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“Meta-epidemiological study” is a study in which the unit of analysis is a study, not a patient; response to Puljak et al.

  • Yuki Kataoka
    Affiliations
    Department of Internal Medicine, Kyoto Min-iren Asukai Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
    Scientific Research Works Peer Support Group (SRWS-PSG), Osaka, Japan
    Section of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Community Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
    Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine / School of Public Health, Kyoto, Japan
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  • Masahiro Banno
    Affiliations
    Department of Psychiatry, Seichiryo Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
    Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
    Scientific Research WorkS Peer Support Group (SRWS-PSG), Osaka, Japan
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  • Yasushi Tsujimoto
    Affiliations
    Oku Medical Clinic, Osaka, Japan
    Department of Health Promotion and Human Behavior, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine/School of Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
    Scientific Research WorkS Peer Support Group (SRWS-PSG), Osaka, Japan
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  • Toshi A. Furukawa
    Correspondence
    Corresponding author: Department of Health Promotion and Human Behavior, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine/School of Public Health, Kyoto, Japan, Tel.: +81 75 753 9491; fax: +81 75 753 4641.
    Affiliations
    Department of Health Promotion and Human Behavior, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine/School of Public Health, Kyoto, Japan
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Published:December 08, 2022DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.12.002
“Meta-epidemiological study” is a study in which the unit of analysis is a study, not a patient; response to Puljak et al.
Previous ArticleChallenges with defining a meta-epidemiological study as “study in which the unit of analysis is a study, not a patient”: author’s reply
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      We welcome Prof. Puljak's comment and related endeavors to clarify and define the currently confusing nomenclatures around “meta-epidemiology” and related terms such as “meta-research” and “research-on-research” [
      • Puljak L.
      Caution is needed when describing a study design as meta-epidemiological.
      J Clin Epidemiol. 2022; (Online ahead of print)
      ,
      • Puljak L.
      • Makaric Z.L.
      • Buljan I.
      • Pieper D.
      What is a meta-epidemiological study? Analysis of published literature indicated heterogeneous study designs and definitions.
      J Comp Eff Res. 2020; 9: 497-508
      ]. We agree that the concept of “meta-epidemiological” studies includes studies that evaluate the impact of trial characteristics on effect sizes [
      • Sterne J.A.C.
      • Jüni P.
      • Schulz K.F.
      • Altman D.G.
      • Bartlett C.
      • Egger M.
      Statistical methods for assessing the influence of study characteristics on treatment effects in “meta-epidemiological” research.
      Stat Med. 2002; 21: 1513-1524
      ]. However, we do not agree with limiting the concept of this term only to such studies for several reasons.
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      References

        • Puljak L.
        Caution is needed when describing a study design as meta-epidemiological.
        J Clin Epidemiol. 2022; (Online ahead of print)
        View in Article
        • Puljak L.
        • Makaric Z.L.
        • Buljan I.
        • Pieper D.
        What is a meta-epidemiological study? Analysis of published literature indicated heterogeneous study designs and definitions.
        J Comp Eff Res. 2020; 9: 497-508
        View in Article
        • Sterne J.A.C.
        • Jüni P.
        • Schulz K.F.
        • Altman D.G.
        • Bartlett C.
        • Egger M.
        Statistical methods for assessing the influence of study characteristics on treatment effects in “meta-epidemiological” research.
        Stat Med. 2002; 21: 1513-1524
        View in Article
        • Naylor C.D.
        Meta-analysis and the meta-epidemiology of clinical research.
        BMJ. 1997; 315: 617-619
        View in Article
        • Murad M.H.
        • Wang Z.
        Guidelines for reporting meta-epidemiological methodology research.
        Evid Based Med. 2017; 22: 139-142
        View in Article
      6. That's so meta [Internet].
        (Merriam-Webster. Available at:)
        https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/meta-adjective-self-referential
        Date: 2017
        Date accessed: December 17, 2022
        View in Article

      Article info

      Publication history

      Published online: December 08, 2022

      Publication stage

      In Press Journal Pre-Proof

      Footnotes

      Author contributions: Yuki Kataokahad full access to all the data in the study and took responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Drafting of the manuscript: YK. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: Masahiro Banno, Yasushi Tsujimoto, and Toshi A. Furukawa. All authors gave final approval of the version to be published and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of this work.

      Conflict of interest: Yuki Kataoka: none known. Masahiro Banno: none known. Yasushi Tsujimoto: none known. Toshi A. Furukawa: TAF reports personal fees from DT Axis, Kyoto University Original, Merck Sharp & Dohme and Sony Group Corporation and a grant from Shionogi, outside the submitted work; In addition, TAF has patents 2020-548587 and 2022-082495 pending, and intellectual properties for Kokoro-app licensed to Mitsubishi-Tanabe.

      Funding: none.

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.12.002

      Copyright

      © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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