Do meta-analyses in nephrology change the way we treat patients?
There has been an exponential increase in the number of nephrological meta-analyses published, but their relative contribution to the nephrology literature is unclear and their influence on physician behavior and evidence-based patient care is poorly understood. We studied the nephrology literature, point-of-care resources, guidelines, and a questionnaire survey of the New York Society of Nephrology membership to understand the role and perception of meta-analyses in nephrology. We discuss our results in the context of the strengths and limitations of meta-analyses and their relatively limited, albeit increasing influence on published guidelines and on point-of-care references. The results of our practitioner survey and our review of the nephrology literature suggest an increasing influence at the level of the individual practitioner of meta-analyses. This underlines the need to develop a better understanding of the contributions and role of meta-analyses in the literature.
Mohan
Sumit
S
Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032, USA. sm2206@columbia.edu
Radhakrishnan
Jai
J
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D009398:Nephrology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012955:Societies, Medical; D016896:Treatment Outcome