There are different methods that you can use to update your searches, and they are usually database-specific. What you are trying to do is avoid screening the same records all over again.
If you have access to Covidence (not yet available at McGill as an institutional subscription, but available through subscription or through most other Canadian universities with medical schools), you can simply import all the records generated by the new/updated searches, and Covidence will remove records that have already been uploaded.
Another method is to restrict records to those entered into the database on or after the date you last ran the search (note: this is NOT the publication date, this is the date the record was added to the database, and this date field is not available in all databases).
This can be done in PubMed, MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Scopus, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), APA PsycInfo (Ovid), and Web of Science Core Collection (as well as others), but unfortunately the entry date is not available as a search field in all databases.
Please note: The field codes are subject to change and we strongly suggest checking the database information, particularly at the beginning of a new year, when indexing changes are more likely to occur. Please also let us know if you identify issues with these codes. This table was last updated September 1, 2022 (CINAHL).
Many thanks to those who reach out to let us know when there are issues or corrections needed!
Database | Platform | Suggested Search Field(s) | Example of a search last run on July 1, 2019 and updated on March 16, 2021 |
---|---|---|---|
CENTRAL/Trials | Cochrane Library/Wiley | Use "Date" filter | View search results / Select Trials tab > Under "Filter your results" (left column), enter date range ("Date added to CENTRAL trials database") as custom range 01/07/2019 to 16/03/2021 |
PubMed (field code info) | - | CRDT OR EDAT OR MHDA |
#x AND ("2019/07/01"[CRDT] : "3000"[CRDT] OR "2019/07/01"[EDAT] : "3000"[EDAT] OR "2019/07/01"[MHDA] : "3000"[MHDA]) (MHDA refers to the date that MeSH are added and may increase duplicates but can identify indexed records previously missed by textword searching) |
MEDLINE (field code info) | OvidSP |
.dt,ez,da. (Create Date, Entrez date; Entry date) |
(201907* OR 201908* OR 201909* OR 20191* OR 202*).dt,ez,da. (da refers to the date that MeSH are added and may increase duplicates but can identify indexed records previously missed by textword searching) |
Embase (field code info) | OvidSP | .dc. |
limit x to dc=20190701-20210316 |
PsycInfo (field code info) | OvidSP | .up. | limit x to up=20190701-20210316 |
CINAHL (field code info) | EBSCOhost | EM yyyymmdd- OR ZD "in process" |
EM 20190701- OR ZD "in process" (was ZD 201907* OR 201908* OR 201909* OR 20191* OR 202* OR "in process") |
Scopus | ORIG-LOAD-DATE AFT | ORIG-LOAD-DATE AFT 20190630 | |
Web of Science Core Collection (new Web of Science platform) |
Web of Science | LD |
Select Index Date: 2019-07-01 to 2021-03-16 OR From Advanced Search Query Builder > Query Preview: LD=(2019-07-01/2021-03-16) |
You can also merge old and new records for each database search into one library and remove records that appear in both the old and new libraries (e.g., in databases that do not have a field referring to the date the record was added to the database):
Here is another example of how you can restrict Ovid MEDLINE or PubMed records to only those records that you had not previously screened from the original MEDLINE search:
See also: Garner P, Hopewell S, Chandler J, MacLehose H, Akl EA, Beyene J, Chang S, Churchill R, Dearness K, Guyatt G, Lefebvre C, Liles B, Marshall R, Martínez García L, Mavergames C, Nasser M, Qaseem A, Sampson M, Soares-Weiser K, Takwoingi Y, Thabane L, Trivella M, Tugwell P, Welsh E, Wilson EC, Schünemann HJ. When and How to Update Systematic Reviews: Consensus and Checklist. BMJ. 2016;354. 10.1136/bmj.i3507
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