Abstract:
The use of meta-analysis in medicine is widespread nowadays, particularly in the field of
interventional cardiology. Meta-analysis is a statistical approach aiming to combine date from
a large number of patients from randomized clinical studies and/or non-randomized registries
so as to obtain a pooled estimate of the results and to answer specific research questions. It is
important to take the correct methodological approach in order to reach unbiased conclusions.
In this article, we provide an updated review of the methodological approaches needed to perform
meta-analyses of non-randomized data, and we suggest a simplified check-list of items to be
considered when attempting to deploy this kind of meta-analysis. (Cardiol J 2011; 18, 1: 3–7)
