[Rapid Reviews: Sisyphos' Salvation? - An Inventory]

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Evidence Synthesis

Background:

• Systematic reviews and health technology assessments (HTAs) are time-consuming and expensive, often taking over a year to complete.
• Urgent healthcare decisions necessitate timely access to synthesized evidence.
• Rapid reviews offer a solution by condensing the review process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an inventory and overview of rapid review methodologies.
• To highlight the trade-offs between speed, cost, and methodological rigor in evidence synthesis.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of rapid reviews as a type of systematic review.
• Identification of methodological restrictions applied at various stages of the review process.
• Focus on limitations in literature search, screening, data extraction, and quality assessment.

Main Results:

• Rapid reviews significantly reduce the time and cost associated with evidence synthesis.
• Methodological restrictions are a defining characteristic of rapid reviews.
• Limitations can impact multiple phases of the review, from initial search to final quality assessment.

Conclusions:

• Rapid review methodology is essential for timely decision-making in urgent healthcare situations.
• The efficiency of rapid reviews comes at the cost of potential increased vulnerability to bias.
• Careful consideration of methodological limitations is crucial when interpreting rapid review findings.