title: Cumulating evidence from randomized trials: utilizing sequential monitoring boundaries for cumulative meta-analysis.
abstract: We propose the adaptation of classical monitoring boundaries for use in cumulative meta-analysis as guidelines for deciding when accumulating evidence is statistically significant and medically convincing. The interpretation of information from a randomized controlled trial is compared with that from a meta-analysis. The concept of optimal information size for a meta-analysis is developed and used to adapt monitoring boundaries to cumulative meta-analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pogue
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yusuf
mesh_terms: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008722:Methods; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013300:Streptokinase / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D013300:Streptokinase; D008274:Magnesium