Methods of Converting Effect Measures Used in Meta-analysis: A Narrative Review and A Practical Guide.

Abstract

The publication of meta-analyses has grown exponentially over the past 20 years. Well-designed and reported meta-analyses provide valuable information to clinicians and policymakers. However, researchers face several hurdles in the process of conducting meta-analyses. The analysis process is one of these obstacles, particularly when the included studies report their outcomes using different outcome measures. This study aims to provide authors and researchers with a guide that can help them overcome the struggle of incorporating different outcome measures into the analysis. This article also intends to serve as an author’s guide to the key methods used to convert effect measures, the assumptions required for that, and the hierarchy for using these methods.