Services

Literature reviews often serve as the foundation for follow-on research, so it is imperative that they are done well. We support the production of high quality systematic reviews through our collaborations with the Cochrane Collaboration (https://www.cochrane.org/) and Singapore Cochrane (https://singapore.cochrane.org/). We will also provide guidance for reviews that cannot be registered as a Cochrane review (non-Cochrane systematic reviews) to be completed with similar methodological rigor.

Cochrane Reviews

Cochrane contributors come from more than 130 countries around the world. There are opportunities to be involved as a Cochrane reviewer, translator of evidence, a consumer or a Cochrane citizen scientist who can help screen health research records. If you wish to propose and register a new Cochrane review topic follow this link: https://community.cochrane.org/review-production/production-resources/proposing-and-registering-new-cochrane-reviews

To get involved and to obtain further information on the review groups, visit the website https://www.cochrane.org/about-us/our-global-community/review-group-networks

Non-Cochrane Systematic Reviews

International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) is an international database to facilitate prospective registration of systematic reviews topics in health care. (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#index.php) PROSPERO assigns each registered review with a unique registration number. Note that this number can be cited in publications and reports to provide the link between the planned and completed review, as recommended by PRISMA 2009 and many publishers. SRU can provide consultation and support in developing a Non-Cochrane review protocol and help register with PROSPERO

Registration in PROSPERO involves the submission and publication of information about the objectives, design and conduct of a systematic review. No quality assessment or peer review of the information in the protocol is undertaken but records will be published on an open access electronic database.
PROSPERO provides a comprehensive listing of systematic reviews registered at inception to help avoid duplication and reduce opportunity for reporting bias by enabling comparison completed review with what was planned in the protocol.

Registration records are permanent and registrants are asked to provide links to subsequent reports and publications. The record can be ‘re-activated’ when a completed review is updated.

 

RevMan Web

RevMan Web is the web-based platform used for preparing and maintaining Cochrane Reviews. It is now available to a wider academic community beyond Cochrane, to support evidence synthesis development and evidence-based medicine education. The downloadable software (RevMan 5) has been discontinued. RevMan Web facilitates preparation of protocols and full reviews, including Meta-Analysis forest plots, risk-of-bias tables, and other systematic review elements https://revman.cochrane.org/info/features#infographic. It is easy-to-use and is also widely used in learning or training about systematic review production.

NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Research Support Unit (RSU) has obtained institutional licence for this software to support researchers in NUS and NUHS for non-Cochrane reviews. Anyone with NUS or NUHS email can subscribe to this software using this think: https://documentation.cochrane.org/revman-kb/start-here-95421451.html. For any queries please contact Miny at medminy@nus.edu.sg

 

BMJ Best Practice

BMJ Best Practice uses the latest evidence-based research, guidelines and expert opinion to offer step-by-step guidance on diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention. BMJ Best practice provide healthcare professionals fast and easy access to the latest relevant information when making diagnosis and treatment decisions. Best Practice content is usually commissioned; individuals who are interested in becoming an expert contributor or peer reviewer can contact SRU and we can provide support to register interested topics with BMJ Best Practice. https://bestpractice.bmj.com/info/

Topics that have been completed or registered by NUHS researchers include the following:

  • Asthma in adults
  • Hepatoma
  • Alopecia areata
  • Bronchiolitis
  • Non-hodgkin lymphoma
  • Acute lymphocytic leukemia
  • Evaluation of hypercalcemia

Training

SRU conducts regular basic and advanced Cochrane systematic review workshops with Cochrane Singapore. More information about these workshops can be found here.