The valid results of Meta-analysis on biomedical data, will have an important value to clinical practice and health policy making. To review the validity of meta-analysis results, one should consider the following issues: The coverage ratio of included studies, quality of data, publication bias and its effect, heterogeneity, the correct selection of statistical methods as well as clinical significance and external validity of overall effect size. The results of Meta-analysis will keep on updating as new related studies are located and included.
In this paper, we introduce meaning and purpose of confidence interval (CI) in evidence-based medicine, For example, RRR ,ARR ,NNT. It s referance for user and doer of EBM in China.
Types of publication bias and its background are introduced in this paper, and publication bias can be investigated and deal with three methods: funnel plot, trim and filling method, and formula method. Those methods can be used to detect publication bias in conducting systematic reviews.
Objective To analyze the heterogeneity of systematic reviews (SRs)/Meta-analysis on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and explore strategies for addressing heterogeneity correctly during the process of conducting TCM related to systematic reviews (SRs). Methods Both electronic and hand searches were used to identify TCM SRs in CBM, CNKI, VIP database, and Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine. Two researchers performed data extracting and heterogeneity evaluation independently. Results A total of 115 TCM SRs were included, involving 17 types of diseases, among which the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases were the most addressed (n=36, 31.30%). There were 35.65% (n=41) of SRs which integrated two or more types of studies; interventions of the included studies were inconsistent in 53.91% (n=62) of TCM SRs; control groups of the included studies were completely different in 60 (52.17%) SRs; and 8.7% (n=10) of SRs failed to investigate heterogeneity in the process of synthesis analysis. Conclusion The heterogeneity is common in TCM related to SRs, and the most addressed is clinical heterogeneity. Addressing heterogeneity incorrectly would downgrade the quality of TCM related to SRs.
Background and Objective Nearly half of million have been reported dead after earthquakes in recent 20 years, and many people always concern seriously about whether those corpses pose a risk to epidemics after earthquakes. An evidence-based approach was conducted to assess the relationship between dead bodies and epidemic disease outbreak systematically. Methods We searched PubMed, The Cochrane Library (Issue 1, 2008), CNKI and WHO website and screened the references of eligible studies. Results A total of 10 papers published beween 1988 to 2007 were included for final analysis, including 2 editorials, 4 reviews and 4 technical reports (technical note or manual). The risk factors for epidemic outbreak after earthquakes were associated primarily with safe water, food and sanitation facilities, as well as the density of population, and no evidence was found that those corpses would pose a risk to the outbreak. But standard infection control precautions should be observed when human corpses were handled. Conclusion Management of dead bodies should be brought into the emergency preparedness system, disaster manuals and guidelines. A community-centered approach to informing communities about the management of the dead following earthquake is also needed. Meanwhile, the myth of about dead bodies and disease outbreak should be dispelled.
CONSORT Group members update the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement by collecting relevant literatures to improve the reporting quality of randomised controlled trials. Recently, they have outlined CONSORT-Equity reporting standards, an extension to the CONSORT statement, which had been developed to improve the reporting of intervention effects in randomised trials where health equity is relevant. It will be helpful to improve social health equity or reduce social health inequities. This paper aims to introduce CONSORT-Equity and interprets its usage by a series of randomised trials where health equity is relevant.