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.

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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.