title: Dietary salt and blood pressure: the role of meta-analyses.
abstract: The role of meta-analysis of published reports in elucidating the link between sodium and blood pressure was examined. The risk of systematic bias produced by selective publication and inclusion of inadequately controlled trials may lead to spurious conclusions. In addition, the assumption of linearity in order to produce quantitative predictions is not currently supported by either physiological or trial data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Swales
mesh_terms: D015982:Bias; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D012107:Research Design; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012982:Sodium, Dietary