Critical appraisal of meta-analyses: an introductory guide for the practicing surgeon


Autoria(s): Lawrentschuk, Nathan; McCall, Jonathan; Güller, Ulrich
Data(s)

2009

Resumo

ABSTRACT: Meta-analyses are an essential tool of clinical research. Meta-analyses of individual randomized controlled trials frequently constitute the highest possible level of scientific evidence for a given research question and allow surgeons to rapidly gain a comprehensive understanding of an important clinical issue. Moreover, meta-analyses often serve as cornerstones for evidence-based surgery, treatment guidelines, and knowledge transfer. Given the importance of meta-analyses to the medical (and surgical) knowledge base, it is of cardinal importance that surgeons have a basic grasp of the principles that guide a high-quality meta-analysis, and be able to weigh objectively the advantages and potential pitfalls of this clinical research tool. Unfortunately, surgeons are often ill-prepared to successfully conduct, critically appraise, and correctly interpret meta-analyses. The objective of this educational review is to provide surgeons with a brief introductory overview of the knowledge and skills required for understanding and critically appraising surgical meta-analyses as well as assessing their implications for their own surgical practice.

Formato

application/pdf

Identificador

http://boris.unibe.ch/32353/1/7.pdf

Lawrentschuk, Nathan; McCall, Jonathan; Güller, Ulrich (2009). Critical appraisal of meta-analyses: an introductory guide for the practicing surgeon. Patient safety in surgery, 3(1), p. 16. London: BioMed Central 10.1186/1754-9493-3-16 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1754-9493-3-16>

doi:10.7892/boris.32353

info:doi:10.1186/1754-9493-3-16

info:pmid:19624816

urn:issn:1754-9493

Idioma(s)

eng

Publicador

BioMed Central

Relação

http://boris.unibe.ch/32353/

Direitos

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Fonte

Lawrentschuk, Nathan; McCall, Jonathan; Güller, Ulrich (2009). Critical appraisal of meta-analyses: an introductory guide for the practicing surgeon. Patient safety in surgery, 3(1), p. 16. London: BioMed Central 10.1186/1754-9493-3-16 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1754-9493-3-16>

Tipo

info:eu-repo/semantics/article

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

PeerReviewed