Multivariate meta-analysis of multiple outcomes: characteristics and predictors of borrowing of strength from Cochrane reviews.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Multivariate meta-analysis allows the joint synthesis of multiple outcomes accounting for their correlation. This enables borrowing of strength (BoS) across outcomes, which may lead to greater efficiency and even different conclusions compared to separate univariate meta-analyses. However, multivariate meta-analysis is complex to apply, so guidance is needed to flag (in advance of analysis) when the approach is most useful.

Study design and setting

We use 43 Cochrane intervention reviews to empirically investigate the characteristics of meta-analysis datasets that are associated with a larger BoS statistic (from 0 to 100%) when applying a bivariate meta-analysis of binary outcomes.

Results

Four characteristics were identified as strongly associated with BoS

SUBMITTER: Hattle M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9316363 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature