Overview of systematic reviews - a new type of study. Part I

why and for whom?

Authors

  • Valter Silva Brazilian Cochrane Center and Federal University of São Paulo
  • Antonio José Grande Brazilian Cochrane Center and Federal University of São Paulo
  • Ana Luiza Cabrera Martimbianco Brazilian Cochrane Center and Federal University of São Paulo
  • Rachel Riera Brazilian Cochrane Center and Federal University of São Paulo
  • Alan Pedrosa Viegas Carvalho Brazilian Cochrane Center and Federal University of São Paulo

Keywords:

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

Abstract

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Healthcare decision-making is complex and should involve healthcare professionals, patients and the best level of evidence. The speed of information production creates barriers against keeping up to date. In this light, methodologists have proposed a new type of study: overviews of systematic reviews (OoRs). The aim here was to introduce and demonstrate the role of OoRs in information synthesis for healthcare professionals, managers, researchers and patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: Time-series study conducted at the Brazilian Cochrane Center, jointly with the Postgraduate Program on Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Discipline of Emergency Medicine and Evidence-Based Medicine, Department of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo. METHODS: To show the growth in the numbers of published papers that provide high-level evidence and thus demonstrate the importance of OoRs for synthesis and integration of information, three filters for study designs were applied to two databases. An equation for predicting the expected number of published papers was developed and applied. RESULTS: Over the present decade, the number of randomized controlled trials in Medline might reach 2,863,203 and the number of systematic reviews might reach 174,262. Nine OoRs and 15 OoRs protocols have been published in the Cochrane Library. CONCLUSIONS: With the exponential growth of published papers, as shown in this study, a new type of study directed especially towards healthcare decision-makers was proposed, named “overview of systematic reviews”. This could reduce the uncertainties in decision-making and generate a new hierarchy in the pyramid of evidence.

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Author Biographies

Valter Silva, Brazilian Cochrane Center and Federal University of São Paulo

BSc. Specialist in Cardiac Rehabilitation, Obesity and Statistics and Master’s Student in the Postgraduate Program on Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Federal University of São Paulo (Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, EPM-Unifesp); Volunteer Research Assistant at the Brazilian Cochrane Centre, São Paulo; Professor at Itapeva Social and Agrarian Sciences College (Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Agrárias de Itapeva, FAIT), Itapeva, São Paulo, Brazil.

Antonio José Grande, Brazilian Cochrane Center and Federal University of São Paulo

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

Ana Luiza Cabrera Martimbianco, Brazilian Cochrane Center and Federal University of São Paulo

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

Rachel Riera, Brazilian Cochrane Center and Federal University of São Paulo

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

Alan Pedrosa Viegas Carvalho, Brazilian Cochrane Center and Federal University of São Paulo

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

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Published

2012-11-11

How to Cite

1.
Silva V, Grande AJ, Martimbianco ALC, Riera R, Carvalho APV. Overview of systematic reviews - a new type of study. Part I: why and for whom?. Sao Paulo Med J [Internet]. 2012 Nov. 11 [cited 2025 Mar. 14];130(6):398-404. Available from: https://periodicosapm.emnuvens.com.br/spmj/article/view/1525

Issue

Vol. 130 No. 6 (2012)

Section

Original Article

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