RevMan

RevMan, short for Review Manager, is a software package developed by the Cochrane Collaboration to assist in the preparation, maintenance, and updating of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. It provides a structured workspace for organizing study characteristics, interventions, outcomes, and methodological details, and it supports the full workflow from study selection and data extraction to statistical synthesis and reporting.

Key features include predefined templates for study data and risk-of-bias assessments, data-entry forms for study and outcome data, and integrated meta-analysis tools. RevMan implements both fixed-effect and random-effects models, generates forest plots and summary statistics, and supports subgroup and sensitivity analyses. It also offers templates for "Summary of Findings" tables and designed outputs suitable for publication and presentation. The software stores review data in project files and is designed to be compatible with Cochrane methods and reporting guidelines.

RevMan is developed by the Cochrane Collaboration and is primarily used by Cochrane Review authors to produce standardized reviews, although it is also used by researchers conducting evidence syntheses more broadly. It is available as a desktop application for Windows and macOS, and a web-based version, RevMan Web, provides browser-based access for collaboration.

History and impact: RevMan has been a central tool in Cochrane reviews since the mid- to late-2000s and continues to evolve with updates to statistical methods and reporting formats. Its structured approach helps ensure consistency across reviews and supports transparent updating of evidence.