Quantifying and adjusting the effects of publication bias in continuous meta-analysis

This study uses simulated meta-analysis to assess the effects of publication bias on meta-analysis estimates and to evaluate the efficacy of the trim and fill method in adjusting for these biases. The estimated effect sizes and the standard error were evaluated in terms of the statistical bias and t...

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Main Author: Nik Idris, Nik Ruzni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (W A S E T) 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/26001/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/26001/1/Quantifying_and_Adjusting_the_Effects_of_Publication_Bias_in_Continuous.pdf
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author Nik Idris, Nik Ruzni
author_facet Nik Idris, Nik Ruzni
author_sort Nik Idris, Nik Ruzni
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
description This study uses simulated meta-analysis to assess the effects of publication bias on meta-analysis estimates and to evaluate the efficacy of the trim and fill method in adjusting for these biases. The estimated effect sizes and the standard error were evaluated in terms of the statistical bias and the coverage probability. The results demonstrate that if publication bias is not adjusted it could lead to up to 40% bias in the treatment effect estimates. Utilization of the trim and fill method could reduce the bias in the overall estimate by more than half. The method is optimum in presence of moderate underlying bias but has minimal effects in presence of low and severe publication bias. Additionally, the trim and fill method improves the coverage probability by more than half when subjected to the same level of publication bias as those of the unadjusted data. The method however tends to produce false positive results and will incorrectly adjust the data for publication bias up to 45 % of the time. Nonetheless, the bias introduced into the estimates due to this adjustment is minimal
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spelling iium-260012012-11-06T03:21:19Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/26001/ Quantifying and adjusting the effects of publication bias in continuous meta-analysis Nik Idris, Nik Ruzni Q Science (General) This study uses simulated meta-analysis to assess the effects of publication bias on meta-analysis estimates and to evaluate the efficacy of the trim and fill method in adjusting for these biases. The estimated effect sizes and the standard error were evaluated in terms of the statistical bias and the coverage probability. The results demonstrate that if publication bias is not adjusted it could lead to up to 40% bias in the treatment effect estimates. Utilization of the trim and fill method could reduce the bias in the overall estimate by more than half. The method is optimum in presence of moderate underlying bias but has minimal effects in presence of low and severe publication bias. Additionally, the trim and fill method improves the coverage probability by more than half when subjected to the same level of publication bias as those of the unadjusted data. The method however tends to produce false positive results and will incorrectly adjust the data for publication bias up to 45 % of the time. Nonetheless, the bias introduced into the estimates due to this adjustment is minimal World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (W A S E T) 2012-09 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/26001/1/Quantifying_and_Adjusting_the_Effects_of_Publication_Bias_in_Continuous.pdf Nik Idris, Nik Ruzni (2012) Quantifying and adjusting the effects of publication bias in continuous meta-analysis. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, 69. pp. 156-159. ISSN 1307-6884 http://www.waset.org/journals/waset/v69/v69-35.pdf
spellingShingle Q Science (General)
Nik Idris, Nik Ruzni
Quantifying and adjusting the effects of publication bias in continuous meta-analysis
title Quantifying and adjusting the effects of publication bias in continuous meta-analysis
title_full Quantifying and adjusting the effects of publication bias in continuous meta-analysis
title_fullStr Quantifying and adjusting the effects of publication bias in continuous meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Quantifying and adjusting the effects of publication bias in continuous meta-analysis
title_short Quantifying and adjusting the effects of publication bias in continuous meta-analysis
title_sort quantifying and adjusting the effects of publication bias in continuous meta-analysis
topic Q Science (General)
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/26001/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/26001/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/26001/1/Quantifying_and_Adjusting_the_Effects_of_Publication_Bias_in_Continuous.pdf