The executive summary is a structured abstract that reflects and summarizes the main features of the systematic review. Maximum word length is 500 words, abbreviations and references should not be used.
The executive summary should include the following headings:
Background
This section should briefly describe and justify the choice of condition and tests under review, as well as provide sufficient detail to justify why the review was conducted.
Objectives/questions
The review objectives or questions should be stated in full, as detailed in the protocol section.
Inclusion criteria
Population: This section should provide the details of the population as described in the protocol
Index test: This section should provide the details of the index test as described in the protocol, including which iterations of the index test are included and how positive or negative outcomes are specified, i.e. the threshold values.
Reference test: This section should provide the details of the reference test as described in the protocol, including which iterations of the index test are included and how positive or negative outcomes were specified.
Diagnosis of interest: This section should state the disease/illness/injury/disability that is being investigated by the diagnostic test and the formal definition, if any, by which it is described.
Types of studies
Detail the study types which are eligible for inclusion in the systematic review as per the protocol
– not the study types which are ultimately found and included. These will be diagnostic case- control and/or diagnostic cross-sectional.
Search strategy
Write a brief description of the systematic review’s search strategy (e.g. relevant databases searched, initial search terms or keywords, and any limitations) as specified in the protocol.
Methodological quality
Describe the method or criteria that are used to appraise the included studies.
Data extraction
This section should include a brief description of the types of data extracted and the tool (as specified in the protocol) that is used.
Data synthesis
A brief description of how the data is synthesized.
Results
A brief description of the findings of the review.
Conclusions
A brief description of the conclusions of the review.
Implications for practice
A brief description of any implications that the findings may have for current practice.
Implications for research
A brief description of the implications that the review has for the direction of future research.