Q: Can case reports, pilot studies, and RCTs be clubbed together for a systematic review?
Detailed Question -
Can we take case reports, pilot studies and RCT all together in one systematic review? If so,which method should we use for analysis of the study?
1 Answer to this question
Answer:
It might not be a great idea to club case reports, pilot studies, and RCTs (Randomized Controlled Trials) in the same systematic review. These are three different types of study that cannot be compared.
- A case report presents examples of a study that is completed or ongoing; for example, a study about the efficacy of a drug.
- A pilot study involves carrying out a new research based on a hypothesis, with no prior data.
- An RCT involves studies evaluating a treatment effect on a large number of subjects.
However, you can write a systematic review and have subsections on each type of study, analysing the data individually. The data analysis will depend on the study being conducted. At the end, the conclusion of each type of study should be mentioned separately.
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