Improved meta analysis using predicted relative risk

Abstract

[Abstract]: This paper proposes a new method of improved meta analysis to combine relative risk for both homogeneous and heterogeneous set of studies. The standard meta analyses don't give any conclusive result when the effects of heterogenous studies are combined. The proposed improved meta analysis uses the predicted relative risk, and chi-square test to check the heterogeneity of the effects. Confidence intervals for the relative risks obtained via improved method concentrate more towards the value of the pooled estimate than that of the standard meta analysis. Exclusion of identified studies with outliers from the analysis brings the results of the remaining studies closer to the pooled estimate. An illustration shows that the new method improves the results and provide conclusive estimate of the relative risk.