The Bahrain Branch of the UK Cochrane Centre In Collaboration with Reyada Training & Management Consultancy, Dubai-UAE Cochrane Collaboration and Systematic Review Workshop, February 2007, Dubai - UAE Dr. Zbys Fedorowicz, Dr. Dunia Al Hashimi, Dr. Ahmed Al Asfoor W06

Selecting studies. Which should we include? Criteria for considering studies for a review

Types of studies Eligible study designs along with any thresholds for inclusion based on the conduct or quality of the studies. All randomised controlled trials with blind assessment of outcome Particular types of randomised studies (for example, cross-over trials).

Randomised controlled trial population group 1 group 2 Outcome intervention control

Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria PICO

Types of participants The diseases or conditions of interest including any restrictions on diagnoses, age groups and settings

Types of interventions/comparisons Experimental and control interventions comparisons of interest ?placebo/nothing. Restrictions on dose, frequency, intensity or duration (?concomitant medication)

Types of outcome measures Outcome measures of interest Maybe clinician defined and/or patient preferred

Primary outcomes Primary outcomes should normally reflect at least one potential benefit and at least one potential area of harm, and should be as few as possible. Secondary outcomes Non-primary outcomes ie QOL, self reported outcomes/patient satisfaction

Identify your search terms identify any publication types –e.g. randomized-controlled-trial

Intervention (MeSH headings OR text words) Patient/Problem (MeSH headings OR text words) Publication types e.g. RCTs AND N

Cochrane reviews address questions about the effects of healthcare & focus primarily on RCTs. Why not Non randomised studies? Randomisation is the only way to control for confounders that are not known or not measured. [Non randomised methods group]