Solved – How to conduct a meta-analysis using raw data

meta-analysis

I think meta-analyses are a great way of exploring a hypothesis when available evidence is heterogeneous. Usually however when conducting a meta-analysis one puts aggregated data in a model, possibly losing information.

Therefore I am considering gathering data from published research from the authors in order to be able to conduct analysis on 'raw data' rather then aggregated data (my field is neuroscience/psychology/psychiatry).

Questions

  • Where can I learn more about conducting such analyses?
  • Are researchers typically willing to share their data?
  • Would ethical guidelines preclude such data sharing?

Best Answer

As @Alexander already mentioned, you are looking for an approach that is called "individual participant/person/patient data meta-analysis" (IPD meta-analysis). He also refered to an article by Richard Riley, who has published a lot in this field. Please find below a collection of articles that I used for our advanced meta-analysis class:

  • Cooper, H., & Patall, E. A. (2009). The relative benefits of meta-analysis conducted with individual participant data versus aggregated data. Psychological methods, 14(2), 165–176. doi:10.1037/a0015565

  • Curran, P. J., & Hussong, A. M. (2009). Integrative data analysis: the simultaneous analysis of multiple data sets. Psychological methods, 14(2), 81–100. doi:10.1037/a0015914

  • Lyman, G. H., & Kuderer, N. M. (2005). The strengths and limitations of meta-analyses based on aggregate data. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 5(1), 14.

  • (already mentioned) Riley, R. D., Lambert, P. C., & Abo-Zaid, G. (2010). Meta-analysis of individual participant data: rationale, conduct, and reporting. BMJ, 340(feb05 1), c221-c221. doi:10.1136/bmj.c221

  • Riley, R. D., Lambert, P. C., Staessen, J. A., Wang, J., Gueyffier, F., Thijs, L., & Boutitie, F. (2007). Meta-analysis of continuous outcomes combining individual patient data and aggregate data. Statistics in Medicine. doi:10.1002/sim.3165

  • Simmonds, M. C., Higgins, J. P., Stewart, L. A., Tierney, J. F., Clarke, M. J., & Thompson, S. G. (2005). Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized trials: a review of methods used in practice. Clinical Trials, 2(3), 209–217.

  • Stewart, L. A., & Tierney, J. F. (2002). To IPD or not to IPD? Advantages and disadvantages of systematic reviews using individual patient data. Evaluation and The Health Professions, 25(1), 76-97.

Related Question