Gaps in completeness of reporting and methodological quality: a metaresearch study of 139 network meta-analyses published in January 2023 using PRISMA-NMA and AMSTAR-2

IF 7.3 2区医学 Q1 HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology Pub Date : 2025-04-09 DOI:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2025.111783

Silvia Gianola , Stefania Guida , Gaia Ravot , Carole Lunny , Silvia Bargeri , Greta Castellini

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives

Network meta-analysis (NMA) is a method for comparing multiple interventions simultaneously, combining evidence to estimate and rank their relative effectiveness and safety across a network of studies. This study evaluates (i) epidemiological and descriptive characteristics, (ii) reporting completeness, and (iii) methodological quality of NMAs.

Study Design and Setting

In this metaresearch study (protocol at https://osf.io/pa6dz/), we searched PubMed for systematic reviews with NMAs indexed in January 2023. We extracted epidemiological and descriptive data, assessed reporting completeness using the modified Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for NMA, and evaluated the methodological quality using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2).

Results

Among the 139 NMAs, 77% were published in specialty journals (median journal impact factor [JIF] 4), and 52% originated from China. Reporting completeness and methodological quality were generally of a medium quality, with the median NMAs fulfilling 71% of the modified Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Network Meta-Analyses (PRISMA-NMA) and 63% of the AMSTAR-2 criteria. Items such as “network geometry” for modified PRISMA-NMA (15%) and “list of excluded studies” for AMSTAR-2 (12%) were frequently unfulfilled. Better reporting and methodological quality were associated with registered protocol, non-Chinese country, higher JIF, and larger author teams.

Conclusion

We highlight gaps in both reporting and methodological quality in NMAs. We recommend future authors to plan and conduct NMAs within a large author team that includes statistical experts and to strictly adhere to reporting and methodological quality standards. More attention should be given to the reporting of network geometry and documenting the list of excluded studies.

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报告完整性和方法质量的差距：对2023年1月发表的139个网络荟萃分析的元研究，使用PRISMA-NMA和AMSTAR-2

网络荟萃分析（NMA）是一种同时比较多种干预措施的方法，结合证据在研究网络中估计和排名其相对有效性和安全性。本研究评估了(i) nma的流行病学和描述性特征，（ii）报告的完整性，以及（iii）方法质量。研究设计和设置在这项元研究中（协议地址：https://osf.io/pa6dz/），我们在PubMed检索了2023年1月索引的nma的系统综述。我们提取了流行病学和描述性数据，使用改进的系统评价和荟萃分析首选报告项目（PRISMA）扩展NMA评估报告的完整性，并使用评估系统评价2的测量工具（AMSTAR-2）评估方法学质量。结果139篇nma中，77%发表在专业期刊（期刊影响因子[JIF]中位数为4），52%来自中国。报告完整性和方法质量一般为中等质量，nma的中位数满足了系统评价和网络荟萃分析（PRISMA-NMA）的修改首选报告项目的71%和AMSTAR-2标准的63%。改良PRISMA-NMA的“网络几何”（15%）和AMSTAR-2的“排除研究列表”（12%）等项目经常未完成。较好的报告和方法学质量与注册方案、非中国国家、较高的JIF和较大的作者团队相关。结论：我们强调了nma在报告和方法质量上的差距。我们建议未来的作者在一个包括统计专家的大型作者团队中计划和开展nma，并严格遵守报告和方法的质量标准。应更多地注意网络几何形状的报告和排除研究清单的文件。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 医学-公共卫生、环境卫生与职业卫生

CiteScore

12.00

自引率

6.90%

发文量

320

审稿时长

44 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Clinical Epidemiology strives to enhance the quality of clinical and patient-oriented healthcare research by advancing and applying innovative methods in conducting, presenting, synthesizing, disseminating, and translating research results into optimal clinical practice. Special emphasis is placed on training new generations of scientists and clinical practice leaders.