Yaphe Hannah, Wallace Dana, Rank Matthew A, Lang Eddy
Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Department of Medicine, Nova Southeastern Allopathic Medical School, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021 Dec;9(12):4209-4220. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2021.08.009. Epub 2021 Aug 21.
Systematic reviews (SR) are a category of literature review that presents a comprehensive synthesis and analysis of all available literature evidence addressing a specific clinical question. Meta-analysis (MA) is a quantitative technique that is applied to data collected through SR that provides an estimate of an effect across a larger population. By synthesizing data from a large number of sources SR and MA often provide insights that cannot be obtained from single studies and can aid in clinical decision-making. However, these techniques are subject to important limitations. Both the validity and the usefulness of the results of an SR/MA depend on the methodological rigor used in preparing the review and the quality of included studies. In applying SR/MA to clinical decision-making the reader should be able to assess these features. Here we present an overview of important concepts in understanding SR and MA. We provide a general approach to interpretation and evaluation of an SR/MA, model the use of a critical appraisal tool for SR, and discuss the applications of SR and MA to clinical practice.
系统评价（SR）是文献综述的一种类型，它对针对特定临床问题的所有可用文献证据进行全面的综合和分析。荟萃分析（MA）是一种定量技术，应用于通过系统评价收集的数据，可对更大人群的效应进行估计。通过综合大量来源的数据，系统评价和荟萃分析常常能提供从单个研究中无法获得的见解，并有助于临床决策。然而，这些技术存在重要局限性。系统评价/荟萃分析结果的有效性和实用性取决于撰写综述时所采用方法的严谨性以及纳入研究的质量。在将系统评价/荟萃分析应用于临床决策时，读者应能够评估这些特征。在此，我们概述理解系统评价和荟萃分析的重要概念。我们提供一种解释和评估系统评价/荟萃分析的一般方法，模拟用于系统评价的批判性评估工具的使用，并讨论系统评价和荟萃分析在临床实践中的应用。
