The METHODS Team of the Inserm Research Centre in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS-UMR1153) is organising a 3-day course on Network Meta-analysis:
Network meta-analysis: from planning to publication
Course description:
Traditional meta-analytical methods commonly used for synthesizing evidence from clinical trials are limited in comparing two interventions at a time. However, for any given condition there is usually a plethora of alternative treatment options. Network meta-analysis is an extension of pairwise meta-analysis that allows the simultaneous synthesis of data from networks of trials. By combining direct and indirect information, network meta-analysis can inform every possible treatment comparison, even those for which no head-to-head trials exist.
This course will focus on the role of network meta-analyses in comparative effectiveness research. We will examine the full process of a network meta-analysis from the planning stage and the preparation of the protocol up to the final report and publication of the manuscript. The course will consist of theoretical and practical sessions. Participants will be asked during registration to choose between Stata and R for running the analyses.
Course objectives:
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
Understand the concept and the main principles of network meta-analysis
Write a protocol for a network meta-analysis
Understand and evaluate the assumptions of a network meta-analysis
Synthesize the data from a network of trials
Interpret the results of a network meta-analysis
Identify the limitations and potential sources of bias within a network of trials
Critically appraise the results from a network meta-analysis and present the findings in line with the relevant guidelines
Prerequisites:
The course is aimed at physicians and clinical researchers with good understanding of quantitative analyses or epidemiologists and biostatisticians. Some previous experience with systematic reviews and meta-analyses, basic knowledge of statistics and some experience with R or Stata are required for all participants. Participants will need to bring their laptops with R or Stata installed for the practical sessions.
Course location:
The course will take place in the centre of Paris. The course venue will be announced soon.
Speakers:
Anna Chaimani, Paris Descartes University/Inserm (France)
Dimitris Mavridis, University of Ioannina (Greece)
Adriani Nikolakopoulou, University of Bern (Switzerland)
Nicole Pitcher, Cochrane France, Paris (France)
Gerta Ruecker, University Medical Centre of Freiburg (Germany)