Systematic review

Systematic reviews adopt a rigorous scientific approach to identify and synthesise all the available evidence pertaining to a specific research question. They are carried out according to predefined protocols, which set out the scope of the systematic review, details of the methodology to be employed, and reporting of findings. The objective is to ensure a comprehensive and repeatable search, together with an unbiased assessment and presentation of the relevant evidence. Key components of a systematic review include: systematic and extensive searches to identify all the relevant published and unpublished literature; study selection according to predefined eligibility criteria; assessment of the quality and risk of bias in included studies; presentation of the findings in an independent and impartial manner and a discussion of the limitations of the evidence and of the review.