title: How to write a systematic review.
abstract: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is the combination of the best available research evidence with clinical experience and patient needs. The concept of EBM as a part of clinical decision making has become increasingly popular over the last decade. In the hierarchy of studies meta-analysis and systematic reviews occupy the highest levels. A systematic review of a clinical question can be performed by following a relatively standard form. These techniques as described here can be performed without formal training. Systematic reviews conducted in this fashion can be used as a higher form of current concepts or as review articles and replace the traditional expert opinion narrative review.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. wrightr@wudosis.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Rick W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: Warren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: Kurt P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Spindler
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D017712:Peer Review, Research; D017594:Publication Bias; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014956:Writing; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic