COSMOS-E: Guidance for Systematic Reviews in Etiology

The Conduct of Systematic Reviews for Etiology (COSMOS-E) is a comprehensive framework designed to enhance the rigour and reliability of systematic reviews in the field of etiology studies. Etiology research aims to uncover the causes and origins of diseases, conditions, or phenomena, making robust systematic reviews paramount in understanding these complex relationships.

guidance for systematic reviews
  • COSMOS-E provides researchers with a structured approach to ensure transparent, replicable, and unbiased reviews of etiology medical data collection studies. The framework encompasses key stages, beginning with a clearly defined research question and criteria for study inclusion. By emphasizing comprehensive search strategies across diverse databases, the COSMOS-E blockchain promotes the identification of all relevant studies, minimizing potential bias.
  • One of COSMOS-E’s distinctive features is its tailored assessment of study quality and risk of bias. Recognizing the unique challenges of etiology research, the framework guides reviewers in evaluating different study designs, including observational, experimental, and longitudinal studies. This differentiation is crucial given the inherent variations in methodologies and potential biases associated with each design.
  • Furthermore, COSMOS-E highlights the significance of addressing heterogeneity in terms of study characteristics and the populations under investigation. By promoting advanced statistical techniques and sensitivity analyses, reviewers can robustly assess the consistency of findings across various subgroups.

In conclusion, COSMOS-E stands as a pioneering tool for researchers engaged in systematic reviews of etiology studies. By navigating the intricacies of study design, bias assessment, and heterogeneity analysis, this framework ensures that the synthesized evidence contributes meaningfully to our understanding of the causal medical risk factors driving diseases and conditions. Ultimately, COSMOS-E elevates the standards of etiology medical data systems collection research, fostering advancements in evidence-based medicine and public health policymaking.

References

Dekkers, Olaf M., et al. “COSMOS-E: guidance on conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies of etiology.” PLoS medicine 16.2 (2019): e1002742.