How a Meta‐Analysis Works

Figure 1.1 illustrates a meta-analysis that shows the impact of high dose versus standard dose of statins in preventing death and myocardial infarction (MI). This analysis is adapted from one reported by Cannon et al. and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2006). Our goal in presenting this here is to introduce the various elements in a meta-analysis (the effect size for each study, the weight assigned to each effect size, the estimate of the summary effect, and so on) and show where each fits into the larger scheme. In the chapters that follow, each of these elements will be explored in detail.