Open AccessNetwork meta-analyses: Methodological prerequisites and clinical usefulness
Author(s) -
Savvas Ilias Christofilos,
Konstantinos Tsikopoulos,
Alexios Tsikopoulos,
Dimitrios Kitridis,
Konstantinos Sidiropoulos,
Panagiotis Nikolaos Stoikos,
Venu Kavarthapu
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
world journal of methodology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2222-0682
DOI - 10.5662/wjm.v12.i3.92
Subject(s) - clarity , critical appraisal , computer science , psychological intervention , meta analysis , clinical practice , value (mathematics) , rank (graph theory) , systematic review , management science , risk analysis (engineering) , psychology , medicine , medline , alternative medicine , machine learning , engineering , psychiatry , nursing , biochemistry , chemistry , mathematics , pathology , combinatorics , political science , law
It is an undeniable fact that systematic reviews play a crucial role in informing clinical practice; however, conventional head-to-head meta-analyses do have limitations. In particular, studies can only be compared in a pair-wise fashion, and conclusions can only be drawn in the light of direct evidence. In contrast, network meta-analyses can not only compare multiple interventions but also utilize indirect evidence which increases their precision. On top of that, they can also rank competing interventions. In this mini-review, we have aimed to elaborate on the principles and techniques governing network meta-analyses to achieve a methodologically sound synthesis, thus enabling safe conclusions to be drawn in clinical practice. We have emphasized the prerequisites of a well-conducted Network Meta-Analysis (NMA), the value of selecting appropriate outcomes according to guidelines for transparent reporting, and the clarity achieved via sophisticated graphical tools. What is more, we have addressed the importance of incorporating the level of evidence into the results and interpreting the findings according to validated appraisal systems ( i.e ., the Grade of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system - GRADE). Lastly, we have addressed the possibility of planning future research via NMAs. Thus, we can conclude that NMAs could be of great value to clinical practice.