Methodological quality of network meta-analysis in dentistry: a meta-research

Montagner, Annelise F., Angst, Patricia D.M., Raggio, Daniela P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0048-2068, Van De Sande, Françoise H. and Tedesco, Tamara K. 2023. Methodological quality of network meta-analysis in dentistry: a meta-research. Brazilian Oral Research 2023 (37) , e062. 10.1590/1807-3107bor-2023.vol37.0062

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (482kB)

Abstract

This meta-research aimed to provide an overview of the methodological quality and risk of bias of network meta-analyses (NMA) in dentistry. Searches for NMA of randomized clinical trials with clinical outcomes in dentistry were performed in databases up to January 2022. Two reviewers independently screened titles/abstracts, selected full texts, and extracted the data. The adherence to PRISMA-NMA reporting guideline, the AMSTAR-2 methodological quality tool, and the ROBIS risk of bias tool were assessed in the studies. Correlation between the PRISMA-NMA adherence and the AMSTAR-2 and ROBIS results was also investigated. Sixty-two NMA studies were included and presented varied methodological quality. According to AMSTAR-2, half of the NMA presented moderate quality (n = 32; 51.6%). The adherence to PRISMA-NMA also varied. Only 36 studies (58.1%) prospectively registered the protocol. Other issues lacking of reporting were data related were data related to the NMA geometry and the assessment of results consistency, and the evaluation of risk of bias across the studies. ROBIS assessment showed a high risk of bias mainly for domains 1 (study eligibility criteria) and 2 (identification and selection of studies). Correlation coefficients between the PRISMA-NMA adherence and the AMSTAR-2 and ROBIS results showed moderate correlation (rho < 0.6). Overall, NMA studies in dentistry were of moderate quality and at high risk of bias in several domains, especially study selection. Future reviews should be better planned and conducted and have higher compliance with reporting and quality assessment tools.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Dentistry
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	26 October 2023
Date of Acceptance:	27 January 2023
Last Modified:	27 Oct 2023 09:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/163522

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item