Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

FOR AUTHORS

INDEX

Page

  1. Background3

1.1Scope of Group3

1.2Groups with areas of common interest3

  1. Editorial information4

2.1Contact details4

  1. Joint publication5
  2. Deadlines in 20085
  3. How to obtain Cochrane material5
  4. Other sources of information6

  1. BACKGROUND

The Cochrane Collaboration is an international organisation that aims to help people make well-informed decisions about healthcare by preparing, maintaining and promoting the accessibility of systematic reviews of the effects of health care interventions. It is a not-for-profit organisation, established as a company, limited by guarantee and registered as a charity in the UK.

COLLABORATIVE REVIEW GROUPS

There are approximately fifty Collaborative Review Groups.

The Neuromuscular Disease Group was registered with the Collaboration in March 1998.

1.1 Scope

The Group aims to cover the whole range of neuromuscular disease. We consider neuromuscular disease to include disorders of muscle, neuromuscular junction, peripheral nervous system and anterior horn cell. We cover the following areas:-

Muscle diseases

Neuromuscular junction disorders

Peripheral neuropathy

Motor neuron disorders

Complications of neuromuscular disease

Other disorders related to neuromuscular disease

Generic neuromuscular symptoms

Generic treatments

We are also interested in considering 'orphan' diseases affecting the peripheral and central nervous system but which are not covered by any Collaborative Review Group.

We are interested in all aspects of management, including prevention, acute management, psychosocial interventions (such as stress relaxation, meditation and biofeedback) and rehabilitation.

Although the primary and initial target for our efforts will concern randomised controlled trials, the Group has already become aware that in many of the diseases of interest randomised controlled trials have not been undertaken and are unlikely to be performed. The Group is interested in considering systematic reviews of other forms of evidence in the future if the Collaboration decides to include these. At present we will only incorporate such material in the background or discussion section of each review.

1.2Groups with areas of common interest

There are known or potential areas of common interest with other Collaborative Review Groups such as:-

  • Airways Group
  • Back Group
  • Depression Anxiety and Neurosis Group
  • Ear, Nose and throat
  • Gynaecological Cancer Group
  • Infectious Diseases Group
  • Injuries Group
  • Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders Group
  • Musculoskeletal Group
  • Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group
  • Skin Group

Offers of protocols/reviews which may overlap with the scope of any of the above Groups will be resolved by negotiation with the relevant Co-ordinating Editor before the protocol or review is accepted.

  1. EDITORIAL INFORMATION

There are currently 13 editors on our editorial board, which is both multinational and multidisciplinary.

2.1 Contact details

EditorCountrySpecialism

Professor Djillali AnnaneFranceIntensive Care

Dr Michael BenatarUSAMyasthenia gravis

Dr Denise O’ConnorAustraliaOccupational Therapy

Dr David CornblathUSAPeripheral neuropathy

Professor Richard Hughes (Co-ordinating Editor)UK Peripheral neuropathy

Dr Michael LunnUKPeripheral neuropathy

Dr Robert MillerUSAMotor Neuron Disease/ Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Dr Dan MooreUSAStatistical editor

Dr Rosaline QuinlivanUKMuscle disease

Dr Michael RoseUKMuscle disease

Dr Renato VerdugoChileCarpal tunnel syndrome

Professor Douglas Mitchell UKMotor Neuron Disease/

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Dr Anthony SwanUKStatistical editor

Review Group Co-ordinatorTrials Search Co-ordinator

Kate Jewitt (part-time Monday to Wednesday)Angela Gunn (part-time)

Assistant Trials Search Co-ordinator

Rachel Barton (part-time)

Comments/Criticisms Editor

Dr Brian Dickie

Address

Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group

MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Disease

PO Box 114

NationalHospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

Queen Square

London WC1N 3BG

Tel:00 44 20 7692 2359

Fax:00 44 20 7829 8725

Email:

Group Website:

3. JOINT PUBLICATION

Authors prepare and maintain their reviews for inclusion in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews on the understanding that they will not be subject to any exclusive copyright arrangements. This helps to ensure that the results of their work can be widely and freely disseminated. Authors will need to complete a ‘Permission for publication form’ when their review is accepted for publication.

We encourage publication of versions of Cochrane Reviews on paper, for example in journals or in books. The principle of concurrent electronic and paper publication of systematic reviews has been reflected in the arrangements agreed by the Cochrane Collaboration with the British Medical Journal and The Lancet, and with other journals including Lancet Neurology, JAMA, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, Journal of Neuroepidemiology, which have agreed in principal to publish Cochrane reviews. Permission for publication of reviews in other journals will need to be sought from the publisher of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, John Wiley and Sons Ltd. Please contact the review group co-ordinator for more information if you need more information on joint publication.

4. 2008 DEADLINES

We ask for return of peer review comments within 3 weeks and we try where possible to complete the refereeing and editing procedure on all protocols and reviews within one month of receipt. To ensure that your protocol or review is included in a particular issue of the Library in 2008, we will need to receive the first and final drafts of your protocol or review by the dates shown below to allow time for peer review and editing.

First draft to editorial base by / Final draft to editorial base by / NMD Group submits to Cochrane publisher / Cochrane Library edition / Publication date
19 September 2007 / 1 November 2007 / 14 November 2007 / Issue 1, 2008 / 23 January 2008
1 January 2008 / 10 February 2008 / 21 February 2008 / Issue 2, 2008 / 16 April 2008
17 March 2008 / 1 May 2008 / 15 May 2008 / Issue 3, 2008 / 9 July 2008
23 June 2008 / 1 August 2008 / 14 August 2008 / Issue 4, 2008 / 8 October 2008
15 September 2008 / 1 November 2008 / 13 November 2008 / Issue 1, 2009 / 21 January 2009

5. HOW TO OBTAIN COCHRANE MATERIAL

Cochrane websites

The Cochrane Collaboration website is available at the following location: .

The website provides contact information for entities within the Collaboration, information on policies and links to resources such as the Cochrane Reviewers handbook and Cochrane Style Guide.

Cochrane Manual

From Cochrane website

From the Cochrane Library

From Cochrane FTP sites

The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions

From Cochrane websites:

From the Cochrane Library

From Cochrane FTP sites

From within RevMan under the 'Help' menu

The Cochrane Style Guide

For guidelines on house style requirements for Cochrane protocols and reviews.

From

Review Manager 5 software

Archie, The Collaboration’s Information Management System

6. OTHER USEFUL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

The Cochrane Library

The Cochrane Library is the major product of the Collaboration. It is produced quarterly and includes:

  • Regularly updated reviews of the effects of healthcare
  • Critical assessments of good systematic reviews published elsewhere
  • Bibliographic information on over 300 000 controlled trials
  • A handbook, glossary and further references on the science of reviewing research
  • Contact details of all Collaborative Review Groups and other entities
  • Internet links to further information on using evidence in healthcare

It is a subscription online database published by John Wiley and Sons. For subscribing details go to: university or workplace may already have an institutional subscription so you should contact your information service. Additionally a number of countries have arranged to provide free national access. For details go to:

Bandolier - electronic journal on evidence based healthcare

Current Controlled Trials

Current Controlled Trials is dedicated to promoting the exchange of information about controlled trials in all areas of health and social care. The site currently features a meta register of controlled trials.

The UK Clinical Research Network

Details of ongoing UK based trials can be found at:

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