J Clin Epidemiol. 1992 Aug;45(8):885-92.

Bias in meta-analytic research.

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Department of Medicine, Boston City Hospital, MA 02118.

Abstract

With the proliferation of meta-analyses in the medical literature have come conflicting studies. In addition, observance of guidelines for the performance of meta-analyses has been spotty. Bias may explain conflicting studies and differentiate carefully performed meta-analyses from others. Meta-analysts may fail to anticipate biases which threaten their study's validity. The three stages at which bias can be injected into a meta-analysis are finding studies, selection of the identified studies for the meta-analysis and extraction of data from the selected studies. This manuscript reviews specific types of bias which are common at each of these stages.

PMID:: 1624971; [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

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Grant Support

AR 20613/AR/NIAMS NIH HHS/United States

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