A practical guide to meta-analysis.
The wealth of medical research published on a yearly basis demands methods to summarize the literature. Narrative or expert reviews were the traditional method to provide this summary; however, biases associated with narrative reviews raise questions regarding whether this process provides sufficient evidence to guide practice. Meta-analysis is becoming increasingly popular because it can combine results from similar studies to calculate an overall estimate of a treatment effect. Although meta-analysis has its limitations, a thoughtful and well-planned analysis is a valuable tool in providing a high level of evidence. We discuss the steps needed to perform a meta-analysis as a guideline for those interested in pursuing this type of research.
Chung
Kevin C
KC
Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0340, USA. kecchung@umich.edu
Burns
Patricia B
PB
Kim
H Myra
HM
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D012196:Review Literature as Topic