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Guidance to Best Tools and Practices for Systematic Reviews
Kat Kolaski1, Lynne Romeiser Logan2, John P A Ioannidis3
1Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pediatrics, and Neurology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
JBJS Reviews
|June 7, 2023
Summary
Many systematic reviews contain flaws and are not consistently applied. This guidance provides accessible methods and tools to improve evidence synthesis quality for authors, reviewers, and editors.
Area of Science:
- Evidence synthesis methodology
- Clinical research evaluation
- Scientific publishing standards
Background:
- Numerous systematic reviews suffer from methodological flaws, bias, and lack of informativeness.
- Despite advancements in appraisal tools and empirical research, consistent application of updated methods remains a challenge.
- Guideline developers, peer reviewers, and editors frequently overlook current methodological standards, impacting clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To distill complex information on evidence synthesis methods and tools into an accessible format for authors, peer reviewers, and editors.
- To promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of the scientific rigor required for evidence synthesis.
- To address well-documented deficiencies in evidence synthesis components and clarify the rationale behind current standards.
Main Methods:
- Distinguishing between tools for assessing reporting, risk of bias, and methodological quality versus those for determining overall evidence certainty.
- Differentiating tools used during synthesis development from those used for final evaluation.
- Describing exemplar methods and research practices, alongside pragmatic strategies like preferred terminology and evidence characterization schemes.
Main Results:
- A Concise Guide organizing best practice resources for routine implementation by authors and journals has been developed.
- The guide highlights best practices and their rationale to encourage informed application.
- Emphasis is placed on the need for in-depth methodological training, cautioning against superficial use of tools.
Conclusions:
- Improved understanding and application of evidence synthesis methods are crucial for enhancing the reliability of research findings.
- The developed guidance aims to inspire further evolution of methods and tools in the field of evidence synthesis.
- Consistent adherence to methodological standards is essential for trustworthy evidence-based clinical practice.
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