A methodological review with meta-epidemiological analysis of preclinical systematic reviews with meta-analyses.

ABSTRACT: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been proposed as an approach to synthesize the literature and counteract the lack of power of small preclinical studies. We aimed to evaluate (1) the methodology of these reviews, (2) the methodological quality of the studies they included and (3) whether study methodological characteristics affect effect size. We searched MEDLINE to retrieve 212 systematic reviews with meta-analyses of preclinical studies published from January, 2018 to March, 2020. Less than 15% explored the grey literature. Selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed in duplicate in less than two thirds of reviews. Most of them assessed the methodological quality of included studies and reported the meta-analysis model. The risk of bias of included stud

SUBMITTER: Simon-Tillaux N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9681751 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature