Meta-analysis study

From

A meta-analysis is a study in which the results of existing epidemiologic studies are statistically combined to produce a single summary relative risk.

The rationale for conducting a meta-analysis is that the existing studies are small and statistically weak, and that a single, statistically stronger study can be produced by combining the results of the smaller studies. This rationale works better when the studies being combined are sufficiently similar in design and methodology – a situation more likely to occur with highly controlled clinical trials as opposed to cohort and [[case-control study|case-control studies] which can vary greatly in design and methodology. For a meta-analysis to work, the studies being combined must be like adding apples to apples as opposed to adding apples to oranges.

Do you want to evaluate a meta-analysis study?