The document provides a comprehensive overview of systematic reviews, focusing on the effective use of databases such as Embase and Medline, as well as strategies for managing citations and grey literature. It includes search tips, common problems, and methods for documenting searches, emphasizing the importance of thorough literature reviews. Recommendations for citation management tools and where to find additional resources are also discussed.

1. SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
PRESENTED BY:
Clara Fowler
Manager of Research Services & Assessment
Part 2: EMBASE, GreyLit, and Citation
Management

2. Daniel Parks. “The Bridges of UC Berkeley.” March 12, 2012. https://www.flickr.com/photos/parksdh/6879107592/
AGENDA
1. Construct a EMBASE Search that
complements your MEDLINE search
2. Discuss other databases to consider for
searching
3. Understand the role of GreyLit in
systematic reviews
4. Searching for clinical trials
5. Download and manage results

3. EMBASE
• Run the MEDLINE search in EMBASE – identify syntax
and term problems
• Pay attention to methods filters
Randomized Controlled Trial Filters:
https://guides.library.ualberta.ca/health-sciences-
search-filters/study-type-filters
• EMBASE usually yields more results than MEDLINE
View of Twin Lakes
http://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/highsm/48900/48929v.jpg

4. Search Tips
• Select ‘Advanced Search’ to access additional tools for creating complex search
strategies and to search using index terms (MeSH).
• Supports common search syntax: Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT); proximity
operators (NEAR, NEXT); and truncation (*, or ?).
• [mh] is used to indicate the search term/string contains a MeSH heading
• Phrases must be placed in double quotation marks, e.g. [mh “cholesteatoma,
middle ear”]
• ^ can be placed before the MeSH heading to turn explosion off.

5. Parker Dam: http://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/habshaer/az/az0400/az0467/photos/193678pv.jpg
Common Database Searching Problems
• Different interfaces and search options
• Maximum number of records downloaded
simultaneously
• Automatic log outs
• Errors in database records
• Time it takes to do a thorough search
• Saving strategies to rerun later
• Tracking results

6. Andreas Levers. “Impact.” February 17, 2009. https://www.flickr.com/photos/96dpi/3287904733/
Searching: Shortcuts and Timesavers
• Systematic Review Accelerator
http://crebp-sra.com/#/polyglot
Translates search syntax into different databases
• Literature Search Hedges & Filters
http://mdanderson.libguides.com/searchhedges
Use tested strategies to help you construct a search

7. http://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/highsm/45300/45396v.jpg
Citation Chaining
One resource linking to another and another to
create a chain of relevant literature
- Cited reference searching
- Reviewing references in selected studies
- Use SCOPUS, if available, to make this step easier.

8. Title: Exercise is associated with better
quality of life in patients on TSH-
suppressive therapy with levothyroxine
for differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
Source: Arquivos Brasileiros de Endocrinologia
e Metabologia. 58(3):274-81, 2014
Apr.
Citation Chaining Practice
Use SCOPUS to find the list of
references for this article as
well as the cited references

9. Cumulative impact of reporting and citation
bias a. 105 antidepressant
trials, 53 (50%) trials
were considered
positive by the FDA
and 52 (50%) were
considered negative or
questionable.
e. Only four (5%) of 77
published trials
unambiguously
reported that the
treatment was not
more effective than
placebo in that
particular trial
Psychological Medicine, 8/2/18
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/cumulative-effect-of-
reporting-and-citation-biases-on-the-apparent-efficacy-of-treatments-the-case-of-
depression/71D73CADE32C0D3D996DABEA3FCDBF57
Congratulations. Your Study Went
Nowhere. NYTimes, 9/24/18
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/24
/upshot/publication-bias-threat-to-
science.html

10. GREY Literature
1. Identify key societies
in the field and at
least one source for
clinical trials
2. Keep the search very
simple and use only
core concepts
3. Record where, when,
and how you searched
so that you can report
it in the methods
section
4. Contact study authors
for additional data
Grey Literature is produced at all levels of government,
academics, business and industry in print and
electronic formats, but it is not controlled by
commercial publishers
Results from grey literature can significantly affect the
outcome of the systematic review as grey literature
often reports more negative or inconclusive results
Examples of Grey Literature:
reports, conference abstracts, dissertations,
unpublished clinical trials, and white papers
Sources of Grey Literature:
Dissertations:
https://pqdtopen.proquest.com/search.html
Clinical Trials:
http://mdanderson.libguides.com/clinicaltrials
Conference Abstracts and White Papers – professional
society websites
Global Index Medicus (WHO):
http://www.globalhealthlibrary.net/php/index.php

11. DATABASE
Tutorials
Ovid including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo
http://www.ovid.com/site/support/training.jsp
EBSCO including CINAHL and other EBSCO-hosted databases
https://help.ebsco.com/interfaces/CINAHL_MEDLINE_Databases/Training_
Promotion/CINAHL_Databases_Basic_Searching_Tutorial
Cochrane Library
http://www.cochranelibrary.com/help/how-to-use-cochrane-library.html
Web of Science
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwhy0JBHlMw
SCOPUS
https://youtu.be/4_gGIuZhMnw
PubMed
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/disted/pubmedtutorial/cover.html

12. Waterfall at Yosemite National Park, California
http://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/highsm/25200/25259v.jpg
Citation Management
Use a citation management program (for example, EndNote)
http://mdanderson.libguides.com/endnotex8
Keep track of :
1. Number of records you find in each database
2. Number of duplicate records
3. Step-by-step instructions for using EndNote for systematic reviews
under “Managing Results”
http://mdanderson.libguides.com/systematicreviews

13. Citation Management
Using systematic review software
Rayyan,
https://rayyan.qcri.org/
freely available systematic
review software
Covidence,
https://www.covidence.org/
Free to Cochrane Reviewers
and a limited number of
projects are supported by
the library.

14. Documenting the Search
1. Look at the journal requirements for reporting methods and
identify other articles using similar methodology
2. Methods Section:
• List databases and other resources searched and include
date search ended
• Describe search strategies and filters and number of results
• Include other searching methods – citation chaining, grey
literature sources, requesting data, contacting study authors
to identify additional studies
3. Appendix: Provide a copy of the MEDLINE search
4. Discussion Section: Include level of confidence that all available
studies were located. Address whether search limits may have
blocked retrieval of results or if other sources could have been
searched.
View of Twin Lakes
http://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/highsm/48900/48929v.jpg

15. Clara Fowler
Manager of Research Services & Assessment
cfowler@mdanderson.org
Questions