Studies comparing more than two competing therapies are common in several fields, but standard meta-analytic methods can make only pairwise comparisons. The meth ods proposed in this article, a generalization of current meta-analytic methods, allow for any number of competing therapies and include both fixed- and random-effects models. Key words: meta-analysis; random-effects models; multiple treatment studies. (Med Decis Making 1998;18:37-43)
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Mantel N., Haenszel W.Statistical aspects of the analysis of data from retrospective studies of diseaseJ Natl Cancer Inst1959,22719-48
Braunwald E. , Mark DB, Jones RH, et al Unstable Angina Diagnosis and Management. Clinical Practice Guideline No. 10, AHCPR Publication No 94-0602 . Rockville, MDAgency for Health Care Policy and Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 1994
4.
Theroux P. , Ouimet H., McCans J., et al Aspirin, heparin, or both to treat acute unstable anginaN Engl J Med1988,319. 1105-11
5.
Wallentin LCAspirin (75 mg/day) after an episode of unstable coronary artery disease long-term effects on the risk for myocardial infarction, occurrence of severe angina and the need for revascularization Research Group on Instability in Coronary Artery Disease in Southeast Sweden . J Am Coll Cardiol1991,18.1587-93
6.
Telford AM, Wilson C.Trial of heparin versus atenolol in prevention of myocardial infarction in intermediate coronary syndromeLancet. 1981 ,11225-8.
7.
EGRET Reference Manual, Revision 4Seattle, WAStatistics and Epidemiology Research Corporation , 1993
8.
Crump KSA new method for determining allowable daily intakesFundam Appl Toxicol. 1984,4854-71
9.
DerSimonian R., Laird N.Meta analysis in clinical trialsControl Clin Trials1986,7177-88.
Fiore MC, Bailey WC, Choen SJ, et al. Smoking Cessation. Clinical Practice Guideline No 18Rockville, MDAgency for Health Care Policy and Research, U S Department of Health and Human Services, AHCPR Publication No 96-0692, April 1996
12.
Cohen J.Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. New YorkAcademic Press, 1977
13.
Rosenthal R. , Rubin D.Combining results from independent studiesPsychol Bull1979;85185-93
14.
Glass G.Summarizing effect sizes In Rosenthal R (ed) New Directions for Methodology of Social and Behavioral Science. Quantitative Assessment of Research DomainsSan Francisco, CAJossey-Bass, 1980
15.
Hedges LVMeta-analysisJ Educ Stat.1992,17279-96
16.
Rosenthal R.Meta-analytic procedures for social researchBeverly Hills, CASage Publications , 1984.
17.
Glesser LJ , Olkin I.Stochastically dependent effect sizes. In: Cooper H, Hedges LV (eds) The Handbook of Research Synthesis. Troy, NYRussell Stage Foundation, 1994.
18.
Hasselblad V.Numerical techniques in distribution fitting . Comput Sci Stat1994,26:217-21.
19.
Hasselblad V., Hedges L Meta-analysis of diagnostic testsPsychometr Bull1995,11.167-78.
20.
Reid DD, Brett GZ, Hamilton Pjs, Jarrett RJ, Keen H., Rose G.Cardiorespiratory disease and diabetes among middle-aged male civil servantsLancet1974;1469-73.
21.
Cottraux JA , Harf R., Boissel JP, Schbath J., Bouvard M., Gillet J.Smoking cessation with behaviour therapy or acupuncture—a controlled study. Behav Res Ther1983,21417-24
22.
Slama K., Redman S., Perkins J., Reid AL, Sanson-Fisher RWThe effectiveness of two smoking cessation programmes for use in general practice a randomised clinical trial. Br Med J.1990 ,3001707- 9
23.
Jamrozik K. , Vessey M., Fowler G., Wald N., Parker G., Van Vunakis H.Controlled trial of three different antismoking interventions in general practiceBr Med J.1984,2881499-503
24.
Rabkin SW, Boyko E., Shane F., Kaufert J.A randomized trial comparing smoking cessation programs utilizing behavior modifications, health education or hypnosisAddict Behav1984;9157-73.
25.
Decker BD, Evans RGEfficacy of a minimal contact version of a multimodal smoking cessation programAddict Behav1989,14.487-91
26.
Richmond RL , Austin A., Webster IWThree year evaluation
27.
of a programme by general practitioners to help patients to stop smokingBr Med J.1986,292.803-6
28.
Leung JPSmoking cessation by auricular acupuncture and behavioral therapyPsychologia Int J Psychol Orient1991, 34177-87
29.
Mothersill KJ, McDowell I., Rosser W.Subject characteristics and long term post-program smoking cessationAddict Behav.1988;13.29-36
30.
Langford ER , Thompson EG, Tripp SCSmoking and health education during pregnancy evaluation of a program for women in prenatal classesCan J Public Health1983,74.285-9
31.
Gritz ER, Berman BA, Bastani R., Wu M.A randomized trial of a self-help smoking cessation intervention in a nonvolunteer female population. testing the limits of the public health model Health Psychol1992,11280-9
32.
Campbell IA , Hansford M., Prescott RJEffect of a "stop smoking" booklet on smokers attending for chest radiography a controlled study . Thorax1986;41369-71
33.
Sanders D., Fowler G., Mant D., Fuller A., Jones L., Marzillier J.Randomized controlled trial of anti-smoking advice by nurses in general practice . JR Coll Gen Pract1989,39273-6
34.
Hilleman DE , Mohiuddin SM, Delcore MG, Lucas BD Jr Randomized, controlled trial of transdermal clonidine for smoking cessationAnn Pharmacother. 1993,271025-8.
35.
Gillams J., Lewith GT, Machin D.Acupuncture and group therapy in stopping smoking. Practitioner1984,228.341-4
36.
Mogielnicki RP, Neslin S., Dulac J., Balestra D., Gillie E., Corson J.Tailored media can enhance the success of smoking cessation clinicsJ Behav Med1986 ,9141-61
37.
36 Page AR, Walters DJ, Schlegel RP, Best JASmoking cessation in family practice the effects of advice and nicotine chewing gum prescriptionAddict Behav1986,11443-6
38.
Vetter NJ, Ford D.Smoking prevention among people aged 60 and over a randomized controlled trialAge Ageing1990; 19.164-8
39.
Williams JM , Hall DWUse of single session hypnosis for smoking cessationAddict Behav1988, 13205-8
40.
Pallonen UE , Leskinen L., Prochaska JO, Willey CJ, Kaariainen R., Salonen JTA 2-year self-help smoking cessation manual intervention among middle-agedFinnish men: an application of the transtheoretical model Prev Med1994,23: 507-14
41.
Russell MA, Merriman R., Stapleton J., Taylor W.Effect of nicotine chewing gum as an adjunct to general practitioners' advice against smokingBr Med J1983,2871782-5
42.
Stewart PJ, Rosser WWThe impact of routine advice on smoking cessation from family physiciansCan Med Assoc J.1982;1261051-4
43.
Russell MA, Wilson C., Taylor C., Baker CDEffect of general practitioners' advice against smoking. Br Med J.1979;2:231-5
44.
Kendrick JS , Zahniser SC, Miller N., et al. Integrating smoking cessation into routine public prenatal care results of the smoking cessation in pregnancy projectAm J Public Health. 1995,85217-22
45.
Ahuja GK, Verma AKPropranolol in prophylaxis of migraine. Indian J Med Res1985,82263-5
46.
Andersson PG , Dahl S., Hansen JH, et al Prophylactic treatment of classical and non-classical migraine with metoprolol—a comparison with placeboCephalalgia1983,3207-12.
47.
Tfelt-Hansen P., Standnes B., Kangasneimi P., Hakkarainen H., Olesen J.Timolol vs propranolol vs placebo in common migraine prophylaxis a double-blind multicenter trialActa Neurol Scand1984,691-8
48.
Sudilovsky A., Elkind AH, Ryan RE Sr, Saper JR, Stern MA, Meyer JHComparative efficacy of nadolol and propranolol in the management of migraine. Headache1987;27421-6. 48 Freitag FG, Diamond S.Nadolol and placebo comparison study in the prophylactic treatment of migraineJ Am Osteopath Assoc1984,84343-7.
49.
Stellar S. , Ahrens SP, Meibohm AR, Reines SAMigraine prevention with timolol A double-blind crossover studyJAMA. 1984,2522576-80
50.
Kangasneimi P. , Andersen AR, Andersson PG, et al. Classic migraine effective prophylaxis with metoprolol. Cephalalgia.1987,7231-8.
51.
Gerber WD, Diener HC, Scholz E., Niederberger U.Responders and non-responders to metoprolol, propranolol and nifedipine treatment in migraine prophylaxis a dose-range study based on time-series analysis. Cephalalgia1991,1137-45
52.
Briggs RS, Millac PATimolol in migraine prophylaxis. Headache1979;19379-81.
53.
Forssman B. , Henriksson KG, Johannsson V., Lindvall L., Lundin H Propranolol for migraine prophylaxis . Headache1976,16.238-45
54.
Kangasneimi P., Hedman C.Metoprolol and propranolol in the prophylactic treatment of classical and common migraine A double-blind studyCephalalgia1984,4.91-6
55.
Olerud B., Gustavsson CL, Furberg B.Nadolol and propranolol in migraine managementHeadache1986;26:490-3.
56.
Olsson JE, Behring HC, Forssman B., et al Metoprolol and propranolol in migraine prophylaxis: a double-blind multi-centre studyActa Neurol Scand1984,70160-8
57.
Dahlof C.No clearcut longterm prophylactic effect of one month of treatment with propranolol in migraineursCephalalgia1987;7,6 suppl 459-60
58.
Pradalier A. , Serratrice G., Collard M., et al. Long-acting propranolol in migraine prophylaxis. results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Cephalalgia1989;9247-53.
59.
Johnson RH, Hornabrook RW, Lambie DGComparison of mefenamic acid and propranolol with placebo in migraine prophylaxis . Acta Neurol Scand1986,73490-2
60.
Steardo L., Bonuso S., Di Stasio E., Marano E.Selective and non-selective beta-blockers are both effective in prophylaxis of migraine? A clinical trial versus methysergide. Acta Neurol (Napoli). 1982;4196-204
61.
Borgesen SE , Nielsen JL, Moller CE Prophylactic treatment of migraine with propranolol A climcal trial. Acta Neurol Scand1974,50.651-6
62.
Steiner TJ, Joseph R., Hedman C., Rose FCMetoprolol in the prophylaxis of migraine parallel-groups comparison with placebo and dose-ranging follow-up. Headache1988;2815-23.
