PMID: 11914301Mar 27, 2002Paper

Asymmetric funnel plots and publication bias in meta-analyses of diagnostic accuracy

International Journal of Epidemiology
Fujian SongAlex J Sutton

Abstract

Despite the great possibility of publication bias in studies of diagnostic test research, empirical studies about publication bias have mainly focused on studies of treatment effect. A sample of 28 meta-analyses of diagnostic accuracy was selected from the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE). Methods used to deal with publication and related biases in these meta-analyses were examined. Asymmetry of funnel plot of estimated test accuracy against corresponding precision for each meta-analysis was assessed by three statistical methods: rank correlation method, regression analysis, and Trim and Fill method. In reviews of diagnostic accuracy, there was a general lack of consideration of appropriate literature searching to minimize publication bias, and the impact of possible publication bias has not been systematically assessed. The results of the three different statistical methods consistently showed that in a large proportion of the 28 meta-analyses evaluated, the smaller studies were associated with a greater diagnostic accuracy. Exploratory analyses found that the fewer the literature databases searched, the greater the funnel plot asymmetry in meta-analyses. Funnel plot asymmetry tended to be greater in me...Continue Reading

References

May 1, 1995·The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal·O Da SilvaC Kenyon
Apr 1, 1995·American Journal of Epidemiology·M T FaheyP Macaskill
Jan 1, 1995·Journal of Clinical Epidemiology·L IrwigM Fahey
Jan 1, 1995·Psychological Bulletin·V Hasselblad, L V Hedges
Aug 1, 1994·American Journal of Epidemiology·S Greenland
Jul 1, 1995·Academic Emergency Medicine : Official Journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine·R K OrrD Hartman
Apr 1, 1996·Clinical Radiology·R MackenzieA K Dixon
Jun 1, 1996·The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal·L HuichoR L Guerrant
Apr 1, 1997·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Y Siegman-IgraB M Farr
Nov 1, 1996·Dento Maxillo Facial Radiology·J LiedbergM Rohlin
Jun 4, 1997·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·R G BadgettC D Mulrow
Aug 1, 1997·Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation·S Hallan, A Asberg
Oct 6, 1997·BMJ : British Medical Journal·M EggerC Minder
Oct 7, 1997·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·J ScheidlerM R Segal
Oct 27, 1997·Hepatology : Official Journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases·P A BonisJ Lau
Feb 6, 1998·BMJ : British Medical Journal·M Egger, G D Smith
Mar 11, 1998·BMJ : British Medical Journal·L IrwigP Glasziou
Jul 2, 1998·Obstetrics and Gynecology·G FaronW D Fraser
Sep 24, 1999·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·J G LijmerP M Bossuyt
Dec 28, 1999·Statistics in Medicine·S D Walter, A R Jadad
May 17, 2000·Journal of Clinical Epidemiology·J L Tang, J L Liu
Jun 14, 2000·BMJ : British Medical Journal·A J SuttonD R Jones

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

May 29, 2008·International Journal of Colorectal Disease·Ya-Shuang ZhaoDing-Yun You
Jul 14, 2012·European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·Hyung-Ki Park, Hae-Dong Jho
Jul 20, 2012·European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·Ronald H M A Bartels
Oct 1, 2011·Breast Cancer Research and Treatment·Yuting WangGang Huang
Nov 11, 2010·Journal of General Internal Medicine·Daniel A OllendorfSteven D Pearson
Mar 8, 2005·Best Practice & Research. Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology·Khalid S Khan
Dec 21, 2011·Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine·Wei WangYousheng Liang
Sep 13, 2002·Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica Scandinavica·Janesh K GuptaKhalid S Khan
May 25, 2006·Psychological Bulletin·Russell E JohnsonRobert G Lord
Apr 13, 2005·Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·Troels Bygum Knudsen, Thomas Birk Kristiansen
Jun 24, 2004·Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation : Official Publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association·Giorgina Barbara PiccoliGiuseppe Piccoli
Oct 10, 2012·Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation : Official Publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association·Xiu-Lan LuYi-Min Zhu
May 11, 2006·Colorectal Disease : the Official Journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland·J J Tjandra, M K Y Chan
Oct 20, 2010·Colorectal Disease : the Official Journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland·Y KobayashiK Kawakami
Jul 15, 2011·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Kalliopi-Stavroula ChatzigeorgiouPantelis G Bagos
Sep 17, 2005·Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health·Silvia Palma, Miguel Delgado-Rodriguez
Jan 18, 2006·Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health·Miguel Delgado-Rodríguez
Dec 5, 2009·Medical Decision Making : an International Journal of the Society for Medical Decision Making·Haitao ChuYijie Zhou
Aug 13, 2008·BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth·Shakila ThangaratinamKhalid S Khan
Oct 1, 2011·BMC Clinical Pharmacology·Lawrence K LeungWalter W Rosser
Oct 9, 2013·Systematic Reviews·Mariska M G LeeflangPetra Macaskill
Dec 1, 2012·Critical Care : the Official Journal of the Critical Care Forum·Youping WuXiaoming Deng
Mar 26, 2008·CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal = Journal De L'Association Medicale Canadienne·Tara J SelmanKhalid Khan
Jul 2, 2008·CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal = Journal De L'Association Medicale Canadienne·Agustín Conde-Agudelo, Marshall Lindheimer
Dec 21, 2011·CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal = Journal De L'Association Medicale Canadienne·Laura ManeaDean McMillan
Nov 9, 2005·Journal of Epidemiology·Yasuaki HayashinoTsuguya Fukui
Jul 4, 2012·Neurosurgical Focus·Julie DubourgMahmoud Messerer

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.