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Escola Superior de Saúde (ESS) >
Artigos em Revista Internacional (ESS) >
Utilize este identificador para referenciar este registo:
http://hdl.handle.net/10314/7539
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| Título: | Primary versus secondary source of data in observational studies and heterogeneity in meta-analyses of drug effects: a survey of major medical journals |
| Autores: | Prada-Ramallal, Guillermo
Roque, Fátima
Herdeiro, Maria
Takkouche, Bahi
Figueiras, Adolfo |
| Palavras Chave: | Drug
Heterogeneity
Meta-analysis
Observational studies
Out-of-pocket
Over-the-counter
Source of data |
| Data: | 27-Sep-2018 |
| Resumo: | Background: The data from individual observational studies included in meta-analyses of drug effects are collected either from ad hoc methods (i.e. "primary data") or databases that were established for non-research purposes (i.e. "secondary data"). The use of secondary sources may be prone to measurement bias and confounding due to over-the-counter and out-of-pocket drug consumption, or non-adherence to treatment. In fact, it has been noted that failing to consider the origin of the data as a potential cause of heterogeneity may change the conclusions of a meta-analysis. We aimed to assess to what extent the origin of data is explored as a source of heterogeneity in meta-analyses of observational studies.
Methods: We searched for meta-analyses of drugs effects published between 2012 and 2018 in general and internal medicine journals with an impact factor > 15. We evaluated, when reported, the type of data source (primary vs secondary) used in the individual observational studies included in each meta-analysis, and the exposure- and outcome-related variables included in sensitivity, subgroup or meta-regression analyses.
Results: We found 217 articles, 23 of which fulfilled our eligibility criteria. Eight meta-analyses (8/23, 34.8%) reported the source of data. Three meta-analyses (3/23, 13.0%) included the method of outcome assessment as a variable in the analysis of heterogeneity, and only one compared and discussed the results considering the different sources of data (primary vs secondary).
Conclusions: In meta-analyses of drug effects published in seven high impact general medicine journals, the origin of the data, either primary or secondary, is underexplored as a source of heterogeneity. |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/10314/7539 |
| ISSN: | 30261846 |
| Aparece nas Colecções: | Artigos em Revista Internacional (ESS)
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Ficheiros deste Registo:
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Descrição |
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| Primary-fr.pdf | | 717Kb | Adobe PDF | Ver/Abrir | |
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