Intervention synthesis: a missing link between a systematic review and practical treatment(s)

Area of Science:

• Clinical research methodology
• Evidence-based medicine

Background:

• Systematic reviews synthesize evidence from multiple studies.
• Selecting the most appropriate intervention from a review can be challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline methods for guiding the selection of interventions from individual trials within a systematic review.
• To aid clinicians and researchers in applying systematic review findings.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of established and novel approaches for intervention selection.
• Consideration of factors influencing intervention choice.

Main Results:

• Provides a framework for decision-making when multiple interventions are available.
• Highlights the importance of considering individual trial characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Effective selection methods enhance the utility of systematic reviews.
• Improved intervention selection can lead to better patient outcomes.