Meta-analysis of non-linear exposure-outcome relationships using individual participant data: A comparison of two methods.

ABSTRACT: Non-linear exposure-outcome relationships such as between body mass index (BMI) and mortality are common. They are best explored as continuous functions using individual participant data from multiple studies. We explore two two-stage methods for meta-analysis of such relationships, where the confounder-adjusted relationship is first estimated in a non-linear regression model in each study, then combined across studies. The "metacurve" approach combines the estimated curves using multiple meta-analyses of the relative effect between a given exposure level and a reference level. The "mvmeta" approach combines the estimated model parameters in a single multivariate meta-analysis. Both methods allow the exposure-outcome relationship to differ across studies. Using theoretical arguments, we sh

SUBMITTER: White IR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6492097 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature