Contour-Enhanced Funnel Plots for Meta-Analysis

Stata Journal - Tập 8 Số 2 - Trang 242-254 - 2008
Tom Palmer1, Alex J. Sutton1, Jaime Peters2, Santiago G. Moreno1
1Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, UK
2School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

Tóm tắt

Funnel plots are commonly used to investigate publication and related biases in meta-analysis. Although asymmetry in the appearance of a funnel plot is often interpreted as being caused by publication bias, in reality the asymmetry could be due to other factors that cause systematic differences in the results of large and small studies, for example, confounding factors such as differential study quality. Funnel plots can be enhanced by adding contours of statistical significance to aid in interpreting the funnel plot. If studies appear to be missing in areas of low statistical significance, then it is possible that the asymmetry is due to publication bias. If studies appear to be missing in areas of high statistical significance, then publication bias is a less likely cause of the funnel asymmetry. It is proposed that this enhancement to funnel plots should be used routinely for meta-analyses where it is possible that results could be suppressed on the basis of their statistical significance.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Bradburn M. J., 1998, Stata Technical Bulletin, 44, 4

Dickersin K., 1997, AIDS Education and Prevention, 9, S15

10.1111/j.0006-341X.2000.00455.x

10.1016/0140-6736(91)90201-Y

10.1136/bmj.315.7109.629

10.1136/bmj.315.7114.980

HarbordR. M. 2003. A modified test for bias in meta-analysis. Working paper, Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, UK. http://www.epi.bris.ac.uk/user/rogerh/.

10.1002/sim.2380

10.1177/1536867X0800800102

10.1001/jama.279.4.281

10.1016/S0140-6736(95)90865-X

10.1016/j.jclinepi.2007.11.010

10.1002/0470870168

Steichen T. J., 1998, Stata Technical Bulletin, 41, 9

Steichen T. J., 2000, Stata Technical Bulletin, 57, 8

10.1002/0470870168.ch5

10.1002/9780470693926.ch18

10.1016/S0895-4356(01)00377-8

10.1177/1536867X0400400204

10.1136/bmj.303.6816.1499

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

Stata Journal

Tập 8 Số 2

242-254

Thông tin tác giả