Measuring inconsistency in meta-analyses

Higgins, Julian P. T.; Thompson, Simon G.; Deeks, Jonathan J.; Altman, Douglas G.

Affiliations

¹MRC Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Public Health, Cambridge CB2 2SR

²Cancer Research UK/NHS Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Oxford OX3 7LF

Abstract

Cochrane Reviews have recently started including the quantity I² to help readers assess the consistency of the results of studies in meta-analyses. What does this new quantity mean, and why is assessment of heterogeneity so important to clinical practice?

Links

DOI: 10.1136/bmj.327.7414.557

PubMed: 12958120

PubMedCentral: PMC192859

WoS: 000185283700028

History

Accepted: 2003-06-16

Cited By (26)

Year	Entry
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2018	Harvey NC, Odén A, Orwoll E, Lapidus J, Kwok T, Karlsson MK, Rosengren BE, Ribom E, Cooper C, Cawthon PM, Kanis JA, Ohlsson C, Mellström D, Johansson H, McCloskey E. Measures of physical performance and muscle strength as predictors of fracture risk independent of FRAX, falls, and aBMD: a meta-analysis of the osteoporotic fractures in men (MrOS) study. J Bone Miner Res. December 2018;33(12):2150-2157.
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2020	Wongtrakul W, Charoenngam N, Ungprasert P. The association between irritable bowel syndrome and osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Osteoporos Int. June 2020;31(6):1049-1057.
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