Diagnostic meta-analysis: Case study in gastroenterology

Meta-analysis refers to the use of statistical tools to combine and compare the results of multiple studies on particular outcomes on interest. Use of meta-analysis in the medical literature, including the field of gastroenterology, has been increasing. Conducting high-quality meta-analysis can be challenging. Similarly understanding published meta-analyses can be difficult. In this chapter, we will present several case studies on meta-analyses in gastroenterology. We will use these studies to shed light on several key factors in meta-analyses. These factors include the importance of choosing the appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria, deciding on the best meta-meter of interest, recognizing and dealing with duplicate cohorts, and using direct and indirect comparisons. Our goal is to show how meta-analyses can be great tools for providing evidence-based results that can have a significant impact on clinical practice in the field of gastroenterology.