Biondi-Zoccai Giuseppe (ed.) Umbrella Reviews!: Evidence Synthesis with Overviews of Reviews and Meta-Epidemiologic Studies

Springer, 2016. — 1054 p.This book is an ideal guide to umbrella reviews, overviews of reviews, and meta-epidemiologic studies for evidence synthesis. Research is conducted at different levels: primary research consists of original studies while secondary research comprises qualitative reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Recently, a novel further level of research has been introduced, based on the analysis and pooling of reviews and meta-analysis. This book is the first to focus solely on this new type of research design, which permits a comprehensive and powerful synthesis of scientific evidence in medicine as well as in many other fields in order to inform decision-making. All aspects are covered, including review design and registration, the searching, abstracting, appraisal, and synthesis of evidence, the appraisal of moderators and confounders, and state of the art reporting. Case studies in a range of medical specialties are then presented. The hands-on approach of the book, written by a multinational team of experts, will enable the reader to interpret and independently conduct umbrella reviews.Umbrella Reviews in the Evidence HierarchyEvidence Hierarchy
From Qualitative Reviews to Umbrella Reviews
Umbrella Reviews, Overviews of Reviews, and Meta-epidemiologic Studies: Similarities and Differences
Sound Design, Conduct, and Reporting
Designing the Review
Registering the Review
Searching Evidence
Abstracting Evidence
Appraising Evidence
Statistical Models for Overviews of Reviews
Bayesian Approach to Evidence Synthesis
Appraising Between-Study Homogeneity, Small-Study Effects, Moderators, and Confounders
State-of-the-Art Reporting
Case Studies
Case Study of Allied Health and Complementary and Alternate Medicine
Case Study in Dentistry
Case Study in Neonatology
Case Study in Nursing
Case Study in Orthopedics
Case Study in Prevention
Case Study of Public Health
Implementation and Further Research
Moving from Evidence to Action
Avenues for Further Research