Hi there -
Help! I am a physician performing a peer review of a manuscript submitted for publication in a medical journal. (Disclaimer before reading further - I have very little statistics knowledge) The authors have performed a meta-analysis of six RCTs involving the use of a specific type of suture called fast-absorbing gut. Each of the six studies included in the meta-analysis however compares the fast-absorbing gut suture to different things - another type of suture called polypropylene, "skin glue" (cyanoacrylate), and fast-absorbing gut suture of varying thickness. My understanding is that a meta-analysis can only be performed on a set of RCTs that are all comparing the same two things, for example all six RCTs must compare gut suture with skin glue, and therefore the authors have used an incorrect statistical method in their manuscript. Is this correct? Thank you in advance for your help!
Help! I am a physician performing a peer review of a manuscript submitted for publication in a medical journal. (Disclaimer before reading further - I have very little statistics knowledge) The authors have performed a meta-analysis of six RCTs involving the use of a specific type of suture called fast-absorbing gut. Each of the six studies included in the meta-analysis however compares the fast-absorbing gut suture to different things - another type of suture called polypropylene, "skin glue" (cyanoacrylate), and fast-absorbing gut suture of varying thickness. My understanding is that a meta-analysis can only be performed on a set of RCTs that are all comparing the same two things, for example all six RCTs must compare gut suture with skin glue, and therefore the authors have used an incorrect statistical method in their manuscript. Is this correct? Thank you in advance for your help!