ERIC Number: EJ1109024
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Sep
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1759-2879
EISSN: N/A
A Pocock Approach to Sequential Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials
Shuster, Jonathan J.; Neu, Josef
Research Synthesis Methods, v4 n3 p269-279 Sep 2013
Three recent papers have provided sequential methods for meta-analysis of two-treatment randomized clinical trials. This paper provides an alternate approach that has three desirable features. First, when carried out prospectively (i.e., we only have the results up to the time of our current analysis), we do not require knowledge of the information fraction (the fraction of the total information that is available at each analysis). Second, the methods work even if the expected values of the effect sizes vary from study to study. Finally, our methods have easily interpretable metrics that make sense under changing effect sizes. Although the other published methods can be adapted to be "group sequential" (recommended), meaning that a set number and timing of looks are specified, rather than looking after every trial, ours can be used in both a continuous or group sequential manner. We provide an example on the role of probiotics in preventing necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants.
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2429/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (NIH); National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) (DHHS/NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: R01HD059143; 1UL1TR000064