Meta‐analysis of randomized trials for health care interventions: one for all? Journal Articles

abstract

• AbstractMeta‐analysis of randomized trials stands at the top of the epidemiological designs to test the effect of health care interventions. Ideally, it systematically and comprehensively collects the relevant randomized trials, and pools the trials to generate a single estimate of effects. However, the rationale for meta‐analysis may not always be thoughtfully considered, and overlooking underlying principles may cause illusions. This article revisits the rationale for meta‐analysis, discusses how meta‐analysis can be misleading, and summarizes approaches to critically and judiciously interpret and use the results of meta‐analysis.

authors

• Sun, Xin
• Guyatt, Gordon

status

• published 

publication date

• February 2009

has subject area

• 11 Medical and Health Sciences (FoR)
• Health Policy (MeSH)
• Humans (MeSH)
• Policy Making (MeSH)
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic (MeSH)

published in

• Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine  Journal

keywords

• Health Policy
• Humans
• Policy Making
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1111/j.1756-5391.2009.01006.x

PubMed ID

• 21348985

start page

• 53

end page

• 56

volume

• 2

issue

• 1