How to conduct and report checking transitivity and inconsistency in network-meta-analysis: a narrative review including practical worked examples, code and source data for sports and exercise medicine researchers.

Abstract

The use of network meta-analysis (NMA) in sport and exercise medicine (SEM) research continues to rise as it enables the comparison of multiple interventions that may not have been assessed in a single randomised controlled trial. NMA can then inform clinicians on potentially better interventions. Despite the increased use of NMA, we have observed that in the SEM field, a key challenge for author groups can be the assessment and reporting of key assumptions, in particular transitivity and consistency. This paper provides SEM researchers with a practical guide on how to approach the transitivity and consistency assumptions of NMA. Using a previously published NMA in the SEM field, we provide the statistical code, source data and worked examples to facilitate understanding and best practice of NMA in the particular field. We hope these resources result in improved conduct and reporting of NMA that ultimately leads to advances in the SEM field.