Title
Early studies reported extreme findings with large variability: A meta-epidemiologic study in the field of endocrinology
Date Issued
01 April 2016
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Wang Z.
Alahdab F.
Almasri J.
Haydour Q.
Mohammed K.
Abu Dabrh A.
Prokop L.
Alfarkh W.
Lakis S.
Murad M.
Abstract
Objectives To evaluate the presence of extreme findings and fluctuation in effect size in endocrinology. Study Design and Settings We systematically identified all meta-analyses published in 2014 in the field of endocrinology. Within each meta-analysis, the effect size of the primary binary outcome was compared across studies according to their order of publication. We pooled studies using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects method. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the I2 and tau2. Results Twelve percent of the included 100 meta-analyses reported the largest effect size in the very first published study. The largest effect size occurred in the first 2 earliest studies in 31% of meta-analyses. When the effect size was the largest in the first published study, it was three times larger than the final pooled effect (ratio of rates, 3.26; 95% confidence interval: 1.80, 5.90). The largest heterogeneity measured by I2 was observed in 18% of the included meta-analyses when combining the first 2 studies or 17% when combing the first 3 studies. Conclusions In endocrinology, early studies reported extreme findings with large variability. This behavior of the evidence needs to be taken into account when used to formulate clinical policies.
Start page
27
End page
32
Volume
72
OCDE Knowledge area
Endocrinología, Metabolismo (incluyendo diabetes, hormonas)
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-84961052037
PubMed ID
Source
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
ISSN of the container
08954356
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus