Additionally, the search was run on Medline and Embase using a health economic filter, from September 2009, to ensure recent publications that had not yet been indexed by the economic databases were identified. The quality of life search was run on Medline and Embase using a quality of life filter, from January 2002. Where possible, searches were restricted to papers published in English. Studies published in languages other than English were not reviewed. The health economic search strategies are included in appendix N. The general heart failure economic search was updated on 6 December 2017. No papers published after this date were considered. 4.3 Identifying and analysing evidence of effectiveness Research fellows conducted the tasks listed below, which are described in further detail in the rest of this section: Identified potentially relevant studies for each review question from the relevant search results by reviewing titles and abstracts. Full papers were then obtained. Reviewed full papers against prespecified inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify studies that addressed the review question in the appropriate population, and reported on outcomes of interest (review protocols are included in appendix A). Chronic Heart Failure Methods NICE 2018. All rights reserved. Subject to Notice of rights. ISBN: 978-1-4731-3093-7 Critically appraised relevant studies using the appropriate study design checklist as specified in the NICE guidelines manual.236 Prognostic studies were critically appraised using NGC checklists. Qualitative studies were critically appraised using the GRADE CERQual approach for rating confidence in the body of evidence as a whole and using an NGC checklist for the methodological limitations section of the quality assessment. Extracted key information about interventional study methods and results using Evibase , NGC s purpose-built software. Evibase produces summary evidence tables, including critical appraisal ratings. 