Chapter 25 – Meta-Analysis in Stata – Systematic Reviews in Health Research

David J. Fisher, Marcel Zwahlen, Matthias Egger, Julian P.T. Higgins

Abstract

Stata is a commercial general-purpose, programmable statistical package. A comprehensive set of commands are available for meta-analysis of different types of studies and data. Meta-analysis of studies comparing two treatments can be performed for binary (relative risk, odds ratio, risk difference) or continuous outcomes (difference in means, standardized difference in means). Meta-analysis of proportions or of generic effect estimates can also be performed. All widely used fixed-effect (inverse-variance method, Mantel–Haenszel method and Peto’s method) and random-effects (DerSimonian and Laird, restricted maximum likelihood [REML], and many more) models are available. Forest plots, funnel plots, and other type of plots can be obtained, and statistical tests for funnel plot asymmetry computed. Additional commands are available for meta-analysis of specific applications such as diagnostic test accuracy and dose–response, as well as generalizations such as meta-regression, multivariate meta-analysis, and network meta-analysis. These additional commands also include tailor-made plotting options. Further details on meta-analysis in Stata are available from a dedicated book published by Stata Press (2016), although the information presented in this chapter is more up to date.

Corrections

There are currently no corrections for this chapter.

Resources

All Stata commands described in the chapter can be replicated using the datasets available in the Practicals section below.

Practicals

Dataset for the examples in the chapter.

strepto.dta: Data from 22 randomized controlled trials of streptokinase in the prevention of death following myocardial infarction. Adapted from Yusuf, S., Collins, R., Peto, R. et al. (1985). Intravenous and intracoronary fibrinolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction: overview of results on mortality, reinfarction and side‐effects from 33 randomized controlled trials. Eur. Heart J. 6: 556–585; Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Streptochinasi nell’Infarto Miocardico (GISSI) (1986). Effectiveness of intravenous thrombolytic treatment in acute myocardial infarction. Lancet 1: 397–402; ISIS‐2 (Second International Study of Infarct Survival) Collaborative Group (1988). Randomised trial of intravenous streptokinase, oral aspirin, both, or neither among 17 187 cases of suspected acute myocardial infarction: ISIS‐2. Lancet 2: 349–360.

magnes.dta: Data from 16 randomized controlled trials of intravenous magnesium in the prevention of death following myocardial infarction. From Teo, K.K., Yusuf, S., Collins, R. et al. (1991). Effects of intravenous magnesium in suspected acute myocardial infarction: overview of randomised trials. BMJ. 303: 1499–1503; ISIS‐4 (Fourth International Study of Infarct Survival) Collaborative Group (1995). ISIS‐4 : a randomised factorial trial assessing early oral captopril, oral mononitrate, and intravenous magnesium sulphate in 58 050 patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction. Lancet 345: 669–685.

bcgtrial.dta: Data from 11 studies of BCG vaccine to prevent tuberculosis (TB). Adapted from Colditz, G.A., Brewer, T.F., Berkey, C.S. et al. (1994). Efficacy of BCG vaccine in the prevention of tuberculosis: meta‐ analysis of the published literature. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 271: 698–702.

strepto Download

magnes Download

bcgtrial Download

Author affiliations

David J. Fisher

Medical Research Council Clinical Trial Unit, University College London, London, UK

Marcel Zwahlen

Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

Matthias Egger

Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Centre for Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology and Research, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Julian P.T. Higgins

Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
National Institute of Health Research, Applied Research Collaboration West, University Hospital Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK

How to cite this chapter?

For the printed version of the book

Fisher, D.J., Zwahlen, M., Egger, M. and Higgins, J.P.T. (2022). Chapter 25. Meta-analysis in stata. In: Systematic Reviews in Health Research: Meta-analysis in Context (eds M. Egger, J.P.T. Higgins and G. Davey Smith), pp 481-509. Hoboken, NJ : Wiley.