Evidence-based practice

Summaries are comprehensive overviews that synthesise the best available research findings on specific clinical topics. They aim to present the evidence in an easily accessible and usable format for clinicians. Examples of summaries include:

• Clinical Practice Guidelines: Systematically developed recommendations that are based on a thorough review of the evidence and are intended to guide decision-making in specific clinical circumstances.
• Evidence-Based Textbooks: Updated resources that compile and synthesise research evidence on various clinical topics, providing a detailed and structured overview.
• Clinical Summaries: Concise overviews of current evidence on particular health conditions or interventions.

Synopsis of syntheses are a concise summary of multiple systematic reviews or meta-analyses on a particular topic. This level of evidence aims to provide a quick and accessible overview of the findings from several high-quality syntheses. They typically include short reviews with commentaries on the study's methodology and results, and an evaluation of the evidence, offering sufficient information to inform clinical action.

A synthesis refers to the process of combining and integrating findings from multiple individual studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of a particular topic or clinical question. Syntheses aim to summarise the available evidence in a way that highlights overall trends, common findings, and areas of consensus or disagreement among studies. There are several types of syntheses, including: Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, Narrative Synthesis and Scoping Review.

Synopses of studies are brief summaries that present the key elements and findings of individual research studies.  This type of synopsis provides a quick overview of the study's design, methods, results, and implications, allowing for an assessment of the relevance and applicability of the research.
The concise format is valuable for quickly accessing essential research evidence and is a practical way to stay updated on the latest research findings.

A Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) is a type of scientific experiment commonly used in healthcare and social sciences to assess the effectiveness of interventions. In an RCT, participants are randomly assigned to one of two or more groups: an experimental group receiving the intervention and a control group receiving a placebo or standard treatment. The randomisation minimises bias, ensuring that differences between groups can be attributed to the intervention itself rather than other variables. RCTs are considered the gold standard for evaluating the efficacy and safety of new treatments, procedures, or interventions.

A cohort study is a type of observational research where a group of people (the cohort) is followed over time to observe outcomes such as the development of diseases or the effect of certain exposures. Typically the cohort is divided into groups based on certain characteristics or exposures (such as behaviors, environmental factors, or medical treatments) and researchers track these groups to compare how different exposures might affect health outcomes (such as diseases, injuries, or other health-related events) over time.

Prospective | Retrospective

A case-control study is a type of observational study often used to investigate the causes of diseases or conditions. It compares two groups of people: those with the disease or condition (cases) and those without it (controls). Researchers look back in time to identify factors that might have contributed to the disease by comparing the exposure levels or risk factors between the two groups.

Cross-sectional studies are observational studies that examine data from a population at a specific moment in time. They are commonly used to assess the prevalence of health conditions, identify health determinants, and characterise population traits. Unlike other observational studies, cross-sectional studies do not track individuals over a period of time. They are generally cost-effective and straightforward to perform, making them valuable for gathering initial evidence to inform future, more detailed studies (Wang et al, 2020).

A case report is a detailed description of a single patient's medical experience, including their symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. These reports often highlight unusual or new medical conditions and can help doctors learn about rare diseases or unexpected effects of treatments. While they are not as strong as large studies, case reports are important for sharing unique medical insights.  A case series is a collection of case reports involving multiple patients who have received similar treatment or have similar characteristics. These patients are studied over time and usually include detailed information including demographics, treatment received and outcomes. There is no comparison group in this type of study and it can be vulnerable to selection bias but can be useful to identify new trends, diseases or an understanding of the course of a condition.