Intervention effect estimates in cluster randomized versus individually randomized trials: a meta-epidemiological study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cluster randomized trials (CRTs) and individually randomized trials (IRTs) are often pooled together in meta-analyses (MAs) of randomized trials. However, the potential systematic differences in intervention effect estimates between these two trial types has never been investigated. Therefore, we conducted a meta-epidemiological study comparing intervention effect estimates between CRTs and IRTs.

Methods

All Cochrane MAs including at least one CRT and one IRT, published between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014, were included. For each MA, we estimated a ratio of odds ratios (ROR) for binary outcomes or a difference of standardized differences (DSMD) for continuous outcomes, where less than 1 (or 0, respectively) indicated a greater intervention effect estimate

SUBMITTER: Leyrat C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6469309 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature