Article type
Year
Abstract
Objectives: The utility of systematic reviews in dermatology has been questioned due to the impression that these reviews frequently find insufficient evidence to guide therapeutic recommendations. The aim of the study was to determine the number of systematic reviews addressing topics in dermatology and the percentage of these reviews finding sufficient evidence to guide clinical decision-making.
Methods: Computerized searches and analysis of the systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE). Systematic review database entries were categorized as a) finding sufficient evidence, b) finding insufficient evidence or c) indeterminate to inform clinical decisions.
Results: Three percent of all systematic review database entries in the Cochrane Library 2001, Issue 4 (54/1235 in CDSR and 65/2208 in DARE) were deemed relevant to dermatology. Fourteen relevant entries from DARE were in the process of being written and not available for further evaluation. Forty percent (42/105) of the remaining entries found sufficient evidence to assist patient care decisions. Topics related to the ten most common dermatological diagnoses were addressed in 30% (31/105). Thirty-two percent of these entries addressing common dermatology diagnoses topics (10/31) found sufficient evidence.
Conclusions: Although few entries in systematic reviews databases address dermatology topics (3%), entries address many of the top ten dermatology diagnoses (8/10) and frequently find sufficient evidence to inform clinical decisions (40%).
Methods: Computerized searches and analysis of the systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE). Systematic review database entries were categorized as a) finding sufficient evidence, b) finding insufficient evidence or c) indeterminate to inform clinical decisions.
Results: Three percent of all systematic review database entries in the Cochrane Library 2001, Issue 4 (54/1235 in CDSR and 65/2208 in DARE) were deemed relevant to dermatology. Fourteen relevant entries from DARE were in the process of being written and not available for further evaluation. Forty percent (42/105) of the remaining entries found sufficient evidence to assist patient care decisions. Topics related to the ten most common dermatological diagnoses were addressed in 30% (31/105). Thirty-two percent of these entries addressing common dermatology diagnoses topics (10/31) found sufficient evidence.
Conclusions: Although few entries in systematic reviews databases address dermatology topics (3%), entries address many of the top ten dermatology diagnoses (8/10) and frequently find sufficient evidence to inform clinical decisions (40%).