Enhancing the Quality of Evidence, Comparability, and Reproducibility in Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage Research: A Systematic Review and tICH Reporting Guideline Study Protocol

Introduction: Traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH) is a grave medical concern often resulting from severe head trauma, and it frequently leads to life-threatening outcomes. Despite its clinical significance, there is a notable lack of uniformity in the quality of evidence and standardization in studies reporting on tICH. This diversity in reporting makes it challenging to perform robust meta-analytic comparisons, limiting our ability to draw strong evidence-based conclusions. This study's primary objective is to assess the quality of reporting in tICH studies and develop a reporting guideline checklist. This guideline will propose standardization of terminology, concepts, and outcome reporting, enhancing data comparability, and reinforcing the essential elements to ensure study reproducibility.

Methods: This systematic literature review will strictly follow the PRISMA guidelines and conduct comprehensive searches across various databases, including Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and EMBASE. The GRADE system will be employed to evaluate the levels of evidence in the included studies. Additionally, adherence to established reporting guidelines, as recommended by the EQUATOR Network Group, will be rigorously assessed. Reproducibility of the study, concepts and definitions related to critical tICH will be thoroughly examined. After the completion of the systematic review, a Reporting Guideline will be developed by achieving a consensus through a modified Delphi method involving the participation of the authors.

Results: The study protocol has been established and is currently underway.

Conclusion : The tICH-Reporting Guideline aspires to propose the standardization in published research related to tICH, thereby promoting data comparability and strengthening study reproducibility. Furthermore, it offers a valuable and adaptable resource for researchers, providing a foundation for the methodological design of upcoming clinical studies and proposing clear definitions of essential concepts within the realm of TICH. As a result, this study holds the potential to enhance the planning, execution, data management, and reporting of clinical trials and other relevant research in the field of neurosurgery, contributing to its advancement within the context of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage.