I am carrying out a systematic review with meta-analysis. This review includes both RCTs and non-RCTs. The non RCTs are case-controlled studies, case series and case reports. How can I do the meta-analysis for non RCTs especially the designs that are without control group ( case series or case reports)
Dear Mohammed,
Case reports and case series focus on report of a single new disease or event manifestations or symptoms. Or they may focus on natural history of disease. they are not done by taking samples. You can include them as part of systematic review (narration of findings without pooling the results). They do not have data for case and control group. since they do not have data you do not have to include them as part of meta-analysis. For meta-analysis the results have to be reported with the same variable category and cut of point.
In summary: the data from these designs not included in meta-analysis.
Please let me know if the following references/sites are helpful to you:
1. Meta-analyses including non-randomized studies of therapeutic ...
https://bmcmedresmethodol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12874-016-0136-0Mar 22, 2016 ...
2. Practical and updated guidelines on performing meta-analyses of ...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21305479Cardiol J. 2011;18(1):3-7. Practical and updated guidelines on performing meta- analyses of non-randomized studies in interventional cardiology.
3. Meta-analysis of non-randomized studies in interventional cardiology
http://ijphjournal.it/article/download/5761/5505Thus meta-analyses of non-randomized studies are becoming more and more common.
Dennis
Dennis Mazur
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