Interpretation of subgroup analyses in systematic reviews: A tutorial

Marty Richardson; Paul Garner; Sarah Donegan

doi:10.1016/j.cegh.2018.05.005

Interpretation of subgroup analyses in systematic reviews: A tutorial

Marty Richardson
, Paul Garner
, Sarah Donegan

Clinical Sciences

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
University of Liverpool

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

455 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Authors of systematic reviews may perform subgroup analyses to investigate how treatment effect varies across different subgroups of patients or trials. Previous research has shown that Cochrane review authors do not sufficiently report their interpretation of subgroup analyses. Consequently, we developed a tutorial with the aim of improving the interpretation of subgroup analyses in reviews. We explain the importance of interpreting subgroup analyses, and demonstrate how to interpret subgroup analyses using theoretical examples and a real-life subgroup analysis with clinical context. Finally, we provide recommendations for the interpretation of subgroup analyses in systematic reviews.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	192-198
Number of pages	7
Journal	Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume	7
Issue number	2
Early online date	24 May 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2018.05.005
Publication status	Published - 1 Jun 2019

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Meta-analysis
Subgroup analyses
Systematic reviews

Access to Document

10.1016/j.cegh.2018.05.005Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Interpretation of subgroup analyses in systematic reviews A tutorial AcceptedAccepted author manuscript, 50.3 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND
Interpretation of subgroup analyses in systematic reviews A tutorial title pageOther version, 25.3 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND
Figure 1Other version, 357 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND
Figure 2Other version, 372 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND
Figure 3Other version, 357 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND
Figure 4Other version, 358 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND
Figure 5Other version, 321 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND
Figure 6Other version, 289 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

@article{21fb9a18fd93463095c5f91f1d0ec5d1,

title = "Interpretation of subgroup analyses in systematic reviews: A tutorial",

abstract = "Authors of systematic reviews may perform subgroup analyses to investigate how treatment effect varies across different subgroups of patients or trials. Previous research has shown that Cochrane review authors do not sufficiently report their interpretation of subgroup analyses. Consequently, we developed a tutorial with the aim of improving the interpretation of subgroup analyses in reviews. We explain the importance of interpreting subgroup analyses, and demonstrate how to interpret subgroup analyses using theoretical examples and a real-life subgroup analysis with clinical context. Finally, we provide recommendations for the interpretation of subgroup analyses in systematic reviews.",

keywords = "Meta-analysis, Subgroup analyses, Systematic reviews",

author = "Marty Richardson and Paul Garner and Sarah Donegan",

year = "2019",

month = jun,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.cegh.2018.05.005",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

pages = "192--198",

journal = "Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health",

issn = "2213-3984",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Interpretation of subgroup analyses in systematic reviews: A tutorial

AU - Richardson, Marty

AU - Garner, Paul

AU - Donegan, Sarah

PY - 2019/6/1

Y1 - 2019/6/1

N2 - Authors of systematic reviews may perform subgroup analyses to investigate how treatment effect varies across different subgroups of patients or trials. Previous research has shown that Cochrane review authors do not sufficiently report their interpretation of subgroup analyses. Consequently, we developed a tutorial with the aim of improving the interpretation of subgroup analyses in reviews. We explain the importance of interpreting subgroup analyses, and demonstrate how to interpret subgroup analyses using theoretical examples and a real-life subgroup analysis with clinical context. Finally, we provide recommendations for the interpretation of subgroup analyses in systematic reviews.

AB - Authors of systematic reviews may perform subgroup analyses to investigate how treatment effect varies across different subgroups of patients or trials. Previous research has shown that Cochrane review authors do not sufficiently report their interpretation of subgroup analyses. Consequently, we developed a tutorial with the aim of improving the interpretation of subgroup analyses in reviews. We explain the importance of interpreting subgroup analyses, and demonstrate how to interpret subgroup analyses using theoretical examples and a real-life subgroup analysis with clinical context. Finally, we provide recommendations for the interpretation of subgroup analyses in systematic reviews.

KW - Meta-analysis

KW - Subgroup analyses

KW - Systematic reviews

U2 - 10.1016/j.cegh.2018.05.005

DO - 10.1016/j.cegh.2018.05.005

M3 - Article

SN - 2213-3984

VL - 7

SP - 192

EP - 198

JO - Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health

JF - Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health

IS - 2

ER -

Interpretation of subgroup analyses in systematic reviews: A tutorial

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this