About
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are two types of research methodologies that form the pinnacle of the evidence-based medicine pyramid, offering the highest level of evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. A systematic review aims to identify, appraise, and synthesize all the empirical evidence that meets pre-specified eligibility criteria to answer a given research question. By rigorously evaluating the quality of studies and summarizing their results, systematic reviews provide a comprehensive and reliable overview of what is known about a particular topic. Meta-analysis, on the other hand, is a statistical technique that combines the results of multiple studies into a single quantitative estimate, providing a more precise effect size. It essentially compares and contrasts the findings of different studies and accounts for variation between studies. Although these methodologies require substantial time and effort, the insights they provide are invaluable in informing evidence-based practice and policy, revealing gaps in the current knowledge and setting directions for future research.