Overview of systematic reviews - a new type of study. Part II.
OBJECTIVE
Overviews of Systematic Reviews (OoRs) are a new type of study in which multiple evidence from systematic reviews (SRs) is compiled into an accessible and useful document. The aim here was to describe the state of the art and critically assess Cochrane OoRs that have been published.


METHODS
Descriptive study conducted at a research center.


METHODS
The OoRs identified through the filter developed in Part I of this study were evaluated in five domains: methodological quality; quality of evidence; implications for practice; general profile of OoRs; and length of work.


RESULTS
All 13 OoRs included had high methodological quality. Some OoRs did not present sufficient data to judge the quality of evidence; using sensitivity analysis, the quality of evidence of the OoRs increased. Regarding implications for practice, 64% of the interventions were judged as beneficial or harmful, while 36% of them showed insufficient evidence for judgment. It is expected (with 95% confidence interval) that one OoR will include 9,462 to 64,469 patients, 9 to 29 systematic reviews and 80 to 344 primary studies, and assess 6 to 21 interventions; and that 50 to 92% of OoRs will produce meta-analysis. The OoRs generated 2 to 26 meta-analyses over a period of 18 to 31 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The OoRs presented high methodological quality; the quality of evidence tended to be moderate/high; most interventions were judged to be beneficial/harmful; the mean length of work was 24 months. The OoR profile adds power to decision-making.
Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.
Valter
V
Silva
Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.
Antonio Jose
AJ
Grande
Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.
Alan Pedrosa Viegas de
AP
Carvalho
Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.
Ana Luiza Cabrera
AL
Martimbianco
Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.
Rachel
R
Riera
D016206:Databases, Bibliographic / Q000592:standards; D003657:Decision Making; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D017594:Publication Bias; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D013997:Time Factors