Evidence-Based Practice in Nephrology: Systematic Reviews

A systematic review, the careful search and comprehensive analysis of all available data on a particular clinical question, is a useful tool for the busy clinician seeking to practice evidence-based medicine. When performed appropriately, they can provide a concise overview of the available literature. Meta-analysis is a method of mathematically combining the results of multiple individual studies, and it must be done in the setting of conceptual and statistical homogeneity. However, as with all forms of research, one must become familiar with the strengths and drawbacks of this type of evidence to critically appraise its validity.