序贯Meta分析方法学简介

Brief Introduction of Methodology of Sequential Meta-analysis

累积Meta分析可以有助于研究者做出对干预措施有效/无效的判断,以及所获得的证据是否足够,然而这一过程中并没有对重复检验进行校正,也没有关注统计效能。序贯Meta分析的产生使得上述问题得以解决,被广泛应用于循证临床实践和决策。目前有多种序贯Meta分析,不同方法具有不同的优缺点,其中试验序贯分析(TSA)的方法学最为成熟,软件操作也较为简单;Whitehead双三角检验的理论不如TSA完善,且操作也较难;半贝叶斯法则涉及到贝叶斯理论,更不易推广。本文主要对当前的这三种主要的序贯Meta分析方法做一简介。

Cumulative meta-analysis could help researchers to justify the effectiveness of the intervention and whether the obtained evidence is sufficient. However, the process of the meta-analysis does not adjust the repeated testing of the null hypothesis and neither quantifies the statistical power. The sequential meta-analysis has solved the aforementioned problems and has been widely used in the clinical practice and decision-making. Currently several methods of sequential meta-analysis have been proposed and these methods differ from each other. Of which, the methodology of trial sequential（TSA） is well developed and corresponding performance is relatively easy; the methodology of double-triangular test of Whitehead is lagged than TSA and its performance is relatively difficult; the approach of semi-Bayes refers to the theory of Bayes and it＇s very difficult to generalize. Our paper aimed to give a brief introduction of the methodology of the sequential meta-analysis.