Lecture 4 - Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Flashcards
What is a systematic review?
A structured method of reviewing research that identifies, selects, synthesizes, and appraises primary research evidence relevant to a specific question.
What is the primary aim of systematic reviews?
To synthesize evidence from multiple studies to provide reliable answers to specific research questions.
Why are systematic reviews valuable?
They combine evidence from several studies, resolve conflicts in findings, and provide a comprehensive basis for decision-making.
What are the 8 key steps of a systematic review?
- Formulate the research question.
- Develop a research protocol.
- Conduct a comprehensive literature search.
- Select studies based on criteria.
- Extract data from selected studies.
- Conduct quality assessment (critical appraisal).
- Synthesize data (quantitative or narrative).
- Disseminate results.
What makes a good research question in systematic reviews?
It should be specific, clearly stated, and often structured using the PICOS framework.
What does PICOS stand for?
Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes, and Study design.
What is a research protocol in systematic reviews?
A predefined plan outlining aims, methodology, search strategy, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and data synthesis methods.
Why is registering research protocols important?
It ensures transparency, minimizes reporting bias, and avoids duplication of efforts.
What are essential tips for conducting a literature search?
Use inclusion/exclusion criteria, structured search terms (AND/OR), multiple databases, and document the strategy for replicability.
What challenges arise in literature searching?
Deciding where to start, determining when to stop, handling associated domains, and perfecting the search strategy.
What is deduplication in systematic reviews?
The process of removing duplicate records across databases to refine the dataset.
What are the stages of study selection?
Title and abstract screening followed by full-text screening, conducted independently by at least two reviewers.
How should excluded studies be documented?
By specifying reasons for exclusion (e.g., relevance, methodology, or topic mismatch).
What tools can assist in data extraction?
EPPI-Reviewer, RevMan, or custom-designed data extraction forms.
What information is typically included in data extraction forms?
Study characteristics, participant demographics, intervention/comparator details, and outcomes.
Why is critical appraisal essential?
To assess the validity, reliability, and relevance of studies to minimize bias.
What types of bias should be assessed?
Selection bias, allocation bias, confounding, blinding, dropouts, and statistical analysis quality.
What tools are used for critical appraisal?
Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, NICE guidelines, or EPPI-Centre checklists.
What are the types of data synthesis in systematic reviews?
Quantitative (meta-analysis), narrative, and qualitative synthesis.
What is meta-analysis?
A statistical method to combine results from multiple studies to calculate an overall effect size.
When should meta-analysis not be conducted?
When studies are too diverse, data are inappropriate, or study quality is poor.
What is a forest plot?
A visual representation of meta-analysis results showing effect sizes and confidence intervals.
What are the advantages of systematic reviews?
Comprehensive, transparent, minimizes bias, and informs evidence-based practice.
What are limitations of systematic reviews?
Time-intensive, publication bias, language bias, and challenges in synthesizing heterogeneous data.
What are the benefits of meta-analysis?
Combines data for precise effect estimates, identifies trends, and resolves inconsistencies.
What are limitations of meta-analysis?
Requires high-quality data, prone to judgment errors, and may oversimplify complex findings.
What does PRISMA stand for?
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.
Why is dissemination important in systematic reviews?
To ensure findings inform policy, practice, and future research.
What should be included in result dissemination?
Clear reporting of methods, results, limitations, and implications for practice.
