Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions
2nd Edition
Published on 4. October 2019
Book
Hardback
728 pages
978-1-119-53662-8 (ISBN)
Description
The revised edition of the Handbook offers the only guide on how to conduct, report and maintain a Cochrane Review
The second edition of The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions contains essential guidance for preparing and maintaining Cochrane Reviews of the effects of health interventions. Designed to be an accessible resource, the Handbook will also be of interest to anyone undertaking systematic reviews of interventions outside Cochrane, and many of the principles and methods presented are appropriate for systematic reviews addressing research questions other than effects of interventions.
This fully updated edition contains extensive new material on systematic review methods addressing a wide-range of topics including network meta-analysis, equity, complex interventions, narrative synthesis, and automation. Also new to this edition, integrated throughout the Handbook, is the set of standards Cochrane expects its reviews to meet.
Written for review authors, editors, trainers and others with an interest in Cochrane Reviews, the second edition of The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions continues to offer an invaluable resource for understanding the role of systematic reviews, critically appraising health research studies and conducting reviews.
The second edition of The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions contains essential guidance for preparing and maintaining Cochrane Reviews of the effects of health interventions. Designed to be an accessible resource, the Handbook will also be of interest to anyone undertaking systematic reviews of interventions outside Cochrane, and many of the principles and methods presented are appropriate for systematic reviews addressing research questions other than effects of interventions.
This fully updated edition contains extensive new material on systematic review methods addressing a wide-range of topics including network meta-analysis, equity, complex interventions, narrative synthesis, and automation. Also new to this edition, integrated throughout the Handbook, is the set of standards Cochrane expects its reviews to meet.
Written for review authors, editors, trainers and others with an interest in Cochrane Reviews, the second edition of The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions continues to offer an invaluable resource for understanding the role of systematic reviews, critically appraising health research studies and conducting reviews.
More details
Other editions
Additional editions
Julian P. T. Higgins | James Thomas
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions
E-Book
09/2019
2nd Edition
Wiley
€54.99
Available for download
Julian P. T. Higgins | James Thomas
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions
E-Book
09/2019
2nd Edition
Wiley
€54.99
Available for download
Previous edition
Julian P. T. Higgins | Sally Green
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions
Cochrane Book Series
Book
09/2008
Wiley
€55.90
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Persons
Julian P.T. Higgins is Professor of Evidence Synthesis at Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, UK. He has worked in methods for systematic review and meta-analysis for over 25 years and acts as Senior Methods Advisor to Cochrane.
James Thomas is Professor of Social Research and Policy at the EPPI-Centre, UCL Institute of Education. He has broad interests in systematic review methodology and tools and is Director of the Systematic Reviews Facility for the Department of Health, England.
James Thomas is Professor of Social Research and Policy at the EPPI-Centre, UCL Institute of Education. He has broad interests in systematic review methodology and tools and is Director of the Systematic Reviews Facility for the Department of Health, England.
Content
Preface
Part one: Core methods
Chapter 1: Starting a review
1.1 Why do a systematic review?
1.2 What is the review question?
1.3 Who should do a systematic review?
1.4 The importance of reliability
1.5 Protocol development
1.6 Data management and quality assurance
1.7 Chapter information
1.8 References
Chapter 2: Determining the scope of the review and the questions it will address
2.1 Rationale for well-formulated questions
2.2 Aims of reviews of interventions
2.3 Defining the scope of a review question
2.4 Ensuring the review addresses the right questions
2.5 Methods and tools for structuring the review
2.6 Chapter information
2.7 References
Chapter 3: Defining the criteria for including studies and how they will be grouped for the synthesis
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Articulating the review and comparison PICO
3.3 Determining which study designs to include
3.4 Eligibility based on publication status and language
3.5 Chapter information
3.6 References
Chapter 4: Searching for and selecting studies
4.1 Introduction
4.2 General issues
4.3 Sources to search
4.4 Designing search strategies
4.5 Documenting and reporting the search process
4.6 Selecting studies
4.7 Chapter information
4.8 References
Chapter 5: Collecting data
5.2 Introduction
5.3 Sources of data
5.4 What data to collect
5.5 Data collection tools
5.6 Extracting data from reports
5.7 Extracting study results and converting to the desired format
5.8 Managing and sharing data
5.9 Chapter information
5.10 References
Chapter 6: Choosing effect measures and computing estimates of effect
6.1 Types of data and effect measures
6.2 Study designs and identifying the unit of analysis
6.3 Extracting estimates of effect directly
6.4 Dichotomous outcome data
6.5 Continuous outcome data
6.6 Ordinal outcome data and measurement scales
6.7 Count and rate data
6.8 Time-to-event data
6.9 Conditional outcomes only available for subsets of participants
6.10 Chapter information
6.11 References
Chapter 7: Considering bias and conflicts of interest among the included studies
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Empirical evidence of bias
7.3 General procedures for risk-of-bias assessment
7.4 Presentation of assessment of risk of bias
7.5 Summary assessments of risk of bias
7.6 Incorporating assessment of risk of bias into analyses
7.7 Considering risk of bias due to missing results
7.8 Considering conflict of interest of authors of included studies
7.9 Chapter information
7.10 References
Chapter 8: Assessing risk of bias in a randomized trial
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Overview of RoB 2
8.3 Bias arising from the randomization process
8.4 Bias due to deviations from intended interventions
8.5 Bias due to missing outcome data
8.6 Bias in measurement of the outcome
8.7 Bias in selection of the reported result
8.8 Differences from the previous version of the tool
8.9 Chapter information
8.10 References
Chapter 9: Summarizing study characteristics and preparing for synthesis
9.1 Introduction
9.2 A general framework for synthesis
9.3 Preliminary steps of a synthesis
9.4 Checking data before synthesis
9.5 Types of synthesis
9.6 Chapter information
9.7 References
Chapter 10: Analysing data and undertaking meta-analyses
10.1 Do not start here!
10.2 Introduction to meta-analysis
10.3 A generic inverse-variance approach to meta-analysis
10.4 Meta-analysis of dichotomous outcomes
10.5 Meta-analysis of continuous outcomes
10.6 Combining dichotomous and continuous outcomes
10.7 Meta-analysis of ordinal outcomes and measurement scales
10.8 Meta-analysis of counts and rates
10.9 Meta-analysis of time-to-event outcomes
10.10 Heterogeneity
10.11 Investigating heterogeneity
10.12 Missing data
10.12.1 Types of missing data
10.12.2 General principles for dealing with missing data
10.12.3 Dealing with missing outcome data from individual participants
10.13 Bayesian approaches to meta-analysis
10.14 Sensitivity analyses
10.15 Chapter information
10.16 References
Chapter 11: Undertaking network meta-analyses
11.1 What is network meta-analysis?
11.2 Important concepts
11.3 Planning a Cochrane Review to compare multiple interventions
11.4 Synthesis of results
11.5 Evaluating confidence in the results of a network meta-analysis
11.6 Presenting network meta-analyses
11.7 Concluding remarks
11.8 Chapter information
11.9 References
Chapter 12: Synthesizing and presenting findings using other methods
12.1 Why a meta-analysis of effect estimates may not be possible
12.2 Statistical synthesis when meta-analysis of effect estimates is not possible
12.3 Visual display and presentation of the data
12.4 Worked example
12.5 Chapter information
12.6 References
Chapter 13: Assessing risk of bias due to missing results in a synthesis
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Minimizing risk of bias due to missing results
13.3 A framework for assessing risk of bias due to missing results in a synthesis
13.4 Summary
13.5 Chapter information
13.6 References
Chapter 14: Completing 'Summary of findings' tables and grading the certainty of the evidence
14.1 'Summary of findings' tables
14.2 Assessing the certainty or quality of a body of evidence
14.3 Describing the assessment of the certainty of a body of evidence using the GRADE framework
14.4 Chapter information
14.5 References
Chapter 15: Interpreting results and drawing conclusions
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Issues of indirectness and applicability
15.3 Interpreting results of statistical analyses
15.4 Interpreting results from dichotomous outcomes (including numbers needed to treat)
15.5 Interpreting results from continuous outcomes (including standardized mean differences)
15.6 Drawing conclusions
15.7 Chapter information
15.8 References
Part two: Specific perspectives in reviews
Chapter 16: Equity and specific populations
16.1 Introduction to equity in systematic reviews
16.2 Formulation of the review
16.3 Identification of evidence
16.4 Appraisal of evidence
16.5 Synthesis of evidence
16.6 Interpretation of evidence
16.7 Concluding remarks
16.8 Chapter information
16.9 References
Chapter 17: Intervention complexity
17.1 Introduction
17.2 Formulation of the review
17.3 Identification of evidence
17.4 Appraisal of evidence
17.5 Synthesis of evidence
17.6 Interpretation of evidence
17.7 Chapter information
17.8 References
Chapter 18: Patient-reported outcomes
18.1 Introduction to patient-reported outcomes
18.2 Formulation of the review
18.3 Appraisal of evidence
18.4 Synthesis and interpretation of evidence
18.5 Chapter information
18.6 References
Chapter 19: Adverse effects
19.1 Introduction to issues in addressing adverse effects
19.2 Formulation of the review
19.3 Identification of evidence
19.4 Appraisal of evidence
19.5 Synthesis and interpretation of evidence
19.6 Chapter information
19.7 References
Chapter 20: Economics evidence
20.1 Introduction
20.2 Formulation of the review
20.3 Identification of evidence
20.4 Appraisal of evidence
20.5 Synthesis and interpretation of evidence
20.6 Chapter information
20.7 References
Chapter 21: Qualitative research and Cochrane Reviews
21.1 Introduction
21.2 Designs for synthesizing and integrating qualitative evidence with intervention reviews
21.3 Defining qualitative evidence and studies
21.4 Planning a qualitative evidence synthesis linked to an intervention review
21.5 Question development
21.6 Questions exploring intervention implementation
21.7 Searching for qualitative evidence
21.8 Assessing methodological strengths and limitations of qualitative studies
21.9 Selecting studies to synthesize
21.10 Selecting a qualitative evidence synthesis and data extraction method
21.11 Data extraction
21.12 Assessing the confidence in qualitative synthesized findings
21.13 Methods for integrating the qualitative evidence synthesis with an intervention review
21.14 Reporting the protocol and qualitative evidence synthesis
21.15 Chapter information
21.16 References
Part three: Further topics
Chapter 22: Prospective approaches to accumulating evidence
22.1 Introduction
22.2 Evidence surveillance: active monitoring of the accumulating evidence
22.3 Prospectively planned meta-analysis
22.4 Statistical analysis of accumulating evidence
22.5 Chapter information
22.6 References
Chapter 23: Including variants on randomized trials
23.1 Cluster-randomized trials
23.2 Crossover trials
23.3 Studies with more than two intervention groups
23.4 Chapter information
23.5 References
Chapter 24: Including non-randomized studies on intervention effects
24.1 Introduction
24.2 Developing criteria for including non-randomized studies of interventions
24.3 Searching for non-randomized studies of interventions
24.4 Selecting studies and collecting data
24.5 Assessing risk of bias in non-randomized studies
24.6 Synthesis of results from non-randomized studies
24.7 Interpretation and discussion
24.8 Chapter information
24.9 References
Chapter 25: Assessing risk of bias in a non-randomized study
25.1 Introduction
25.2 Biases in non-randomized studies
25.3 The ROBINS-I tool
25.4 Risk of bias in follow-up (cohort) studies
25.5 Risk of bias in uncontrolled before-after studies (including interrupted time series)
25.6 Risk of bias in controlled before-after studies
25.7 Chapter information
25.8 References
Chapter 26: Individual participant data
26.1 Introduction
26.2 Collecting IPD
26.3 Managing and checking IPD
26.4 Analysis of IPD
26.5 Reporting IPD reviews
26.6 Appraising the quality of IPD reviews
26.7 Chapter information
26.8 References
Index
Part one: Core methods
Chapter 1: Starting a review
1.1 Why do a systematic review?
1.2 What is the review question?
1.3 Who should do a systematic review?
1.4 The importance of reliability
1.5 Protocol development
1.6 Data management and quality assurance
1.7 Chapter information
1.8 References
Chapter 2: Determining the scope of the review and the questions it will address
2.1 Rationale for well-formulated questions
2.2 Aims of reviews of interventions
2.3 Defining the scope of a review question
2.4 Ensuring the review addresses the right questions
2.5 Methods and tools for structuring the review
2.6 Chapter information
2.7 References
Chapter 3: Defining the criteria for including studies and how they will be grouped for the synthesis
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Articulating the review and comparison PICO
3.3 Determining which study designs to include
3.4 Eligibility based on publication status and language
3.5 Chapter information
3.6 References
Chapter 4: Searching for and selecting studies
4.1 Introduction
4.2 General issues
4.3 Sources to search
4.4 Designing search strategies
4.5 Documenting and reporting the search process
4.6 Selecting studies
4.7 Chapter information
4.8 References
Chapter 5: Collecting data
5.2 Introduction
5.3 Sources of data
5.4 What data to collect
5.5 Data collection tools
5.6 Extracting data from reports
5.7 Extracting study results and converting to the desired format
5.8 Managing and sharing data
5.9 Chapter information
5.10 References
Chapter 6: Choosing effect measures and computing estimates of effect
6.1 Types of data and effect measures
6.2 Study designs and identifying the unit of analysis
6.3 Extracting estimates of effect directly
6.4 Dichotomous outcome data
6.5 Continuous outcome data
6.6 Ordinal outcome data and measurement scales
6.7 Count and rate data
6.8 Time-to-event data
6.9 Conditional outcomes only available for subsets of participants
6.10 Chapter information
6.11 References
Chapter 7: Considering bias and conflicts of interest among the included studies
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Empirical evidence of bias
7.3 General procedures for risk-of-bias assessment
7.4 Presentation of assessment of risk of bias
7.5 Summary assessments of risk of bias
7.6 Incorporating assessment of risk of bias into analyses
7.7 Considering risk of bias due to missing results
7.8 Considering conflict of interest of authors of included studies
7.9 Chapter information
7.10 References
Chapter 8: Assessing risk of bias in a randomized trial
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Overview of RoB 2
8.3 Bias arising from the randomization process
8.4 Bias due to deviations from intended interventions
8.5 Bias due to missing outcome data
8.6 Bias in measurement of the outcome
8.7 Bias in selection of the reported result
8.8 Differences from the previous version of the tool
8.9 Chapter information
8.10 References
Chapter 9: Summarizing study characteristics and preparing for synthesis
9.1 Introduction
9.2 A general framework for synthesis
9.3 Preliminary steps of a synthesis
9.4 Checking data before synthesis
9.5 Types of synthesis
9.6 Chapter information
9.7 References
Chapter 10: Analysing data and undertaking meta-analyses
10.1 Do not start here!
10.2 Introduction to meta-analysis
10.3 A generic inverse-variance approach to meta-analysis
10.4 Meta-analysis of dichotomous outcomes
10.5 Meta-analysis of continuous outcomes
10.6 Combining dichotomous and continuous outcomes
10.7 Meta-analysis of ordinal outcomes and measurement scales
10.8 Meta-analysis of counts and rates
10.9 Meta-analysis of time-to-event outcomes
10.10 Heterogeneity
10.11 Investigating heterogeneity
10.12 Missing data
10.12.1 Types of missing data
10.12.2 General principles for dealing with missing data
10.12.3 Dealing with missing outcome data from individual participants
10.13 Bayesian approaches to meta-analysis
10.14 Sensitivity analyses
10.15 Chapter information
10.16 References
Chapter 11: Undertaking network meta-analyses
11.1 What is network meta-analysis?
11.2 Important concepts
11.3 Planning a Cochrane Review to compare multiple interventions
11.4 Synthesis of results
11.5 Evaluating confidence in the results of a network meta-analysis
11.6 Presenting network meta-analyses
11.7 Concluding remarks
11.8 Chapter information
11.9 References
Chapter 12: Synthesizing and presenting findings using other methods
12.1 Why a meta-analysis of effect estimates may not be possible
12.2 Statistical synthesis when meta-analysis of effect estimates is not possible
12.3 Visual display and presentation of the data
12.4 Worked example
12.5 Chapter information
12.6 References
Chapter 13: Assessing risk of bias due to missing results in a synthesis
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Minimizing risk of bias due to missing results
13.3 A framework for assessing risk of bias due to missing results in a synthesis
13.4 Summary
13.5 Chapter information
13.6 References
Chapter 14: Completing 'Summary of findings' tables and grading the certainty of the evidence
14.1 'Summary of findings' tables
14.2 Assessing the certainty or quality of a body of evidence
14.3 Describing the assessment of the certainty of a body of evidence using the GRADE framework
14.4 Chapter information
14.5 References
Chapter 15: Interpreting results and drawing conclusions
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Issues of indirectness and applicability
15.3 Interpreting results of statistical analyses
15.4 Interpreting results from dichotomous outcomes (including numbers needed to treat)
15.5 Interpreting results from continuous outcomes (including standardized mean differences)
15.6 Drawing conclusions
15.7 Chapter information
15.8 References
Part two: Specific perspectives in reviews
Chapter 16: Equity and specific populations
16.1 Introduction to equity in systematic reviews
16.2 Formulation of the review
16.3 Identification of evidence
16.4 Appraisal of evidence
16.5 Synthesis of evidence
16.6 Interpretation of evidence
16.7 Concluding remarks
16.8 Chapter information
16.9 References
Chapter 17: Intervention complexity
17.1 Introduction
17.2 Formulation of the review
17.3 Identification of evidence
17.4 Appraisal of evidence
17.5 Synthesis of evidence
17.6 Interpretation of evidence
17.7 Chapter information
17.8 References
Chapter 18: Patient-reported outcomes
18.1 Introduction to patient-reported outcomes
18.2 Formulation of the review
18.3 Appraisal of evidence
18.4 Synthesis and interpretation of evidence
18.5 Chapter information
18.6 References
Chapter 19: Adverse effects
19.1 Introduction to issues in addressing adverse effects
19.2 Formulation of the review
19.3 Identification of evidence
19.4 Appraisal of evidence
19.5 Synthesis and interpretation of evidence
19.6 Chapter information
19.7 References
Chapter 20: Economics evidence
20.1 Introduction
20.2 Formulation of the review
20.3 Identification of evidence
20.4 Appraisal of evidence
20.5 Synthesis and interpretation of evidence
20.6 Chapter information
20.7 References
Chapter 21: Qualitative research and Cochrane Reviews
21.1 Introduction
21.2 Designs for synthesizing and integrating qualitative evidence with intervention reviews
21.3 Defining qualitative evidence and studies
21.4 Planning a qualitative evidence synthesis linked to an intervention review
21.5 Question development
21.6 Questions exploring intervention implementation
21.7 Searching for qualitative evidence
21.8 Assessing methodological strengths and limitations of qualitative studies
21.9 Selecting studies to synthesize
21.10 Selecting a qualitative evidence synthesis and data extraction method
21.11 Data extraction
21.12 Assessing the confidence in qualitative synthesized findings
21.13 Methods for integrating the qualitative evidence synthesis with an intervention review
21.14 Reporting the protocol and qualitative evidence synthesis
21.15 Chapter information
21.16 References
Part three: Further topics
Chapter 22: Prospective approaches to accumulating evidence
22.1 Introduction
22.2 Evidence surveillance: active monitoring of the accumulating evidence
22.3 Prospectively planned meta-analysis
22.4 Statistical analysis of accumulating evidence
22.5 Chapter information
22.6 References
Chapter 23: Including variants on randomized trials
23.1 Cluster-randomized trials
23.2 Crossover trials
23.3 Studies with more than two intervention groups
23.4 Chapter information
23.5 References
Chapter 24: Including non-randomized studies on intervention effects
24.1 Introduction
24.2 Developing criteria for including non-randomized studies of interventions
24.3 Searching for non-randomized studies of interventions
24.4 Selecting studies and collecting data
24.5 Assessing risk of bias in non-randomized studies
24.6 Synthesis of results from non-randomized studies
24.7 Interpretation and discussion
24.8 Chapter information
24.9 References
Chapter 25: Assessing risk of bias in a non-randomized study
25.1 Introduction
25.2 Biases in non-randomized studies
25.3 The ROBINS-I tool
25.4 Risk of bias in follow-up (cohort) studies
25.5 Risk of bias in uncontrolled before-after studies (including interrupted time series)
25.6 Risk of bias in controlled before-after studies
25.7 Chapter information
25.8 References
Chapter 26: Individual participant data
26.1 Introduction
26.2 Collecting IPD
26.3 Managing and checking IPD
26.4 Analysis of IPD
26.5 Reporting IPD reviews
26.6 Appraising the quality of IPD reviews
26.7 Chapter information
26.8 References
Index