GRADE guidance 24. Optimizing the integration of randomized and non-randomized studies in evidence syntheses of health interventions

Cuello-Garcia, C. A. et al. (2022) GRADE guidance 24. Optimizing the integration of randomized and non-randomized studies in evidence syntheses of health interventions. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 142, pp. 200-208. (doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.11.026) (PMID:34800676) (PMCID:PMC8982640)

Abstract

This is the 24th in the ongoing series of articles describing the GRADE approach for assessing the certainty of a body of evidence in systematic reviews and health technology assessments and how to move from evidence to recommendations in guidelines. Guideline developers and authors of systematic reviews and other evidence syntheses use randomized controlled studies (RCTs) and non-randomized studies of interventions (NRSI) as sources of evidence for questions about health interventions. RCTs with low risk of bias are the most trustworthy source of evidence for estimating relative effects of interventions because of protection against confounding and other biases. However, in several instances, NRSI can still provide valuable information as complementary, sequential, or replacement evidence for RCTs. In this article we offer guidance on the decision regarding when to search for and include either or both types of studies in systematic reviews to inform health recommendations. This work aims to help methodologists in review teams, technology assessors, guideline panelists, and anyone conducting evidence syntheses using GRADE.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Katikireddi, Professor Vittal

Creator Roles

Katikireddi, S. V.: ["credit_typename_" not defined]

• Authors: Cuello-Garcia, C. A., Santesso, N., Morgan, R. L., Verbeek, J., Thayer, K., Ansari, M. T., Meerpohl, J., Katikireddi, S. V., Brozek, J. L., Reeves, B., Murad, M. H., Falavigna, M., Mustafa, R., Regidor, D. L., Alexander, P. E., Garner, P., Akl, E. A., Guyatt, G., and Schünemann, H. J.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU
• Journal Name: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0895-4356
• ISSN (Online): 1878-5921
• Published Online: 17 November 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 142: 200-208
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
72765	1	Measuring and Analysing Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health	Alastair Leyland	Medical Research Council (MRC)	MC_UU_12017/13	HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
72767	1	Informing Healthy Public Policy	Peter Craig	Medical Research Council (MRC)	MC_UU_12017/15	HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
72765	1	Measuring and Analysing Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health	Alastair Leyland	Chief Scientist Office (CSO)	SPHSU13	HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
72767	1	Informing Healthy Public Policy	Peter Craig	Chief Scientist Office (CSO)	SPHSU15	HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
172690		Understanding the impacts of welfare policy on health: A novel data linkage study	Srinivasa Katikireddi	Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSO)	SCAF/15/02	HW - Public Health