Dealing with missing standard deviation and mean values in meta-analysis of continuous outcomes: a systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rigorous, informative meta-analyses rely on availability of appropriate summary statistics or individual participant data. For continuous outcomes, especially those with naturally skewed distributions, summary information on the mean or variability often goes unreported. While full reporting of original trial data is the ideal, we sought to identify methods for handling unreported mean or variability summary statistics in meta-analysis.

Methods

We undertook two systematic literature reviews to identify methodological approaches used to deal with missing mean or variability summary statistics. Five electronic databases were searched, in addition to the Cochrane Colloquium abstract books and the Cochrane Statistics Methods Group mailing list archive. We also conduct

SUBMITTER: Weir CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5842611 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature