Cook D J, Mulrow C D, Haynes R B
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Ann Intern Med. 1997 Mar 1;126(5):376-80. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-126-5-199703010-00006.
Systematic reviews can help practitioners keep abreast of the medical literature by summarizing large bodies of evidence and helping to explain differences among studies on the same question. A systematic review involves the application of scientific strategies, in ways that limit bias, to the assembly, critical appraisal, and synthesis of all relevant studies that address a specific clinical question. A meta-analysis is a type of systematic review that uses statistical methods to combine and summarize the results of several primary studies. Because the review process itself (like any other type of research) is subject to bias, a useful review requires clear reporting of information obtained using rigorous methods. Used increasingly to inform medical decision making, plan future research agendas, and establish clinical policy, systematic reviews may strengthen the link between best research evidence and optimal health care.
系统评价可以通过总结大量证据并帮助解释针对同一问题的不同研究之间的差异，来帮助从业者跟上医学文献的步伐。系统评价涉及运用科学策略，以限制偏倚的方式，对针对特定临床问题的所有相关研究进行汇总、严格评价和综合分析。荟萃分析是系统评价的一种类型，它使用统计方法来合并和总结多项原始研究的结果。由于评价过程本身（与任何其他类型的研究一样）容易受到偏倚影响，因此有效的评价需要清晰报告使用严格方法获得的信息。系统评价越来越多地用于为医疗决策提供信息、规划未来研究议程以及制定临床政策，它可能会加强最佳研究证据与最佳医疗保健之间的联系。
