Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27913917›Full record

ArticleInternal and emergency medicine2017

Network meta-analysis: an introduction for clinicians.

Benjamin Rouse, Anna Chaimani, Tianjing Li

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Internal and emergency medicine, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 436 papers, 105 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
436citing papers in PubMed, 105 pooled it
9.4field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

436 citing papers in PubMed, 105 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 815 citations in OpenAlex.

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  9. Postoperative pain outcomes following thyroidectomy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of various surgical approaches.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
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  11. Complications of Alloplastic Graft Materials Used in Cranioplasty: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2026
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  12. Comparison of turbinate volume reduction surgeries for nasal symptoms and surgery-related adverse effects in patients with chronic rhinitis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
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376 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Benjamin RouseCenter for Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Anna ChaimaniDepartment of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, University Campus Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
Tianjing LiCenter for Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. tli19@jhu.edu.
Johns Hopkins University · USUniversity of Ioannina · GR

Funding

Comparative Effectiveness Research & the Cochrane Eyes & Vision GroupU01EY020522 · NEI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI DICKERSIN, KAY · 2010 to 2016
$9.2M
Comparative Effectiveness & Medical Interventions for Primary Open Angle GlaucomaRC1EY020140 · NEI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI DICKERSIN, KAY · 2009 to 2010
$901k
NEI NIH HHS RC1 EY020140NEI NIH HHS U01 EY020522
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Network meta-analysis is a technique for comparing multiple treatments simultaneously in a single analysis by combining direct and indirect evidence within a network of randomized controlled trials. Network meta-analysis may assist assessing the comparative effectiveness of different treatments regularly used in clinical practice and, therefore, has become attractive among clinicians. However, if proper caution is not taken in conducting and interpreting network meta-analysis, inferences might be biased. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the process of network meta-analysis with the aid of a working example on first-line medical treatment for primary open-angle glaucoma. We discuss the key assumption of network meta-analysis, as well as the unique considerations for developing appropriate research questions, conducting the literature search, abstracting data, performing qualitative and quantitative synthesis, presenting results, drawing conclusions, and reporting the findings in a network meta-analysis.

Indexed as

Network Meta-Analysis as TopicHumansModels, StatisticalResearchResearch DesignReview Literature as TopicComparative effectivenessMultiple treatment meta-analysisNetwork meta-analysisTransitivity

Identifiers

PMID27913917
PMCPMC5247317
OpenAlexW2558697804

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.