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Concerns About Heterogeneity Assessment in Statistics of Meta-analyses; a Letter to the Editor
Manoochehr Karami1,2, Mehrdad Farrokhi2
1Pandemic and Epidemic preparedness and Response Research Network, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
The rapid growth of diagnostic meta-analyses has highlighted concerns regarding heterogeneity assessment and statistical model selection. Although heterogeneity is commonly evaluated using the Cochrane Q test and I² statistic, conceptual and methodological judgment should guide model choice. Inadequate reporting of statistical models and reliance on software default settings can lead to discrepancies in pooled diagnostic estimates. Differences between Meta-DiSc and MIDAS are minimal under low heterogeneity but become pronounced with high heterogeneity, underscoring the need for transparent reporting and informed methodological decisions.
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