Methods for including information from multi‐arm trials in pairwise meta‐analysis. (25th August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rücker, Gerta; Cates, Christopher J.; Schwarzer, Guido
• Is Part Of: Research synthesis methods. Volume 8:Number 4(2017)
• Page Start: 392
• Page End: 403
• Publication Date: 2017-08-25
• Subjects: network meta‐analysis -- multi‐arm trials -- multiplicity -- pairwise meta‐analysis; Research -- Methodology -- Periodicals; Research -- Statistical methods -- Periodicals; 507.2
• DOI: 10.1002/jrsm.1259
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1759-2879

Abstract

Abstract : Systematic reviewers conducting pairwise meta‐analyses sometimes encounter multi‐arm studies. To include these studies, and to avoid a unit‐of‐analysis error, often two or more arms are combined or the control arm is split. In this tutorial, we present 5 different approaches that can be used. Particularly, we present a novel approach (method 4) that to the best of our knowledge has not been presented before. We demonstrate their application on 3 selected data sets, discuss their scope of application and their advantages and limitations, and give recommendations.