Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis of Intervention Studies with Time-to-Event Outcomes: A Review of the Methodology and an Applied Example

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis of Intervention Studies with Time-to-Event Outcomes: A Review of the Methodology and an Applied Example
Language: English
Authors: de Jong, Valentijn M. T. (ORCID 0000-0001-9921-3468), Moons, Karel G. M., Riley, Richard D. (ORCID 0000-0001-8699-0735), Tudur Smith, Catrin, Marson, Anthony G., Eijkemans, Marinus J. C. (ORCID 0000-0001-9400-0615), Debray, Thomas P. A. (ORCID 0000-0002-1790-2719)
Source: Research Synthesis Methods. Mar 2020 11(2):148-168.
Availability: Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2020
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Descriptors: Meta Analysis, Intervention, Randomized Controlled Trials, Guidelines, Medical Research, Epilepsy, Seizures, Drug Therapy, Comparative Analysis, Outcomes of Treatment
DOI: 10.1002/jrsm.1384
ISSN: 1759-2879
Abstract: Many randomized trials evaluate an intervention effect on time-to-event outcomes. Individual participant data (IPD) from such trials can be obtained and combined in a so-called IPD meta-analysis (IPD-MA), to summarize the overall intervention effect. We performed a narrative literature review to provide an overview of methods for conducting an IPD-MA of randomized intervention studies with a time-to-event outcome. We focused on identifying good methodological practice for modeling frailty of trial participants across trials, modeling heterogeneity of intervention effects, choosing appropriate association measures, dealing with (trial differences in) censoring and follow-up times, and addressing time-varying intervention effects and effect modification (interactions).We discuss how to achieve this using parametric and semi-parametric methods, and describe how to implement these in a one-stage or two-stage IPD-MA framework. We recommend exploring heterogeneity of the effect(s) through interaction and non-linear effects. Random effects should be applied to account for residual heterogeneity of the intervention effect. We provide further recommendations, many of which specific to IPD-MA of time-to-event data from randomized trials examining an intervention effect.We illustrate several key methods in a real IPD-MA, where IPD of 1225 participants from 5 randomized clinical trials were combined to compare the effects of Carbamazepine and Valproate on the incidence of epileptic seizures.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2020
Accession Number: EJ1253939
Database: ERIC
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Description
Abstract:Many randomized trials evaluate an intervention effect on time-to-event outcomes. Individual participant data (IPD) from such trials can be obtained and combined in a so-called IPD meta-analysis (IPD-MA), to summarize the overall intervention effect. We performed a narrative literature review to provide an overview of methods for conducting an IPD-MA of randomized intervention studies with a time-to-event outcome. We focused on identifying good methodological practice for modeling frailty of trial participants across trials, modeling heterogeneity of intervention effects, choosing appropriate association measures, dealing with (trial differences in) censoring and follow-up times, and addressing time-varying intervention effects and effect modification (interactions).We discuss how to achieve this using parametric and semi-parametric methods, and describe how to implement these in a one-stage or two-stage IPD-MA framework. We recommend exploring heterogeneity of the effect(s) through interaction and non-linear effects. Random effects should be applied to account for residual heterogeneity of the intervention effect. We provide further recommendations, many of which specific to IPD-MA of time-to-event data from randomized trials examining an intervention effect.We illustrate several key methods in a real IPD-MA, where IPD of 1225 participants from 5 randomized clinical trials were combined to compare the effects of Carbamazepine and Valproate on the incidence of epileptic seizures.
ISSN:1759-2879
DOI:10.1002/jrsm.1384