Checklist para autores y checklist para lectores: diferentes herramientas con diferentes objetivos

Abstract

Frequently, checklist as PRISMA or CONSORT are used as critical appraisal tools in order to decide whether a study has quality enough to be included in a systematic review or meta-analysis. Nevertheless, this is not correct and, therefore, the effort of whom have developed the critical appraisal with these tools is not rewarded, but it would have been in vain. That is due to the fact that tools as CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE or AGREE are useful to guide authors when writing the articles and/or documents that fit to each of them (thus, I call them checklist for authors or confirm checklist), but they cannot be used as a help tool for making a critical appraisal of scientific literature. For that aim, we have other tools (that I call readers checklist or valuation checklist). Why it is not possible to use interchangeably ones or the others for critical appraisal is explained in this editorial.