (2000-2020) created from a bibliometric study as the basis of our search for overviews assessing discordance. This bibliometric study searched MEDLINE (Ovid), Epistemonikos, and Cochrane Database for overviews. We will include any overviews using Jadad (1997) or another method to assess discordance. The first 30 overviews screened at the full-text stage by two independent reviewers will be included. We will replicate Jadad assessments in overviews. We will compare our outcomes qualitatively and evaluate the differences between our Jadad assessment of discordance and the overviews’ assessment. Ethics and Dissemination: No ethics approval was required as no human subjects were involved. In addition to publishing in an open-access journal, we will disseminate evidence summaries through formal and informal conferences, academic websites, and across social media platforms. This is the first study to comprehensively evaluate and replicate Jadad algorithm assessments of discordance in SRs.

Introduction: An increasing growth of systematic reviews (SRs) presents notable challenges for decision-makers seeking to answer clinical questions. In 1997, an algorithm was created by Jadad to assess discordance in results across SRs on the same question. Our study aims to (a) replicate assessments done in a sample of studies using the Jadad algorithm to determine if the same SR would have been chosen, (b) evaluate the Jadad algorithm in terms of utility, efficiency, and comprehensiveness, and (c) describe how authors address discordance in results across multiple SRs. Methods and Analysis: We will use a database of 1218 overviews (2000-2020) created from a bibliometric study as the basis of our search for studies assessing discordance (called Discordant Reviews). This bibliometric study searched MEDLINE (Ovid), Epistemonikos, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for overviews. We will include any study using Jadad (1997) or another method to assess discordance. The first 30 studies screened at the full-text stage by two independent reviewers will be included. We will replicate the authors’ Jadad assessments. We will compare our outcomes qualitatively and evaluate the differences between our Jadad assessment of discordance and the authors’ assessment. Ethics and Dissemination: No ethics approval was required as no human subjects were involved. In addition to publishing in an open-access journal, we will disseminate evidence summaries through formal and informal conferences, academic websites, and across social media platforms. This is the first study to comprehensively evaluate and replicate Jadad algorithm assessments of discordance across multiple SRs.

Introduction: An increasing growth of systematic reviews (SRs) presents notable challenges for decision-makers seeking to answer clinical questions. In 1997, an algorithm was created by Jadad to assess discordance in results across SRs on the same question. Our study aims to (a) replicate assessments done in a sample of studies using the Jadad algorithm to determine if the same SR would have been chosen, (b) evaluate the Jadad algorithm in terms of utility, efficiency, and comprehensiveness, and (c) describe how authors address discordance in results across multiple SRs. Methods and Analysis: We will use a database of 1218 overviews (2000-2020) created from a bibliometric study as the basis of our search for studies assessing discordance (called Discordant Reviews). This bibliometric study searched MEDLINE (Ovid), Epistemonikos, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for overviews. We will include any study using Jadad (1997) or another method to assess discordance. The first 30 studies screened at the full-text stage by two independent reviewers will be included. We will replicate the authors’ Jadad assessments. We will compare our outcomes qualitatively and evaluate the differences between our Jadad assessment of discordance and the authors’ assessment. Ethics and Dissemination: No ethics approval was required as no human subjects were involved. In addition to publishing in an open-access journal, we will disseminate evidence summaries through formal and informal conferences, academic websites, and across social media platforms. This is the first study to comprehensively evaluate and replicate Jadad algorithm assessments of discordance across multiple SRs.