Using the contribution matrix to evaluate complex study limitations in a network meta-analysis: A case study of bipolar maintenance pharmacotherapy review

HANDLE オープンアクセス

抄録

Background: Limitations in the primary studies constitute one important factor to be considered in the grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) system of rating quality of evidence. However, in the network meta-analysis (NMA), such evaluation poses a special challenge because each network estimate receives different amounts of contributions from various studies via direct as well as indirect routes and because some biases have directions whose repercussion in the network can be complicated. Findings: In this report we use the NMA of maintenance pharmacotherapy of bipolar disorder (17 interventions, 33 studies) and demonstrate how to quantitatively evaluate the impact of study limitations using netweight, a STATA command for NMA. For each network estimate, the percentage of contributions from direct comparisons at high, moderate or low risk of bias were quantified, respectively. This method has proven flexible enough to accommodate complex biases with direction, such as the one due to the enrichment design seen in some trials of bipolar maintenance pharmacotherapy. Conclusions: Using netweight, therefore, we can evaluate in a transparent and quantitative manner how study limitations of individual studies in the NMA impact on the quality of evidence of each network estimate, even when such limitations have clear directions.

収録刊行物

キーワード

詳細情報 詳細情報について

  • CRID
    1050845760765773568
  • NII論文ID
    120005774668
  • ISSN
    17560500
  • HANDLE
    2433/215848
  • 本文言語コード
    en
  • 資料種別
    journal article
  • データソース種別
    • IRDB
    • CiNii Articles

問題の指摘

ページトップへ