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A methodological review with meta-epidemiological analysis of preclinical systematic reviews with meta-analyses

Noémie Simon-Tillaux1, Anne-Laure Gerard1, Deivanes Rajendrabose1

  • 1Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Département de Santé Publique, Centre de Pharmacoépidémiologie (Cephepi), Unité de Recherche Clinique PSL-CFX, CIC-1901, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, 75013, Paris, France.

Scientific Reports
|November 22, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Systematic reviews of preclinical studies show improved methods but poor study quality, limiting results. Meta-analysis found no link between study characteristics and effect size, highlighting a need for better preclinical research quality.

Area of Science:

  • Preclinical research methodology
  • Systematic review and meta-analysis evaluation
  • Scientific literature synthesis

Background:

  • Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are crucial for synthesizing preclinical study findings.
  • Concerns exist regarding the methodological quality of both the reviews and the included studies.
  • Evaluating these aspects is vital for reliable scientific evidence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the methodology of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of preclinical studies.
  • To evaluate the methodological quality of studies included in these reviews.
  • To determine if study characteristics influence the observed effect sizes.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted a literature search on MEDLINE for systematic reviews with meta-analyses of preclinical studies (Jan 2018 - Mar 2020).
  • Analyzed review methodologies, including grey literature exploration, duplicate processes, and risk of bias assessment.
  • Performed meta-epidemiological analysis to investigate the association between study characteristics and effect size.

Main Results:

  • Less than 15% of reviews explored grey literature; duplicate processes were used in less than two-thirds.
  • Most reviews assessed included study quality and reported meta-analysis models, but risk of bias was often unclear.
  • Meta-epidemiological analysis revealed no association between study methodological characteristics and effect size.

Conclusions:

  • Methodological characteristics of systematic reviews for preclinical studies have improved.
  • However, the poor methodological quality of included preclinical studies continues to limit the validity of synthesized results.
  • No evidence was found linking study characteristics to effect size in this meta-epidemiological analysis.

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