Elsevier Embase Search Filters

Search for the family of reviews & Meta-Analyses

The SR search filter was updated using the typologies of reviews listed in Sutton, Clowes, Preston, & Booth (2019), "Meeting the review family: Exploring review types and associated information retrieval requirements". It is not limited to systematic reviews but also includes scoping reviews, overviews of reviews (also called "umbrella reviews", rapid reviews, narrative reviews, as well as other reviews that follow the systematic review methodology as described in:

Sutton A, Clowes M, Preston L, Booth A. Meeting the review family: exploring review types and associated information retrieval requirements. Health Info Libr J. 2019;36(3):202-22. PubMed record

Note: Bibliometric analyses are often included as "systematic reviews" in indexing. However, they are closer to scoping reviews or mapping reviews in that they seek to enumerate or map studies by topic, location, or other variables. The term has not been included in the Sutton et al article, but a search filter for them is below traditional literature reviews..

Includes ALL review types that utilize components of the SR methodology (Revised 25 March 2024)

This does not have vocabulary for meta-analysis. See below for the combined filter. This has not been reconciled with the updated PubMed/Ovid Medline search filter.
'systematic review'/de OR 'systematic review (topic)'/de OR (('comprehensive':ti,ab,kw OR  'mapping':ti,ab,kw OR 'methodology':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic':ti,ab,kw) AND ('search':ti,ab,kw OR 'searched':ti,ab,kw OR 'searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'studies':ti,ab,kw) AND ('cinahl':ti,ab,kw OR 'cochrane':ti,ab,kw OR 'embase':ti,ab,kw OR 'psycinfo':ti,ab,kw OR 'pubmed':ti,ab,kw OR 'medline':ti,ab,kw OR 'scopus':ti,ab,kw OR 'web of science':ti,ab,kw OR 'bibliographic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'bibliographic reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature search':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature searches':ti,ab,kw OR  'qualitative review':ti,ab,kw OR 'qualitative reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'quantitative review':ti,ab,kw OR 'quantitative reviews':ti,ab,kw)) OR 'comprehensive review':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive search':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'critical review':ti,ab,kw OR 'critical reviews':ti,ab,kw OR (('electronic database':ti,ab,kw OR 'electronic databases':ti,ab,kw OR databases NEAR/3 searched) AND  (eligibility:ti,ab,kw OR excluded:ti,ab,kw OR exclusion:ti,ab,kw OR included:ti,ab,kw OR inclusion:ti,ab,kw)) OR 'evidence assessment':ti,ab,kw OR 'evidence review':ti,ab,kw OR 'exploratory review':ti,ab,kw OR 'framework synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR 'mapping review':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta-review':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta-synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR 'methodology review':ti,ab,kw OR 'mixed methods review':ti,ab,kw OR 'mixed methods synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR (overview NEAR/4 reviews) OR 'PRISMA':ab OR ('preferred':ti,ab,kw and reporting:ti,ab,kw) OR 'prognostic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'psychometric review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid evidence assessment':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid literature search':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid realist':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'realist review':ti,ab,kw OR 'review of reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping review':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping study':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic evidence map':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic evidence mapping':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic literature':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic Medline':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic PubMed':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic search':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically identified':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically reviewed':ti,ab,kw OR 'umbrella review':ti,ab,kw OR 'umbrella reviews':ti,ab,kw OR '13616137':is OR 'Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews'/jt 

Just protocols (Revised 21 September 2023)

protocol:ti AND ('systematic review'/de OR 'systematic review (topic)'/de OR (('comprehensive':ti,ab,kw OR 'mapping':ti,ab,kw OR 'methodology':ti,ab,kw OR  'scoping':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic':ti,ab,kw) AND ('search':ti,ab,kw OR 'searched':ti,ab,kw OR 'searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'studies':ti,ab,kw) AND ('cinahl':ti,ab,kw OR 'cochrane':ti,ab,kw OR 'embase':ti,ab,kw OR 'psycinfo':ti,ab,kw OR 'pubmed':ti,ab,kw OR 'medline':ti,ab,kw OR 'scopus':ti,ab,kw OR 'web of science':ti,ab,kw OR 'bibliographic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'bibliographic reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature search':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'qualitative review':ti,ab,kw OR 'qualitative reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'quantitative review':ti,ab,kw OR 'quantitative reviews':ti,ab,kw)) OR 'comprehensive review':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive search':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'critical review':ti,ab,kw OR 'critical reviews':ti,ab,kw OR (('electronic database':ti,ab,kw OR 'electronic databases':ti,ab,kw OR databases NEAR/3 searched) AND  (eligibility:ti,ab,kw OR excluded:ti,ab,kw OR exclusion:ti,ab,kw OR included:ti,ab,kw OR inclusion:ti,ab,kw)) OR 'evidence assessment':ti,ab,kw OR 'evidence review':ti,ab,kw OR 'exploratory review':ti,ab,kw OR 'framework synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR 'mapping review':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta-review':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta-synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR 'methodology review':ti,ab,kw OR 'mixed methods review':ti,ab,kw OR 'mixed methods synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR (overview NEAR/4 reviews) OR 'PRISMA':ab OR ('preferred':ti,ab,kw and reporting:ti,ab,kw) OR 'prognostic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'psychometric review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid evidence assessment':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid literature search':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid realist':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'realist review':ti,ab,kw OR 'review of reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping review':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping study':ti,ab,kw OR  'systematic evidence map':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic evidence mapping':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic literature':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic Medline':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic PubMed':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic search':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically identified':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically reviewed':ti,ab,kw OR 'umbrella review':ti,ab,kw OR 'umbrella reviews':ti,ab,kw OR '13616137':is OR 'Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews'/jt)

Just Cochrane Reviews (Cochrane protocols are not included in Embase)

Cochrane protocols are found only in the Cochrane Library. (Login required)

'Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews'/jt

SR and MA filters combined (Revised 21 September 2023)

Includes both meta-analysis as well as network meta-analysis.

'systematic review'/de OR 'systematic review (topic)'/de OR (('comprehensive':ti,ab,kw OR  'mapping':ti,ab,kw OR 'methodology':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic':ti,ab,kw) AND ('search':ti,ab,kw OR 'searched':ti,ab,kw OR 'searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'studies':ti,ab,kw) AND ('cinahl':ti,ab,kw OR 'cochrane':ti,ab,kw OR 'embase':ti,ab,kw OR 'psycinfo':ti,ab,kw OR 'pubmed':ti,ab,kw OR 'medline':ti,ab,kw OR 'scopus':ti,ab,kw OR 'web of science':ti,ab,kw OR 'bibliographic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'bibliographic reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature search':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature searches':ti,ab,kw OR  'qualitative review':ti,ab,kw OR 'qualitative reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'quantitative review':ti,ab,kw OR 'quantitative reviews':ti,ab,kw)) OR 'comprehensive review':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive search':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'critical review':ti,ab,kw OR 'critical reviews':ti,ab,kw OR (('electronic database':ti,ab,kw OR 'electronic databases':ti,ab,kw OR databases NEAR/3 searched) AND  (eligibility:ti,ab,kw OR excluded:ti,ab,kw OR exclusion:ti,ab,kw OR included:ti,ab,kw OR inclusion:ti,ab,kw)) OR 'evidence assessment':ti,ab,kw OR 'evidence review':ti,ab,kw OR 'exploratory review':ti,ab,kw OR 'framework synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR 'mapping review':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta-review':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta-synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR 'methodology review':ti,ab,kw OR 'mixed methods review':ti,ab,kw OR 'mixed methods synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR (overview NEAR/4 reviews) OR 'PRISMA':ab OR ('preferred':ti,ab,kw and reporting:ti,ab,kw) OR 'prognostic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'psychometric review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid evidence assessment':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid literature search':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid realist':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'realist review':ti,ab,kw OR 'review of reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping review':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping study':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic evidence map':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic evidence mapping':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic literature':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic Medline':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic PubMed':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic search':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically identified':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically reviewed':ti,ab,kw OR 'umbrella review':ti,ab,kw OR 'umbrella reviews':ti,ab,kw OR '13616137':is OR 'Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews'/jt  OR 'meta analysis'/de OR 'network meta-analysis'/de OR 'meta analysis (topic)'/de OR 'meta analyses':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analytic':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analytical':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analytics':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analyze':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analyzed':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta regression':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalyses':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalytic':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalyze':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalyzed':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaregression':ti,ab,kw OR 'network meta analyses':ti,ab,kw OR 'network meta analysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'indirect treatment comparison':ti,ab,kw OR (('indirect':ti,ab,kw OR 'indirectly':ti,ab,kw OR 'mixed':ti,ab,kw) AND ('treatment':ti,ab,kw OR 'treatments':ti,ab,kw OR 'intervention':ti,ab,kw OR 'interventions':ti,ab,kw OR 'therapeutic':ti,ab,kw OR 'therapeutics':ti,ab,kw) AND ('comparison':ti,ab,kw OR 'comparisons':ti,ab,kw) AND (('Bayesian':ti,ab,kw AND 'statistical':ti,ab,kw) OR 'Bayesian statistics':ti,ab,kw))

Just protocols (Added18 March 2024)

protocol:ti AND ('systematic review'/de OR 'systematic review (topic)'/de OR (('comprehensive':ti,ab,kw OR 'mapping':ti,ab,kw OR 'methodology':ti,ab,kw OR  'scoping':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic':ti,ab,kw) AND ('search':ti,ab,kw OR 'searched':ti,ab,kw OR 'searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'studies':ti,ab,kw) AND ('cinahl':ti,ab,kw OR 'cochrane':ti,ab,kw OR 'embase':ti,ab,kw OR 'psycinfo':ti,ab,kw OR 'pubmed':ti,ab,kw OR 'medline':ti,ab,kw OR 'scopus':ti,ab,kw OR 'web of science':ti,ab,kw OR 'bibliographic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'bibliographic reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature search':ti,ab,kw OR 'literature searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'qualitative review':ti,ab,kw OR 'qualitative reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'quantitative review':ti,ab,kw OR 'quantitative reviews':ti,ab,kw)) OR 'comprehensive review':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive search':ti,ab,kw OR 'comprehensive searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'critical review':ti,ab,kw OR 'critical reviews':ti,ab,kw OR (('electronic database':ti,ab,kw OR 'electronic databases':ti,ab,kw OR databases NEAR/3 searched) AND  (eligibility:ti,ab,kw OR excluded:ti,ab,kw OR exclusion:ti,ab,kw OR included:ti,ab,kw OR inclusion:ti,ab,kw)) OR 'evidence assessment':ti,ab,kw OR 'evidence review':ti,ab,kw OR 'exploratory review':ti,ab,kw OR 'framework synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR 'mapping review':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta-review':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta-synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR 'methodology review':ti,ab,kw OR 'mixed methods review':ti,ab,kw OR 'mixed methods synthesis':ti,ab,kw OR (overview NEAR/4 reviews) OR 'PRISMA':ab OR ('preferred':ti,ab,kw and reporting:ti,ab,kw) OR 'prognostic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'psychometric review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid evidence assessment':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid literature search':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid realist':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid review':ti,ab,kw OR 'rapid reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'realist review':ti,ab,kw OR 'review of reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping review':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'scoping study':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic evidence map':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic evidence mapping':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic literature':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic Medline':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic PubMed':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic search':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematic searches':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical literature review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematical reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically identified':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically review':ti,ab,kw OR 'systematically reviewed':ti,ab,kw OR 'umbrella review':ti,ab,kw OR 'umbrella reviews':ti,ab,kw OR '13616137':is OR 'Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews'/jt  OR 'meta analysis'/de OR 'network meta-analysis'/de OR 'meta analysis (topic)'/de OR 'meta analyses':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analytic':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analytical':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analytics':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analyze':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analyzed':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta regression':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalyses':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalytic':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalyze':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalyzed':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaregression':ti,ab,kw OR 'network meta analyses':ti,ab,kw OR 'network meta analysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'indirect treatment comparison':ti,ab,kw OR (('indirect':ti,ab,kw OR 'indirectly':ti,ab,kw OR 'mixed':ti,ab,kw) AND ('treatment':ti,ab,kw OR 'treatments':ti,ab,kw OR 'intervention':ti,ab,kw OR 'interventions':ti,ab,kw OR 'therapeutic':ti,ab,kw OR 'therapeutics':ti,ab,kw) AND ('comparison':ti,ab,kw OR 'comparisons':ti,ab,kw) AND (('Bayesian':ti,ab,kw AND 'statistical':ti,ab,kw) OR 'Bayesian statistics':ti,ab,kw)))

Meta-analysis (Updated 25 May 2023)

'meta analysis'/de OR 'network meta-analysis'/de OR 'meta analysis (topic)'/de OR 'meta analyses':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analytic':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analytical':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analytics':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analyze':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta analyzed':ti,ab,kw OR 'meta regression':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalyses':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalytic':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalyze':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaanalyzed':ti,ab,kw OR 'metaregression':ti,ab,kw OR 'network meta analyses':ti,ab,kw OR 'network meta analysis':ti,ab,kw OR 'indirect treatment comparison':ti,ab,kw OR (('indirect':ti,ab,kw OR 'indirectly':ti,ab,kw OR 'mixed':ti,ab,kw) AND ('treatment':ti,ab,kw OR 'treatments':ti,ab,kw OR 'intervention':ti,ab,kw OR 'interventions':ti,ab,kw OR 'therapeutic':ti,ab,kw OR 'therapeutics':ti,ab,kw) AND ('comparison':ti,ab,kw OR 'comparisons':ti,ab,kw) AND (('Bayesian':ti,ab,kw AND 'statistical':ti,ab,kw) OR 'Bayesian statistics':ti,ab,kw))

Network meta-analysis: Coming soon

The article below was used to form the basis of limiting the earliest studies to 1997. Studies found using the terms from the filter and were published prior to 2002 (when Lumley introduced the term "network meta-analysis") were examined for relevance. While Higgins and Whitehead published a paper in 1996 describing the potential for incorporating data from other related studies, published studies using a "network meta-analytic" methodology did not appear until 1997. I highly recommend reading the article if you are studying network meta-analysis; it is extremely informative.

• Ades AE, Welton NJ, Dias S, Phillippo DM, Caldwell DM. Twenty years of network meta-analysis: Continuing controversies and recent developments. Res Synth Methods. 2024 Jan 18. doi: 10.1002/jrsm.1700. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38234221.

Sometimes a traditional literature review is also good to find! (Revised 25 March 2024)

'review'/de OR [review]/lim OR 'integrated review':ti,ab,kw OR 'integrated reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'integrative review':ti,ab,kw OR 'integrative reviews':ti,ab,kw OR 'narrative review':ti,ab,kw OR 'narrative reviews':ti,ab,kw OR overview:ti,ab,kw OR 'state of the art':ti,ab,kw OR 'state of the science':ti,ab,kw

Bibliometric analysis

• Naveen D, Satish K, Debmalya M, Nitesh P, Weng M. How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines.  J of Business Research. 2021; 133:285-96. doi: j.jbusres.2021.04.070 (Pitt login required)
• Montazeri A, Mohammadi S, M Hesari P, Ghaemi M, Riazi H, Sheikhi-Mobarakeh Z. Preliminary guideline for reporting bibliometric reviews of the biomedical literature (BIBLIO): a minimum requirements. Syst Rev. 2023 Dec 15;12(1):239. doi: 10.1186/s13643-023-02410-2. PMID: 38102710; PMCID: PMC10722750.

Bibliometrics/de OR (bibliometric NEAR/2 (analyses OR analysis OR review OR reviews OR studies OR study))