Related Experiment Videos
Systematic reviews in laboratory medicine: principles, processes and practical considerations
Andrea Rita Horvath1, Daniel Pewsner
1Committee on Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine, International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine and Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Faculty of Medicine, Szeged, Hungary. hovarth@clab.szote.u-szeged.hu
Summary
This review outlines a standardized six-step process for conducting systematic reviews in laboratory medicine. Adopting these methods will improve the quality of diagnostic evidence and support clinical decision-making.
Area of Science:
- Laboratory medicine
- Evidence-based diagnostics
- Systematic review methodology
Background:
- Systematic reviews are crucial for evidence-based medicine but are scarce and often low-quality in laboratory medicine.
- Poor primary study design and lack of standardized methods hinder systematic reviews in this field.
- There is a need for agreed-upon quality standards for systematic reviews in laboratory medicine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present general principles for systematic reviewing in laboratory medicine.
- To provide a step-by-step process for conducting systematic reviews in diagnostics.
- To improve the quality of evidence in laboratory medicine.
Main Methods:
- This narrative review synthesizes literature on systematic review methodology and evidence-based diagnosis.
- The review adapts general systematic review principles to the specific needs of laboratory medicine.
- A six-step process for systematic reviewing in laboratory medicine is detailed.
Main Results:
- Systematic reviews of diagnostic interventions require distinct approaches to question formulation, study design, quality assessment, and statistical analysis compared to therapeutic interventions.
- The six key steps presented are: preparation, literature search, paper selection, critical appraisal, data analysis and synthesis, and data interpretation.
- Key technical and methodological aspects for each step are discussed to ensure quality.
Conclusions:
- Systematic reviews of diagnostic interventions are vital for clinical decisions, guidelines, audits, and technology assessment.
- Implementing standardized systematic review methods in laboratory medicine will lead to higher quality primary studies.
- This approach will facilitate the adoption of new diagnostic technologies with proven efficacy and effectiveness.