摘要：Objectives: We analyzed the extent to which comparative effectiveness research (CER) organizations share terms for designs, analyzed coverage of CER designs in Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and Emtree, and explored whether scientists use CER design terms. Methods: We developed local terminologies (LTs) and a CER design terminology by extracting terms in documents from five organizations. We defined coverage as the distribution over match type in MeSH and Emtree. We created a crosswalk by recording terms to which design terms mapped in both controlled vocabularies. We analyzed the hits for queries restricted to titles and abstracts to explore scientists' language. Results: Pairwise LT overlap ranged from 22.64% (12/53) to 75.61% (31/41). The CER design terminology (n = 78 terms) consisted of terms for primary study designs and a few terms useful for evaluating evidence, such as opinion paper and systematic review . Patterns of coverage were similar in MeSH and Emtree (gamma = 0.581, P = 0.002). Conclusions: Stakeholder terminologies vary, and terms are inconsistently covered in MeSH and Emtree. The CER design terminology and crosswalk may be useful for expert searchers. For partially mapped terms, queries could consist of free text for modifiers such as nonrandomized or interrupted added to broad or related controlled terms. Highlights Local terminologies for study designs vary across organizations that promote comparative effectiveness research (CER). Coverage of design terms common to CER is similar in Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and Emtree. Most negated or detailed terms partially map or fail to map to controlled terms. A crosswalk (online only) between MeSH and Emtree provides suggestions for alternative terms and query expansions. Implications Librarians and trials search coordinators who support various CER stakeholder communities can consult the crosswalk for ideas when developing the design block for their search filters. Because scientists appear to split up concepts in detailed design phrases used for classification by methodologists, and modifiers and basic design names can occur in different places in their titles and abstracts, librarians may need to write queries that use free text for pieces of a design phrase along with controlled terms, if they exist. The crosswalk developed in this study could also be useful for expert searchers when designing filters requiring terms for designs in domains other than CER.
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