RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Uses and abuses of meta-analysis
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP 478
OP 484
DO 10.7861/clinmedicine.1-6-478
VO 1
IS 6
A1 Matthias Egger
A1 George Davey Smith
A1 Jonathan A C Sterne
YR 2001
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/1/6/478.abstract
AB Meta-analysis, the statistical combination of results from several studies to produce a single estimate of the effect of a treatment, continues to attract controversy. We illustrate the potentials and pitfalls of meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Cumulative meta-analysis demonstrates that this technique could prevent delays in the introduction of effective treatments. Meta-analyses are, however, liable to numerous biases both at the level of the individual trial (‘garbage in, garbage out’) and the dissemination of trial results (publication bias). We argue that meta-analysis should be performed only within the framework of systematic reviews - that is, reviews prepared using a systematic approach to minimise bias and address the combinability of studies.