Here are the steps to follow:
- Open Rev(iew) Man(ager) 5.
- New
- Press Finish
- Save As…
- Change “[Intervention] for [health problem]”
- (left column / Studies and references) References to studies
- Included studies
- (
right click ) Add Study - (Study ID) Author Year > > > Finish (you can Copy / Paste studies from other .rm5 file)
- (left column / Studies and references) Data and analyses
- (
right click ) Add Comparison - (New Comparison Wizard) Name > Add an outcome under the new comparison > Data type (eg Dichotomous) > Name / Group Label 1 / Group Label 2 > Statistical Method (eg Mantel-Haenszel) / Effect Measure (eg Odds Ratio) / Analysis Model (eg Random Effects) > > Left Graph Label / Right Graph Label / Sort By (eg Year of study) > Finish
- (left column / Studies and references / Data and analyses / left arrow on “name of analysis” / right click) Add Study Data
- (choose studies) > Finish
- Insert data (Events and Total in both groups)
Data interpretation
Be careful with the labels under the forest plot. If the outcome is negative (i.e. occlusion, re-intervention, mortality, morbidity, etc) then leave as it is. On the other hand, if the outcome is positive (i.e. perioperative survival, success etc) you need to reverse.

This was found by my colleague KA,, whom I very much appreciate.