Die systematische Auswertung („Review“) und Metaanalyse der Ergebnisse
kontrollierter klinischer Studien gilt als „Goldstandard“ der evidenzbasierten
Medizin und kann dennoch zu unterschiedlichen und sogar vermeintlich
widersprüchlichen Ergebnissen führen. Die folgenden Ausführungen sollen helfen,
systematische Reviews zur multidisziplinären Rehabilitation korrekt zu
interpretieren, um kritische Schlussfolgerungen für die klinische Praxis zu
ermöglichen.
Abstract
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of clinical trials are considered to
represent the highest level of scientific evidence in clinical medicine provided
internationally accepted guidelines and checklists are followed.
In systematic reviews and meta-analyses all clinical studies focussing a specific
predefined clinical question are collected and evaluated. The results of
systematic reviews strongly depend on the study protocol, including the exact
definition of the population of interest, the therapeutic intervention under
consideration and, last not least, the time period of observation. Moreover,
evaluating multidisciplinary rehabilitation, its specifications with regard to
therapeutic content, intensity and duration, supervision and general framework
must be considered for correctly estimating determinants that control
therapeutic success or failure.
The range of potential risks of bias arising during planning, realization and
publication of clinical studies is considerable and needs to be carefully
estimated with regard to each single study included in meta-analysis.
Taking together, the incremental scientific value of systematic reviews and
meta-analyses cannot be taken for granted, but strongly depends on the
methodological quality of the clinical studies being included as well as on the
systematic process of the meta-analysis and the critical interpretation of the
results.
Schlüsselwörter
systematische Übersichtsarbeiten - systematische Reviews - Metaanalyse - multidisziplinäre
Rehabilitation - klinische Wirksamkeit - wissenschaftliche Evidenz
Keywords
systematic review - meta-analyses - multidisciplinary rehabilitation - clinical effectiveness
- scientific evidence