Correcting for publication bias in the presence of covariates

CONCLUSIONS: This new method provides a generalized trim and fill algorithm that is applicable to metaregression, that is, where covariates are available. The new algorithm should be seen as a sensitivity analysis to the influence of covariates on funnel plot asymmetry

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Duval, Sue
Corporate Authors: United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center
Other Authors: Weinhandl, Eric
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Rockville, MD Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [2011], 2011
Series:Methods research report
Subjects:
Online Access:
Collection: National Center for Biotechnology Information - Collection details see MPG.ReNa
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100 1 |a Duval, Sue 
245 0 0 |a Correcting for publication bias in the presence of covariates  |h Elektronische Ressource  |c prepared for, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ; prepared by, Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center ; investigators, Sue Duval, Eric Weinhandl 
260 |a Rockville, MD  |b Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality  |c [2011], 2011 
300 |a PDF file  |b ill 
505 0 |a Includes bibliographical references 
653 |a Publication Bias 
653 |a Algorithms 
653 |a Meta-Analysis as Topic 
653 |a Data Interpretation, Statistical 
700 1 |a Weinhandl, Eric 
710 2 |a United States  |b Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 
710 2 |a Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center 
041 0 7 |a eng  |2 ISO 639-2 
989 |b NCBI  |a National Center for Biotechnology Information 
490 0 |a Methods research report 
500 |a "September 2011." 
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520 |a CONCLUSIONS: This new method provides a generalized trim and fill algorithm that is applicable to metaregression, that is, where covariates are available. The new algorithm should be seen as a sensitivity analysis to the influence of covariates on funnel plot asymmetry 
520 |a We also applied the method to data from 19 randomized studies examining the hypothesis that teachers' expectations influence students' IQ intelligence test scores, the covariate of interest being the dichotomized length of teacher-student contact prior to the study. We developed user-friendly software in R, for one covariate at this stage, with future versions to incorporate several covariates. RESULTS: Meaningful, albeit incomplete, reduction in the bias of estimated metaregression model parameters was achieved. Bias and coverage probability improved as the number of studies increased. The R estimator outperformed both L and Q from the original trim and fill method. Performance declined in the presence of large heterogeneity, but substantial bias reduction was still obtained. Two algorithm variants were developed, with the simpler one-dimensional version performing slightly better than the two-dimensional.  
520 |a OBJECTIVES: To date, there are no established methods for assessing publication bias when study characteristics induce heterogeneity in the effects. The "trim and fill" method was developed to adjust for censored (i.e., missing) studies in a meta-analysis, assumed due to publication bias. We sought to modify this algorithm for use in the context where study characteristics induce heterogeneity in the effects. METHODS: An iterative algorithm based on the original trim and fill algorithm was developed. We performed Monte Carlo simulations with 5,000 iterations per instance of the adapted trim and fill algorithm. In each instance we set six parameters, both to alter the structure of the randomly generated data, and to manipulate the algorithm itself. We assessed the average performance (type 1 error, power, bias) of the algorithm, in the context of inference regarding the metaregression parameters.