Systematic Reviews in Practice

In order to make the best medical recommendations or determine the best treatments, health care practitioners should rely on the peer-reviewed medical research. Often, however, one study is not enough. Health practitioners need a “one-stop shop” that synthesizes several studies. Compared to a small pilot study, or even a large study, a synthesis across studies can provide a more solid foundation upon which recommendations about a particular treatment or application can be made. A systematic review is the “gold standard” method for synthesizing these studies.This book will focus on the what, why and how of systematic reviews – what they are, why they are important and how to conduct them. Specifically, you will learn: The role of systematic reviews in evidence-based medicine. The different types of systematic reviews and what research questions they are best suited for answering. How methodological bias can play a role in research and systematic reviews and how to use practical tools to assess for and work with bias in reviews. The basic components and practical steps of conducting a systematic review.The book is organized into 11 chapters. Chapters 1 and 2 will provide you with some theoretical background regarding what systematic reviews are and why they are needed. The remaining chapters will walk you through how to conduct a systematic review in an objective, rigorous and unbiased fashion. Collectively, these chapters should provide you with enough information to develop your own research topic and conduct your own systematic review from beginning to end – from conceptualization to publication.Each chapter also includes a Practical Matters section in which commonly asked questions regarding that chapter’s particular topics are addressed. Recommendations are offered throughout the book to help guide you through the conduction of a systematic review in an objective, transparent fashion. This advice represents information that the authors wished they had known when they first began learning about and conducting systematic reviews. The advice is then offered with the hopes that it will help you as you embark on your systematic review journey.This book will use a model systematic review topic to help illustrate many of the steps in conducting a systematic review. The example will explore the effect of acupuncture on acute pain in military personnel. The methodologies and results of this paper will be presented throughout this book in order to provide a consistent, ongoing example throughout the book.We encourage you and your review team to utilize this book to guide you through your journey of conducting your systematic review. We hope it will be a key reference manual as you uncover the current state of the evidence and support your research question.