ArticleBMJ (Clinical research ed.)1998
Bias in meta-analysis detected by a simple, graphical test. Increase in studies of publication bias coincided with increasing use of meta-analysis.
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 124 papers, 86 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
124 citing papers in PubMed, 86 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Association of rs3736228 polymorphism in LRP5 gene with bone fracture and osteoporosis: a systematic review and updated meta-analysis.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of vitamin D levels and vitamin D supplementation on allergic diseases: an umbrella review.Frontiers in allergy · 2026Pooled it
- The effect of E-homework on K-12 students' academic achievements: a meta-analysis study.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of polyphenol-rich interventions on the time-course of muscle recovery and athletic performance following exercise-induced muscle damage: a three-level meta-analysis.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Pooled it
- Association between physical activity and knee osteoarthritis: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of global health · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of exercise on body fat percentage and cardiorespiratory fitness in sedentary adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of core training on balance performance in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Essential Trace Elements in Patients with Dyslipidemia: A Meta-analysis.Current medicinal chemistry · 2024Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors rechallenge in advanced solid tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in oncology · 2024Pooled it
- Pooled it
- The prevalence of sexual violence against African women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.African health sciences · 2023Pooled it
- Sexual violence against women remains problematic and highly prevalent around the world.BMC women's health · 2023Pooled it
- Ovulation induction drug and ovarian cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of ovarian research · 2023Pooled it
- Association between physical activity and infertility: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of translational medicine · 2022Pooled it
- Can public service motivation increase work engagement?-A meta-analysis across cultures.Frontiers in psychology · 2022Pooled it
- Association between circulating resistin levels and thyroid dysfunction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Efficacy and cardiovascular safety of LAMA in patients with COPD: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research · 2021Pooled it
- Serum RANKL levels in Chinese patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a meta-analysis.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2021Pooled it
64 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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
9492690PMC2665616What 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.