Second Edition
Edited by Julian P.T. Higgins, James Thomas, Jacqueline Chandler, Miranda Cumpston, Tianjing Li, Matthew J. Page and Vivian A. Welch
This edition first published 2019
© 2019 The Cochrane Collaboration
This work is a co‐publication between The Cochrane Collaboration and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Edition History
1e The Cochrane Collaboration
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data
Names: Higgins, Julian P. T., editor. | Cochrane Collaboration, issuing body.
Title: Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions / edited by Julian P.T. Higgins, James Thomas, Jacqueline Chandler, Miranda Cumpston, Tianjing Li, Matthew J. Page, Vivian A. Welch.
Other titles: Cochrane book series.
Description: Second edition. | Hoboken, NJ : Wiley-Blackwell, 2019. | Series: Cochrane book series | Includes bibliographical references and index. | “This work is a co-publication between The Cochrane Collaboration and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.”–ECIP title page verso.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019024539| ISBN 9781119536628 (hardback) | ISBN 9781119536611 (adobe pdf) | ISBN 9781119536659 (epub)
Subjects: | MESH: Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care) | Evidence-Based Medicine–methods | Meta-Analysis as Topic | Systematic Reviews as Topic
Classification: LCC RA427.3 | NLM W 84.41 | DDC 362.1–dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019024539
Cover image: © ittipon2002/iStock.com, © Eraxion/iStock.com, © Raycat/iStock.com, © atoss/iStock.com, © anmbph/iStock.com, © shapecharge/iStock.com, © adventtr/iStock.com, © PeopleImages/iStock.com, © Abel Mitja Varela/iStock.com, © kiankhoon/iStock.com, © Wavebreakmedia/iStock.com, © 9comeback/iStock.com, © leoniepow/iStock.com
Cover design by Wiley
Akl, Elie A
Department of Internal Medicine
American University of Beirut Medical Center
Beirut
Lebanon
Altman, Douglas G *
Centre for Statistics in Medicine
University of Oxford
Oxford
UK
Aluko, Patricia
Institute of Health and Society
Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
UK
Askie, Lisa M
NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre
University of Sydney
Sydney
Australia
Beaton, Dorcas E
Institute for Work & Health
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Berlin, Jesse A
Department of Epidemiology
Johnson & Johnson
Titusville, NJ
USA
Bhaumik, Soumyadeep
The George Institute for Global Health
New Delhi
India
Bingham III, Clifton O
Department of Rheumatology
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
USA
Boers, Maarten
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Amsterdam UMC
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Booth, Andrew
School of Health and Related Research
University of Sheffield
Sheffield
UK
Boutron, Isabelle
METHODS team, Centre of Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS-UMR1153),INSERM/Paris Descartes University;
Centre d' Epidémiologie Clinique Assistance Publique des hôpitaux de Paris;
Cochrane France
Paris
France
Brennan, Sue E
Cochrane AustraliaSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Monash University
Melbourne
Australia
Briel, Matthias
Department of Clinical Research
University of Basel
Basel
Switzerland
Briscoe, Simon
College of Medicine and Health
University of Exeter
Exeter
UK
Busse, Jason W
Department of Anesthesia
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
Canada
Caldwell, Deborah M
Population Health Sciences Bristol Medical School
University of Bristol
Bristol
UK
Cargo, Margaret
Health Research Institute
University of Canberra
Canberra
Australia
Carrasco‐Labra, Alonso
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact (HEI)
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
Canada
Department of Oral and Craniofacial Health Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC
USA
Chaimani, Anna
METHODS team Centre of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticsSorbonne Paris Cité (CRESS-UMR1153),INSERM/Paris Descartes University
Paris
France
Chandler, Jacqueline
Wessex Academic Health Science Network University Hospital Southampton
Southampton
UK
Christensen, Robin
Musculoskeletal Statistics Unit The Parker Institute
Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital
Copenhagen
Denmark
Clarke, Mike
Northern Ireland Methodology Hub
Centre for Public Health Queen's University Belfast
Belfast
Northern Ireland
Craig, Dawn
Institute of Health and Society
Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
UK
da Costa, Bruno R
Applied Health Research Centre
St. Michael's Hospital
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Deeks, Jonathan J
Institute of Applied Health Research
University of Birmingham
Birmingham
UK
Devji, Tahira
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact (HEI)
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
Canada
Drummond, Michael
Centre for Health Economics
University of York
York
UK
Elbers, Roy G
Population Health Sciences Bristol Medical School
University of Bristol
Bristol
UK
El Dib, Regina
Institute of Science and Technology
UNESP ‐ Univ Estadual Paulista
São José dos Campos
Brazil
Eldridge, Sandra
Centre for Primary Care and Public Health
Blizard Institute
Barts and The London
School of Medicine and Dentistry Queen Mary University of London
London
UK
Elliott, Julian H
Cochrane Australia
Monash University
Melbourne
Australia
Flemming, Kate
Department of Health Sciences
University of York
York
UK
Gagnier, Joel J
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Epidemiology
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
USA
Garside, Ruth
European Centre for Environment and Human Health
University of Exeter Medical School University of Exeter
Truro
UK
Ghersi, Davina
Research Policy and Translation
National Health and Medical Research Council
Canberra
Australia
Glanville, Julie
York Health Economics Consortium
York
UK
Glasziou, Paul
Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare
Bond University
Queensland
Australia
Golder, Su
Department of Health Sciences
University of York
York
UK
Graybill, Erin
Department of Economics
Newcastle University Business School
Newcastle upon Tyne
UK
Guyatt, Gordon H
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact (HEI)
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
Canada
Hannes, Karin
Social Research Methodology Group Faculty of Social Sciences
KU Leuven
Leuven
Belgium
Harden, Angela
Institute of Health and Human Development
University of East London
London
UK
Harris, Janet
School of Health and Related Research
University of Sheffield
Sheffield
UK
Hartling, Lisa
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
Henderson, Catherine
Personal Social Services Unit
London School of Economics and Political Science
London
UK
Hernán, Miguel A
Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Boston, MA
USA
Higgins, Julian PT
Population Health Sciences
Bristol Medical School
University of Bristol
Bristol
UK
Hróbjartsson, Asbjørn
Centre for Evidence‐Based Medicine Odense (CEBMO)
Odense University Hospital
Odense
Denmark
Johnston, Bradley C
Department of Community Health and Epidemiology
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada
Johnston, Renea V
Monash Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Cabrini Institute
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
Melbourne
Australia
Jull, Janet
School of Rehabilitation Therapy
Queen's University
Kingston, Ontario
Canada
Junqueira, Daniela R
Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
Klassen, Terry
Manitoba Institute of Child Health
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada
Kneale, Dylan
EPPI‐Centre, Institute of Education
University College London
London
UK
Kristjansson, Elizabeth
School of Psychology
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Lasserson, Toby J
Editorial & Methods Department
Cochrane Central Executive
London
UK
Lefebvre, Carol
Lefebvre Associates Ltd
Oxford
UK
Li, Tianjing
Department of Epidemiology
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Baltimore, MD
USA
Littlewood, Anne
Cochrane Oral Health
University of Manchester
Manchester
UK
Loke, Yoon Kong
Norwich Medical School
University of East Anglia
Norwich
UK
Lundh, Andreas
Centre for Evidence‐Based Medicine Odense (CEBMO)
Odense University Hospital
Odense
Denmark
Lyddiatt, Anne
Ingersoll, Ontario
Canada
Marshall, Chris
Institute of Health and Society
Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
UK
Maxwell, Lara J
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
McAleenan, Alexandra
Population Health Sciences
Bristol Medical School
University of Bristol
Bristol
UK
McKenzie, Joanne E
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Monash University
Melbourne
Australia
Metzendorf, Maria‐Inti
Institute of General Practice
Medical Faculty of the Heinrich‐Heine‐University Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Germany
Noel‐Storr, Anna
Radcliffe Department of Medicine
University of Oxford
Oxford
UK
Noyes, Jane
School of Health Sciences
Bangor University
Bangor
UK
Ostelo, Raymond W
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Amsterdam UMC
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Page, Matthew J
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Monash University
Melbourne
Australia
Pantoja, Tomás
Department of Family Medicine
Faculty of Medicine
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Santiago
Chile
Pardo Pardo, Jordi
Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Patrick, Donald L
Health Services and Epidemiology
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
USA
Peryer, Guy
University of East Anglia
Norwich
UK
Petkovic, Jennifer
Bruyère Research Institute
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Petticrew, Mark
Faculty of Public Health and Policy
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
London
UK
Rader, Tamara
Evidence Standards
Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Reeves, Barnaby C
Translational Health Sciences Bristol Medical School
University of Bristol
Bristol
UK
Rehfuess, Eva
Pettenkofer School of Public Health
Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology
LMU Munich
Munich
Germany
Robalino, Shannon
Institute of Health and Society
Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
UK
Ryan, Rebecca E
Cochrane Consumers and Communication Group
Centre for Health Communication and Participation
La Trobe University
Melbourne
Australia
Salanti, Georgia
Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine
University of Bern
Bern
Switzerland
Santesso, Nancy
Department of Health Research Methods Evidence and Impact (HEI)
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
Canada
Savović, Jelena
Population Health Sciences Bristol Medical School
University of Bristol
Bristol
UK
Schünemann, Holger J
Departments of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI) and of Medicine
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
Canada
Shea, Beverley
Department of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute;
School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Shemilt, Ian
EPPI‐Centre
University College London
London
UK
Shokraneh, Farhad
Cochrane Schizophrenia Group
Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology
Institute of Mental Health School of Medicine
University of Nottingham
Nottingham
UK
Simmonds, Mark
Centre for Reviews and Dissemination
University of York
York
UK
Singh, Jasvinder
School of Medicine
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
USA
Skoetz, Nicole
Department of Internal Medicine
University Hospital of Cologne
Cologne
Germany
Sterne, Jonathan AC
Population Health Sciences Bristol Medical School
University of Bristol
Bristol
UK
Stewart, Lesley A
Centre for Reviews and Dissemination
University of York
York
UK
Stott, David J
Academic Section of Geriatric Medicine
Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences
University of Glasgow
Glasgow
UK
Takwoingi, Yemisi
Institute of Applied Health Research
University of Birmingham
Birmingham
UK
Terwee, Caroline B
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute
Amsterdam UMC
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Thomas, James
EPPI‐Centre, Department of Social Science
University College London
London
UK
Thomson, Denise
Department of Pediatrics
Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
Thomson, Hilary J
MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
University of Glasgow
Glasgow
UK
Tierney, Jayne F
MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL
Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology
London
UK
Tugwell, Peter
Department of Medicine & School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa;
Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Ueffing, Erin
Centre for Practice‐Changing Research
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Vale, Luke
Health Economics Group
Institute of Health and Society Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
UK
Vist, Gunn E
Department of Preventive, Health Promotion and Organisation of Care
Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Oslo
Norway
Vohra, Sunita
Department of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
Welch, Vivian A
Bruyère Research Institute
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Wells, George A
School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa;
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Wieland, L Susan
Center for Integrative Medicine
Department of Family and Community Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD
USA
Williams, Katrina
Department of Paediatrics,Monash University;
Developmental Paediatrics, Monash Children's Hospital;
Neurodisability and Rehabilitation,
Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Melbourne
Australia
Williamson, Paula R
Department of Biostatistics
University of Liverpool
Liverpool
UK
Wilson, Edward CF
Health Economics Group Norwich Medical School
University of East Anglia
UK
Young, Camilla
Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences
University of Glasgow
Glasgow
UK