How to write a systematic review

Systematic reviews are considered the highest level of evidence due to their ability to formally synthesize and critically appraise the existing literature in an organized manner to answer a specific clinical question. 1 Khan K.S. Kunz R. Kleijnen J. Antes G. Five steps to conducting a systematic review. J R Soc Med. Mar. 2003; 96: 118-121https://doi.org/10.1177/014107680309600304 Crossref PubMed Scopus (0) Google Scholar ,2 Wright R.W. Brand R.A. Dunn W. Spindler K.P. How to write a systematic review. Clin Orthop Relat Res. Feb. 2007; 455: 23-29https://doi.org/10.1097/BLO.0b013e31802c9098 Crossref PubMed Scopus (324) Google Scholar The results of a systematic review are commonly used to inform evidence-based practice, and therefore, a systematic review must be conducted with an explicit, regimented, and rigorous approach that is easily reproducible. 3 Gopalakrishnan S. Ganeshkumar P. Systematic reviews and meta-analysis: understanding the best evidence in primary healthcare. J Family Med Prim Care. Jan. 2013; 2: 9-14https://doi.org/10.4103/2249-4863.109934 Crossref PubMed Google Scholar Prior to starting a systematic review, it's important to understand the difference between a systematic review and scoping review. At its essence, the goal of systematic review is to bring together a small number of studies pertaining to a focused question, compared with a scoping review which provides a broader overview of available evidence. 4 Munn Z. Peters M.D.J. Stern C. Tufanaru C. McArthur A. Aromataris E. Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach. BMC Med Res Methodol. Nov 19. 2018; 18: 143https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-018-0611-x Crossref PubMed Scopus (3054) Google Scholar As a first-time author of a systematic review, the process of writing this type of manuscript can feel arduous and overwhelming. The aim of this paper is to provide six, easy-to-follow steps that provide a framework for how to conduct a systematic review from start to finish, including an emphasis on common pitfalls and how to avoid them (Fig. 1).