Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35168619›Full record

SynthesisBMC health services research2022

Meta-analysis of economic evaluation studies: data harmonisation and methodological issues.

Bhavani Shankara Bagepally, Usa Chaikledkaew, Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk, John Attia, Ammarin Thakkinstian

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC health services research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 17 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 17 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

31 citing papers in PubMed, 17 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Assessing Value for Money in Theranostic Nuclear Medicine: A Systematic Review.Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Cost-effectiveness of renal denervation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Hypertension research : official journal of the Japanese Society of Hypertension · 2026
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  7. Cost Effectiveness of Catheter Ablation Versus Antiarrhythmic Drugs for Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.American journal of cardiovascular drugs : drugs, devices, and other interventions · 2025
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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

5 authors.

Bhavani Shankara BagepallyMahidol University Health Technology Assessment (MUHTA) Graduate Program, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Usa ChaikledkaewMahidol University Health Technology Assessment (MUHTA) Graduate Program, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Nathorn ChaiyakunaprukDepartment of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Utah, USA.
John AttiaCentre for Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Medicine and Public Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, New Lambton, NSW, Australia.
Ammarin ThakkinstianMahidol University Health Technology Assessment (MUHTA) Graduate Program, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. ammarin.tha@mahidol.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn the context of ever-growing health expenditure and limited resources, economic evaluations aid in making evidence-informed policy decisions. Cost-utility analysis (CUA) is often used, and CUA data synthesis is also desirable, but methodological issues are challenged. Hence, we aim to provide a step-by-step process to prepare the CUA data for meta-analysis.

methodsData harmonisation methods were constructed specifically considering CUA methodology, including inconsistent reports, economic parameters, heterogeneity (i.e., country's income, time horizon, perspective, modelling approaches, currency, willingness to pay). An incremental net benefit (INB) and its variance were estimated and pooled across studies using a basic meta-analysis by COMER.

resultsFive scenarios show how to obtain INB and variance with various reported data: Study reports the mean and variance (Scenario 1) or 95% confidence interval (Scenario 2) of ΔC, ΔE, and ICER for INB/variance calculations. Scenario 3: ΔC, ΔE, and variances are available, but not for the ICER; a Monte Carlo was used to simulate ΔC and ΔE data, variance and covariance can be then estimated leading INB calculation. Scenario-4: Only the CE plane was available, ΔC and ΔE data can be extracted; means of ΔC, ΔE, and variance/covariance can be estimated accordingly, leading to INB/variance estimates. Scenario-5: Only mean cost/outcomes and ICER are available but not for variance and the CE-plane. A variance INB can be borrowed from other studies which are similar characteristics, including country income, ICERs, intervention-comparator, time period, country region, and model type and inputs (i.e., discounting, time horizon).

conclusionOut data harmonisation and meta-analytic methods should be useful for researchers for the synthesis of economic evidence to aid policymakers in decision making.

Indexed as

Cost-Benefit AnalysisHumansQuality-Adjusted Life YearsCost-effectivenessCUAEconomic evaluation

Identifiers

PMID35168619
PMCPMC8845252

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.