Quality assessment in systematic reviews: The importance of choosing the right tools

Abstract

The validity of the findings of the Systematic Review (SR) depends on the methodological quality of the individual studies in which they are included. Therefore, evaluating the validity of the included studies is an integral component of a systematic review (1). Bias or systematic error either exaggerates or underestimates the 'true' effect of an intervention or exposure. Typically, four sources for systematic error, including Selection bias, Performance bias, Attrition bias, and Detection bias, are considered in this assessment.

Keywords

• quality assessment; systematic reviews