A Suggested Framework for Reporting Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies in Epidemiology

Abstract

In response to the urgent need for informed decision-making in public health and clinical practice, along with the vast proliferation of scientific literature, there is a growing necessity to synthesize research findings. Meta-analyses have become increasingly prevalent in addressing this challenge, particularly in the evaluation of observational studies. A workshop convened in April 1997 in Atlanta, GA, aimed to scrutinize the reporting practices of meta-analyses of observational studies and to provide recommendations to assist authors, reviewers, editors, and readers.Twenty-seven experts representing various fields such as clinical practice, trials, statistics, epidemiology, social sciences, and biomedical editing were invited by a steering committee. The workshop discussions were open to other interested scientists and were funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.A systematic review of the literature on the conduct and reporting of meta-analyses in observational studies was conducted using databases such as MEDLINE, Educational Research Information Center (ERIC), PsycLIT, and the Current Index to Statistics. Additionally, reference lists of retrieved studies were examined, and experts in the field were consulted. Participants were assigned to small-group discussions focusing on bias, search methods, heterogeneity, study categorization, and statistical approaches.Based on the workshop discussions, the authors developed a checklist outlining recommendations for reporting meta-analyses of observational studies. This checklist, along with supporting evidence, was circulated to all workshop attendees and additional experts for feedback. All suggestions for revisions were duly considered.The proposed checklist encompasses guidelines for reporting meta-analyses of observational studies in epidemiology, covering areas such as background, search strategies, methods, results, discussion, and conclusions. Implementation of this checklist is expected to enhance the utility of meta-analyses for various stakeholders including authors, reviewers, editors, readers, and decision-makers. Furthermore, suggestions for an evaluation plan and exploration of research areas are presented.