Systematic review and meta-analysis in clinical trials

A systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions by comprehensively analysing published studies. The basis is a thorough search across multiple databases to identify studies meeting predefined inclusion criteria, with data extracted on study design, participant characteristics and key outcomes. Results are often pooled using meta-analysis where appropriate, revealing the key findings. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are cornerstone methodologies in evidence-based research, providing a structured and comprehensive approach to synthesizing existing evidence on a specific topic. Although they are related, they are distinct concepts. A systematic review is a type of literature search that uses repeatable steps to find evaluate and synthesize evidence to answer a research question. Meta-analyses use statistical techniques to pool data from multiple studies, providing a quantitative summary of the evidence. These methods are widely used across disciplines including medicine, public health, psychology, education and social sciences, to inform policy, practice and further research. While they are separate methods, systematic review and meta-analysis share common features and the need for common standards.