24 Questions
A systematic review's purpose is always specific to one clinical question.
False
Inclusion and exclusion criteria in a systematic review are defined for patients, not studies.
False
A systematic review can only inform clinical practice if it directly addresses your clinical question.
False
Outcome measures in a systematic review are always relevant to your clinical question.
False
Statistical heterogeneity is not a necessary consideration in a meta-analysis.
False
The purpose of a systematic review is usually stated at the beginning of the Introduction.
False
A systematic review can only provide evidence to support one specific treatment strategy.
False
The inclusion and exclusion criteria in a systematic review are only relevant to the study types included.
False
Primary studies are also known as 'studies of studies'.
False
A systematic review can only be conducted if all the included studies have the same outcome measures.
False
A meta-analysis is a statistical method used to conduct primary studies.
False
Determining the applicability of a systematic review involves evaluating the quality of the studies included.
False
A comprehensive literature search is only necessary for systematic reviews, not for primary studies.
False
Clinical heterogeneity is always assessed in a meta-analysis.
False
Systematic reviews are always extended by pooling data from several studies in a process of meta-analysis.
False
The purpose of a systematic review is to provide a brief summary of a single primary study.
False
A systematic review is a type of interventional study.
False
The Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines are used to appraise the quality of systematic reviews.
True
Determining applicability is a step in critically appraising research evidence.
True
A literature search is conducted in Step 3 of the EBP process.
False
Summarizing the clinical bottom line is a step in critically appraising research evidence.
True
Evaluating study quality is a step in critically appraising research evidence.
True
Applying reviews to clinical cases is a step in the EBP process.
True
Interpreting results is a step in critically appraising research evidence.
True
Study Notes
Systematic Review Appraisal
- A systematic review is a secondary research study that summarizes information from multiple primary studies.
- It is characterized by a comprehensive literature search, specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, and a systematic analysis of the methodological quality of the studies.
Key Questions for Appraising Systematic Reviews
-
A: Determining Applicability of a Systematic Review
- Is the study’s purpose relevant to my clinical question?
- Are the inclusion and exclusion criteria clearly defined and are studies that would answer my clinical question likely to be included?
- Are the types of interventions investigated relevant to my clinical question?
- Are the outcome measures relevant to my clinical question and are they conducted in a clinically realist manner?
- Is the study population (sample) sufficiently similar to my patient to justify expectation that my patient would respond similarly to the population?
-
B: Determining Quality of a Systematic Review
- Was the literature search comprehensive?
- Was an objective, reproducible, and reliable method used to judge the quality of the studies in the systematic review?
- Was a standardized method used to extract data from studies included in the systematic review?
- Was clinical heterogeneity assessed to determine whether a meta-analysis was justified?
Interpreting Results of a Systematic Review
- Statistical heterogeneity should be assessed if a meta-analysis was conducted.
- Methods used to report the results of the systematic review should be considered.
Summarizing the Clinical Bottom Line of a Systematic Review
- How does the systematic review inform clinical practice related to my clinical question?
Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Process
- Step 1: Identify the need for information and develop a focused and searchable clinical question.
- Step 2: Conduct a search to find the best possible research evidence to answer the question.
- Step 3: Critically appraise the research evidence for applicability and quality.
- Step 4: Integrate the critically appraised research evidence with clinical expertise and the patient’s values and circumstances.
- Step 5: Evaluate the effectiveness and efficacy of the efforts in Steps 1-4 and identify ways to improve them in the future.
Evaluate the relevance and applicability of a systematic review study to your clinical question. Assess the study's purpose, methods, and results to inform your clinical practice.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
