ArticleBMJ (Clinical research ed.)1998
Bias in meta-analysis detected by a simple, graphical test. Test had 10% false positive rate.
Article in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 1998. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 50 papers, 41 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
50 citing papers in PubMed, 41 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Digital Physical Exercise Interventions for Cognitive Functions in Older Adults: Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- rs2032582 polymorphism of ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 1 affect the susceptibility of inflammatory bowel disease: a systematical meta-analysis based on 14,876 subjects.International journal of colorectal disease · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of acupuncture-related therapies on pregnancy outcomes among women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics · 2025Pooled it
- Efficacy comparison of four different Chinese herbal mediciness in intervening acute respiratory distress syndrome: a bayesian network meta-analysis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Pooled it
- Comparative effectiveness of multiple different non-pharmacologic interventions for post-stroke constipation: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Pooled it
- The Perils of Misinterpreting and Misusing "Publication Bias" in Meta-analyses: An Education Review on Funnel Plot-Based Methods.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2024Pooled it
- The Perils of Misinterpreting and Misusing "Publication Bias" in Meta-analyses: An Education Review on Funnel Plot-Based Methods.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2024Pooled it
- Effectiveness of different exercises in improving postural balance among Parkinson's disease patients: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2023Pooled it
- Association of thyroid disease with risks of dementia and cognitive impairment: A meta-analysis and systematic review.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2023Pooled it
- EMG biofeedback combined with rehabilitation training may be the best physical therapy for improving upper limb motor function and relieving pain in patients with the post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome: A Bayesian network meta-analysis.Frontiers in neurology · 2022Pooled it
- Effectiveness Comparisons of Drug Therapy on Chronic Subdural Hematoma Recurrence: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2022Pooled it
- Processed and Unprocessed Red Meat Consumption and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Updated Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Volar locking plate versus external fixation for unstable distal radius fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2021Pooled it
- Associating the risk of three urinary cancers with obesity and overweight: an overview with evidence mapping of systematic reviews.Systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Comparison between 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional endoscopic thyroidectomy for benign and malignant lesions: a meta-analysis.World journal of surgical oncology · 2021Pooled it
- The association of Metabolic Syndrome and its Components with the Incidence and Survival of Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.International journal of biological sciences · 2021Pooled it
- The impact of dissection and re-entry versus wire escalation techniques on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with chronic total occlusion lesions following percutaneous coronary intervention: An updated meta-analysis.Cardiology journal · 2021Pooled it
- Association between lactate dehydrogenase levels and oncologic outcomes in metastatic prostate cancer: A meta-analysis.Cancer medicine · 2020Pooled it
- Low circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D level is associated with increased colorectal cancer mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.Bioscience reports · 2020Pooled it
Corrections and comments
- Comment on
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
PubMed holds no abstract for this paper.
Indexed as
Identifiers
9492688PMC2665628What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.