Overview of systematic reviews

a new type of study. Part II

Authors

  • Valter Silva Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp)
  • Antonio Jose Grande Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp)
  • Alan Pedrosa Viegas de Carvalho Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp)
  • Ana Luiza Cabrera Martimbianco Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp)
  • Rachel Riera Universidade  Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp)

Keywords:

Review [publication type], Study characteristics [publication type], Decision making, Evidence-based practice, Evidence-based medicine

Abstract

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Overviews of Systematic Reviews (OoRs) are a new type of study in which multiple evidence from systematic reviews (SRs) is compiled into an accessible and useful document. The aim here was to describe the state of the art and critically assess Cochrane OoRs that have been published. DESIGN AND SETTING: Descriptive study conducted at a research center. METHODS: The OoRs identified through the filter developed in Part I of this study were evaluated in five domains: methodological quality; quality of evidence; implications for practice; general profile of OoRs; and length of work. RESULTS: All 13 OoRs included had high methodological quality. Some OoRs did not present sufficient data to judge the quality of evidence; using sensitivity analysis, the quality of evidence of the OoRs in-creased. Regarding implications for practice, 64% of the interventions were judged as beneficial or harm-ful, while 36% of them showed insufficient evidence for judgment. It is expected (with 95% confidence interval) that one OoR will include 9,462 to 64,469 patients, 9 to 29 systematic reviews and 80 to 344 primary studies, and assess 6 to 21 interventions; and that 50 to 92% of OoRs will produce meta-analysis. The OoRs generated 2 to 26 meta-analyses over a period of 18 to 31 months. CONCLUSION: The OoRs presented high methodological quality; the quality of evidence tended to be moderate/high; most interventions were judged to be beneficial/harmful; the mean length of work was 24 months. The OoR profile adds power to decision-making.

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Author Biographies

Valter Silva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp)

BSc. Specialist in Cardiac Rehabilitation, Obesity and Statistics and Doctoral Student in the Postgraduate Program on Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.

Antonio Jose Grande, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp)

BSc, MSc. Doctoral Student in the Postgraduate Program on Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp); Volunteer Research Assistant at the Brazilian Cochrane Center, São Paulo, Brazil.

Alan Pedrosa Viegas de Carvalho, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp)

BSc, MSc. Specialist in Rehabilitation and Cardiac Physiotherapy and Doctoral Student in the Postgraduate Program on Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp); Volunteer Research Assistant at the Brazilian Cochrane Center, São Paulo, Brazil.

Ana Luiza Cabrera Martimbianco, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp)

BSc. Specialist in Orthopedics and Doctoral Student in the Postgraduate Program on Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp); Volunteer Research Assistant at the Brazilian Cochrane Center and Preceptor at EPM-Unifesp, São Paulo, Brazil. 

Rachel Riera, Universidade  Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp)

MD, MSc, PhD. Rheumatologist and Professor at Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade  Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp); Coordinator at Brazilian Cochrane Center, São Paulo, Brazil. 

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2015-05-05

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1.
Silva V, Grande AJ, Carvalho APV de, Martimbianco ALC, Riera R. Overview of systematic reviews: a new type of study. Part II. Sao Paulo Med J [Internet]. 2015 May 5 [cited 2025 Mar. 9];133(3):206-17. Available from: https://periodicosapm.emnuvens.com.br/spmj/article/view/1088

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Vol. 133 No. 3 (2015)

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Original Article

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