Biological Signatures of Inflammation Biomarkers Identified Using Data Reduction Methods in Adult Population: A Scoping Review Protocol

ABSTRACT Background and Aims Chronic inflammation contributes to various chronic diseases, emphasizing the need for reliable biomarkers for early detection and understanding its causes. Measuring chronic inflammation poses challenges since most biomarkers are influenced by both acute and chronic states and recent exposures. Joint analysis of inflammatory biomarkers may help identify specific biological signatures linked to chronic inflammation. The scoping review whose protocol is described here, aims to map the existing literature identifying these signatures in adults using data reduction methods in epidemiological studies. Methods The review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the extension for Scoping Reviews of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis checklist (PRISMA‐ScR). An electronic search will be performed in Medline (via PubMed) and Embase (via Elsevier) for studies published until October 2023, using relevant terms related to inflammation biomarkers, and data reduction methods. Eligible studies include systematic reviews and primary experimental, quasi‐experimental, and observational research analyzing inflammation biomarkers in blood, urine, or saliva from adults. Studies focused on acute infectious diseases, transient inflammatory conditions, and those not published in English or Spanish will be excluded. Four independent reviewers will conduct a two‐phase screening of studies (title/abstract and full‐text), with a third reviewer resolving disagreements. Data extraction will be handled by one reviewer and verified by another using a predefined form. Results Findings will be summarized in a PRISMA flowchart. Interactive visual maps will illustrate the identified inflammatory signatures, categorized by study design, data reduction method, population type, and clinical condition. All resources will be publicly available. Conclusion This review will provide a comprehensive overview of inflammation biomarker signatures derived from data reduction methods while identifying existing knowledge gaps in the field. Scoping Review Registration This protocol was registered on January 25, 2024, on Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/85XUF).