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Appendix A - Literature searching

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2009

Paul Glasziou ,
Les Irwig ,
Chris Bain  and
Graham Colditz
Paul Glasziou
Affiliation:
University of Oxford
Les Irwig
Affiliation:
University of Sydney
Chris Bain
Affiliation:
University of Queensland
Graham Colditz
Affiliation:
Harvard School of Public Health
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Summary

This appendix contains further advice about searching: Wrstly, some general tips; secondly, Wnding existing systematic reviews; thirdly, Wnding randomized trials; and fourthly, using methodological Wlters.

Finding existing systematic reviews

As discussed in Chapter 1, it is always worth checking to see whether a systematic review or meta-analysis has already been done. Even if it needs modiWcation or updating, it will provide a useful base of studies and issues. For interventions, Cochrane reviews are available in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) in the Cochrane Library, which also contains the Database of Abstracts and Reviews (DARE) database. The DARE database compiles and appraises many nonCochrane reviews of both interventions and diagnostic accuracy.

Several diVerent strategies have been developed for identifying systematic reviews in electronic databases. For example, Hunt and McKibbon (1997) have developed simple and complex search strategies for MEDLINE for Wnding systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which are applicable to all question types.

Some alternative strategies (Boynton et al., 1998) are available at the York Centre for Reviews and Dissemination.

Type
Chapter
Information
Systematic Reviews in Health Care
A Practical Guide
 , pp. 109 - 113
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2001

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