1. Systematic Reviews
Lynn Kysh, MLIS
kysh@usc.edu
Information Services Librarian
Norris Medical Library

2. Evidence Pyramid – Publication Types
Evidence-Based
Guidelines
Systematic
Review & Metaanalysis
Higher Quality of Information
Fewer Articles
Randomized Controlled
Trials
Cohort Studies
Case Control Studies
Lower Quality of Information
More Articles
Case Series, Case Reports

3. Agenda
• Distinguish a systematic review from a standard literature
review
• Locate the following in PubMed
• Reviews
• Systematic Reviews
• Meta-Analyses
• Introduce Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

4. Source: Evidence-Based Living Blog (Cornell University) http://evidencebasedliving.human.cornell.edu/

5. Definition
Literature Review
Systematic Review
Qualitatively summarizes
evidence on a topic using
informal or subjective methods
to collect and interpret studies.
High-level overview of primary
research that
identifies, selects, synthesizes, an
d appraises all relevant high
quality research evidence

6. Goal
Literature Review
• Provide summary or
overview of topic
Systematic Review
• Answer a focused clinical
question
• Eliminate bias

7. Questio
n
Literature Review
• Can be a general topic or a
specific question
Systematic Review
• Clearly defined and
answerable clinical question
• Recommend using PICO as a
guide

8. Componen
ts
Literature Review
• Introduction
• Methods
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Reference list
Systematic Review
• Pre-specified eligibility
criteria
• Systematic search strategy
• Assessment of the validity of
findings
• Interpretation and
presentation of results
• Reference list

9. Hormone therapy for preventing cardiovascular
disease in post-menopausal women
Main Cm Knight B, Moxham T, Sanchez
RG, Sanchez Gomex LM, Figuls MR, Cosp XB.

10. Hormone therapy for preventing cardiovascular
disease in post-menopausal women
Main Cm Knight B, Moxham T, Sanchez
RG, Sanchez Gomex LM, Figuls MR, Cosp XB.

11. Literature Review
• 1 or more
Author
s
Systematic Review
• 3 or more
Skills
Literature Review
• Understanding of topic
• Perform searches in one or
more database
Systematic Review
• Thorough knowledge of topic
• Perform searches in all relevant
database
• Statistical analysis resources
(meta-analysis)

12. Tim
e
Literature Review
• Weeks to months
Systematic Review
• Months to years
• Average eighteen months

13. Valu
e
Literature Review
• Provides summary of the
literature on a topic
Systematic Review
• Connects practicing
clinicians to high quality
evidence
• Supports evidence-based
practice

14. Meta-Analyses
Systematic Reviews
All Review Articles
Adapted from: Pai M, McCulloch M, Gorman JD, Pai N, Enanoria W, Kennedy G, Tharyan P, and Colford JM.
“Systematic reviews and meta-analyses: An illustrated, step-by-step guide”
The National Medical Journal of India (2004)

15. Finding review articles:
Use “Article Type” filter

17. Finding systematic reviews:
Use Basic Search

18. Agenda
• Distinguish a systematic review from a standard literature
review
• Locate the following in PubMed
• Reviews
• Systematic Reviews
• Meta-Analyses
• Introduce Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

19. Questions?
Lynn Kysh, MLIS
Information Services Librarian
kysh@usc.edu
(323) 442-1124

20. Thanks!
Lynn Kysh, MLIS
Information Services Librarian
kysh@usc.edu
(323) 442-1124