title: Reporting of core items in hierarchical Bayesian analysis for aggregating N-of-1 trials to estimate population treatment effects is suboptimal.
abstract: N-of-1 trials can be aggregated to estimate population treatment effects using hierarchical Bayesian models. It is very important to report core items in hierarchical Bayesian analysis. In this study, we assessed reporting of items in hierarchical Bayesian analysis for aggregating N-of-1 trials to estimate population treatment effects.
  
  
  
  This was a systematic literature review of aggregating N-of-1 trials by hierarchical Bayesian models to estimate population treatment effects. A comprehensive search was performed to collect eligible articles. Pilot studies, formal N-of-1 trials and reports in which the data were reanalyzed using hierarchical Bayesian methods, were included. The information of reported items related with hierarchical Bayesian analysis was extracted by two independent reviewers. The guideline "ROBUST," developed for reporting Bayesian analysis of clinical studies, was published in Journal of Clinical Epidemiology in 2005. We assessed the included reports using ROBUST criteria and 18 other important items.
  
  
  
  After careful screening, 11 studies were identified to be eligible for inclusion. There were three pilot studies, four formal trials, and four reports in which the data were reanalyzed using hierarchical Bayesian methods. The number of reported items in ROBUST criteria ranged from six to seven, with a median number of six. Five of eleven included articles reported all items of the ROBUST criteria. But for justification and sensitivity analysis in prior distribution items, other items were reported in all of the included articles. Software and analysis data set items were reported the most frequently in additional items excluded from the ROBUST criteria. Less than half of the studies reported the other additional items.
  
  
  
  Reporting of core items in hierarchical Bayesian analysis for aggregating N-of-1 trials to estimate population treatment effects is suboptimal. A PRISMA-like guidance on reviews of Bayesian N-of-1 trials may be required in the future.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 88 Yuquan Street, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China.
authors.forename: Jingbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 88 Yuquan Street, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China.
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Baokang Hospital, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 88 Yuquan Street, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Second Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 816 Zhenli Street, Hebei District, Tianjin 300150, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Modern Educational Technology and Information Center, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Sisi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Library of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 88 Yuquan Street, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China.
authors.forename: Jinhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Si
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 88 Yuquan Street, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Baokang Hospital, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 88 Yuquan Street, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China. Electronic address: cjshcsyc@126.com.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100700, China. Electronic address: shanghongcai@foxmail.com.
authors.forename: Hongcai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Core item; Hierarchical Bayesian model; Methodology; N-of-1 trial; Population estimate; Systematic review