Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Stepwise Approach for Medical and Biomedical Researchers

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Stepwise Approach for Medical and Biomedical Researchers presents a step-by-step approach to develop systematic reviews and meta-analysis for biomedical and medical research. Systematic reviews are the highest quality evidence in medical research providing an answer to a specific question, and they can be developed in the form of comprehensive literature search, critical appraisal, and synthesis of the evidence. Systematic reviews and meta-analysis are key elements of evidence-based medicine by summarizing the results of previous studies with the use of specific and reliable methods. Initially, systematic review and meta-analysis were exclusive to clinical trials, however systematic reviews of observational and diagnostic studies have expanded, making it essential for members of the field to master those techniques.

This practical reference is a valuable resource for biostaticians, researchers, students, and members of medical and biomedical fields who need to understand more about systematic reviews and meta-analysis in their research work.

1. Medical Research: Steps Forward Towards Scientific Advancement
2. Research Methodology: Primary vs. Secondary Studies
3. Systematic Reviews: Definition and Structure
4. Topic Selection: Structured Questions
5. Systematic Search for A Systematic Review
6. Search-Record Screening
7. Data Extraction
8. Risk of Bias Assessment in Included Studies
9. Data Synthesis
10. Performing Meta-Analysis in Different Software
11. Interpretation of Results in Forest Plot
12. Publication Bias and Funnel Plot
13. Heterogeneity Among Included Studies
14. Missing Data in Systematic Reviews
15. Network Meta-Analysis
16. Quality assessment of systematic reviews
17. Scientific Writing in A systematic review
18. Ethics in Systematic Reviews

Mahsa Ghajarzadeh is an expert epidemiologist and assistant professor of epidemiology at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. She has great experience in medical research and research education to junior students. She has also published several research papers on systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Sara Hanaei is an MD-MPH alumnus of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. She was research assistant at Research Center for Immunodeficiencies and has experience in teaching research skills to students. She has several publications on meta-analysis.
Professor Nima Rezaei gained his medical degree (MD) from Tehran University of Medical Sciences and subsequently obtained an MSc in Molecular and Genetic Medicine and a PhD in Clinical Immunology and Human Genetics from the University of Sheffield, UK. He also spent a short-term fellowship of Pediatric Clinical Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplantation in the Newcastle General Hospital. Professor Rezaei is now the Full Professor of Immunology and Vice Dean of Research, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and the co-founder and Head of the Research Center for Immunodeficiencies. He is also the founding President of the Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN). Professor Rezaei has already been the Director of more than 55 research projects and has designed and participated in several international collaborative projects. Professor Rezaei is an editorial assistant or board member for more than 30 international journals. He has edited more than 35 international books, has presented more than 500 lectures/posters in congresses/meetings, and has published more than 1,000 scientific papers in the international journals.