Core Outcome Sets










The purpose of a COS is to ensure that all studies of a particular health condition or intervention measure and report on the most important outcomes in a consistent way. This can help to ensure that the results of different studies can be compared and combined in a meaningful way, which can help to improve the overall quality of research in a particular area.
A COS can include a range of outcomes, such as clinical outcomes (e.g. survival, disease progression), patient-reported outcomes (e.g. quality of life, symptom severity), and economic outcomes (e.g. cost-effectiveness). The specific outcomes included in a COS will depend on the condition or intervention being studied, as well as the priorities and preferences of the stakeholders (including patients) involved in the development process.
Below is a list of HRB-TMRN COS funded and / or led by HRB members. A full listing of published COS can be accessed via the COMET initiative website. https://www.comet-initiative.org/
Objective | Title | ||
---|---|---|---|
2022 | COSUTI: a core outcome set for the effectiveness of treatment interventions for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in adults. | Prof Declan Devane, Dr Claire Beecher, Dr Sinead Duane, Prof Andrew Murphy, Dr Patricia Healy, Dr Akke Vellinga, Prof Martin Cormican, Dr Andrew Smyth (University of Galway) | view |
2022 | Multi-Round compared to Real-Time Delphi for consensus in core outcome set (COS) development: a randomised trial. | Dr Fiona Quirke (University of Galway), Dr Patricia Healy (University of Galway), Dr Linda Biesty (University of Galway), Prof Eleanor Molloy (Trinity College Dublin), Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway), | view |
2020 | A core outcome set for studies of gestational diabetes mellitus prevention and treatment. | Dr Aoife Egan (University of Galway), Prof Valerie Smith (TCD), Prof Declan Devane, Dr Linda Biesty, Prof Fidelma Dunne (University of Galway) | view |
2020 | Salutogenic Intrapartum Core Outcomes (SIPCO): Identification of a minimum dataset using an international eDelphi consensus process. | Prof Declan Devane (Unviersity of Galway), Prof Valerie Smith, Prof Deirdre Daly, Prof Cecily Begley (Trinity College Dublin) | view |
2020 | Core outcomes in neurorehabilitation: development of a core outcome set for acquired brain injury. | Prof Dominic Trepel (Trinity College Dublin) | view |
2020 | Follow-up at 1 year and beyond of women with gestational diabetes treated with insulin and/or oral glucose-lowering agents: a core outcome set using a Delphi survey | Dr Aoife Egan, Prof Declan Devane, Dr Linda Biesty, Prof Fidelma Dunne (University of Galway) | view |
2019 | A core outcome set for trials of infant-feeding interventions to prevent childhood obesity. | Dr Karen Matvienko-Sikar, Ciara Griffin, Niamh McGrath (UCC), Dr Elaine Toomey (University of Galway), Molly Byrne, Colette Kelly, Caroline Heary, Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway), Prof Patricia M Kearney (UCC) | view |
2019 | A core outcome set for randomised trials evaluating interventions for treatment of pregnant women with pregestational diabetes. | Dr Aoife Egan, Dr Linda Biesty, Prof Paddy Gillespie, Prof Fidelma Dunne, Prof Declan Devane (Unviersity of Galway), | view |
2019 | The development of a core outcome set for interventions in the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI’s) in adult patients. | Prof Declan Devane, Dr Claire Beecher, Dr Sinead Duane, Prof Andrew Murphy, Dr Patricia Healy, Dr Akke Vellinga, Prof Martin Cormican, Dr Andrew Smyth (University of Galway) | view |
2019 | Developing a core outcome set (COS) for clinical trials on interventions for the detection and management of reduced fetal movements in pregnancy. | Prof Valerie Smith (Trinity College Dublin), Prof Declan Devane (Unversity of Galway). | view |
2019 | A Core Outcome Set for the prevention and treatment of fetal GROwth restriction: deVeloping Endpoints: the COSGROVE study. | Dr Patricia Healy, Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway) | view |
2018 | Core outcome sets for prevention and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage: an international Delphi consensus study. | Prof Declan Devane (Unviersity of Galway) | view |
2018 | Development of a core outcome set for trials on induction of labour (COSIOL): An international multi-stakeholder Delphi study. | Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway) | view |
2018 | COHESION: Core Outcomes in Neonatal Encephalopathy. | Dr Fiona Quirke (University of Galway), Dr Patricia Healy (University of Galway), Dr Linda Biesty (University of Galway), Prof Eleanor Molloy (Trinity College Dublin), Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway), | view |
2018 | Developing a Core Outcome Set for Childhood Obesity Prevention: A Systematic Review. | Dr Karen Matvienko-Sikar, Ciara Griffin, Niamh McGrath (UCC), Dr Elaine Toomey (University of Galway), Molly Byrne, Colette Kelly, Caroline Heary, Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway), Prof Patricia M Kearney (UCC) | view |
2017 | A core outcome set for studies evaluating the effectiveness of prepregnancy care for women with pregestational diabetes. | Dr Aoife Egan (University of Galway), Prof Valerie Smith (TCD), Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway), Prof Fidelma Dunne (University of Galway) | view |
2017 | A core outcome set for adult cardiac surgery trials: A consensus study. | Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway) | view |
2016 | Developing a core outcome set (COS) for intrapartum fetal assessment. | Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway), Prof Valerie Smith (Trinity College Dublin), Prof Geraldine Boylan (Unviersity College Cork), | view |
2016 | Core Outcome Set-STAndards for Reporting: The COS-STAR Statement. | Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway) | view |
2015 | Heterogeneity of wound outcome measures in RCTs of treatments for VLUs: a systematic review. | Prof Georgina Gethin, Prof Decaln Devane (University of Galway) | view |


Core Outcome Set (COS) Funding
In 2023 the network will provide funding for one COS award. This award is worth up to €10,000 (25% institutional overheads of direct project costs also available) and will provide funding to explore the need for a COS within any health related area or assist in the development of an ongoing COS for which no funding is available.