ArticlePloS one2019
Description of network meta-analysis geometry: A metrics design study.
Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The comparative efficacy and safety of sweet solutions to reduce preterm infants' pain levels: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Systematic reviews · 2026Pooled it
- Effect of neuromuscular blocking agents on tracheal intubation quality in paediatric patients: a systematic review using network meta-analysis and meta-regression.British journal of anaesthesia · 2025Pooled it
- Biological Therapy and Small Molecules for Adults With Crohn's Disease: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.Pharmacotherapy · 2025Pooled it
- Effectiveness of safety-netting approaches for acutely ill children: a network meta-analysis.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025Pooled it
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- Assessment of color changes and adverse effects of over-the-counter bleaching protocols: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Clinical oral investigations · 2024Pooled it
- Early parenting interventions to prevent internalising problems in children and adolescents: a global systematic review and network meta-analysis.BMJ mental health · 2023Pooled it
- Tailored Versus Standard Hydration to Prevent Acute Kidney Injury After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Network Meta-Analysis.Journal of the American Heart Association · 2021Pooled it
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- Deconstructing resuscitation training for healthcare providers: a protocol for a component network meta-analysis.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Efficacy of automated insulin delivery systems in people with type 1 diabetes: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of outpatient randomised controlled trials.EClinicalMedicine · 2025Article
- Effectiveness of Rehabilitation for Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Scoping Review of Network Meta-Analyses.Cureus · 2024Article
- Methodological review of NMA bias concepts provides groundwork for the development of a list of concepts for potential inclusion in a new risk of bias tool for network meta-analysis (RoB NMA Tool).Systematic reviews · 2024Article
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- Network meta-analysis and random walks.Statistics in medicine · 2022Article
- Safety and Efficacy of Devices Delivering Inhaled Antibiotics among Adults with Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis: A Systematic Review and a Network Meta-Analysis.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- Comparative efficacy of mitochondrial agents for bipolar disorder during depressive episodes: a network meta-analysis using frequentist and Bayesian approaches.Psychopharmacology · 2021Review
- A frequentist one-step model for a simple network meta-analysis of time-to-event data in presence of an effect modifier.PloS one · 2021Article
- Determining optimal strategies for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: systematic review, cost-effectiveness review and network meta-analysis protocol.Systematic reviews · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe conduction and report of network meta-analysis (NMA), including the presentation of the network-plot, should be transparent. We aimed to propose metrics adapted from graph theory and social network-analysis literature to numerically describe NMA geometry.
methodsA previous systematic review of NMAs of pharmacological interventions was performed. Data on the graph's presentation were collected. Network-plots were reproduced using Gephi 0.9.1. Eleven geometric metrics were tested. The Spearman test for non-parametric correlation analyses and the Bland-Altman and Lin's Concordance tests were performed (IBM SPSS Statistics 24.0).
resultsFrom the 477 identified NMAs only 167 graphs could be reproduced because they provided enough information on the plot characteristics. The median nodes and edges were 8 (IQR 6-11) and 10 (IQR 6-16), respectively, with 22 included studies (IQR 13-35). Metrics such as density (median 0.39, ranged 0.07-1.00), median thickness (2.0, IQR 1.0-3.0), percentages of common comparators (median 68%), and strong edges (median 53%) were found to contribute to the description of NMA geometry. Mean thickness, average weighted degree and average path length produced similar results than other metrics, but they can lead to misleading conclusions.
conclusionsWe suggest the incorporation of seven simple metrics to report NMA geometry. Editors and peer-reviews should ensure that guidelines for NMA report are strictly followed before publication.
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