Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials.

H S Sacks, J Berrier, D Reitman

    The New England Journal of Medicine
    |February 19, 1987
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Decisions on Innovation or Research for Devastating Disease.

    The American journal of bioethics : AJOB·2021
    Same author

    Higher incidence of HCV in females compared to males who inject drugs: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Journal of viral hepatitis·2016
    Same author

    COMMUNITY HOSPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN RESEARCH TRAINING.

    A listing of research in the cardiovascular field·2014
    Same author

    Delayed outcomes and rule-governed behavior among "noncompliant" and "compliant" boys: a replication and extension.

    The Analysis of verbal behavior·2012
    Same author

    The effects of stating contingency-specifying stimuli on compliance in children.

    The Analysis of verbal behavior·2012
    Same author

    The hemoglobin pipet as a source of error in photoelectric hemoglobinometry.

    American journal of clinical pathology·2010
    Same journal

    Sparganosis.

    The New England journal of medicine·2026
    Same journal

    Caring for an Aging America - The Looming Crisis of the Long-Term-Care Workforce.

    The New England journal of medicine·2026
    Same journal

    For Those Left Behind.

    The New England journal of medicine·2026
    Same journal

    Colliding Forces - The Aging of the Baby Boom Generation and Contracting Nursing-Home Supply.

    The New England journal of medicine·2026
    Same journal

    Mandated State-Level Surveillance of Assisted Reproductive Technology - An Emerging Threat in the United States.

    The New England journal of medicine·2026
    Same journal

    Ebola at 50 - Lessons for Outbreak Response and Preparedness.

    The New England journal of medicine·2026
    See all related articles

    This study assessed 86 meta-analyses, finding most lacked comprehensive quality evaluation. Improved methods are needed for literature searching, trial quality assessment, and synthesizing results.

    Area of Science:

    • Medical research methodology
    • Evidence synthesis

    Background:

    • Meta-analysis is a research method combining results from multiple studies.
    • Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are a key source for meta-analyses.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the quality of published meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials.
    • To identify areas for methodological improvement in meta-analysis.

    Main Methods:

    • Systematic literature search for English-language meta-analyses of RCTs.
    • Quality assessment using a 23-item scoring system across six domains.
    • Analysis of the number of quality items addressed by each meta-analysis.

    Main Results:

    • Eighty-six meta-analyses were identified and evaluated.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Only 28% of meta-analyses addressed all six quality assessment areas.
  • The average number of satisfactorily addressed quality items was 7.7 out of 23.

    • Conclusions:

    • A significant need exists for enhancing meta-analysis methodology.
    • Improvements are required in literature searching, trial quality appraisal, and result synthesis.
    • Current meta-analyses often exhibit suboptimal methodological rigor.