✦ LIBER ✦

Meta-analyses and overviews of randomised trials

✍ Scribed by S.M. Richards

Book ID: 104323273
Publisher: Elsevier Science
Year: 1995
Tongue: English
Weight: 740 KB
Volume: 9
Category: Article
ISSN: 0268-960X
DOI: 10.1016/s0268-960x(95)90029-2

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✦ Synopsis

S UMMA R Y. The number of meta-analyses or overviews appearing in the literature is rapidly increasing. Because of the problems inherent in non-randomised studies, which are not diminished by using meta-analysis techniques, this paper only refers to meta-analyses of randomised trials. Examples are given of the value of meta-analyses of randomised trials in many different circumstances and the different methods that have been used are discussed. The most reliable type of meta-analysis uses individual patient data and includes all trials fitting the pre-defined criteria, published and unpublished. As with a single randomised trial, large numbers of randomised patients are needed to give reliable results. Well-conducted meta-analyses or overviews are the best method of smnmarising all available unbiased evidence on the relative effects of treatments.