title: Critical evaluation of mixed treatment comparison meta-analyses using examples assessing antidepressants and opioid detoxification treatments.
abstract: Comparing multiple treatment options using meta-analytical methods requires complex statistical methods called mixed treatment comparisons (MTCs). Such methods offer the possibility to summarize data from many clinical trials comparing the different available options. However, those methods are based on a number of assumptions and inherent difficulties that are discussed and illustrated with examples from the psychiatric literature to help readers to understand the strengths and weaknesses of these methods. This review will help enable readers to critically appraise the methodology and results of publications that use MTCs.
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly, Global Statistical Sciences, Bad Homburg, Germany. schacht_alexander@lilly.com
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schacht
authors.forename: Yulia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dyachkova
authors.forename: Richard James
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Walton
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic / Q000502:physiology*; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000928:Antidepressive Agents