Low reporting quality of the meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology

Abstract

Context.-Little is known regarding the reporting quality of meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology. Objective.-To compare reporting quality of metaanalyses in diagnostic pathology and medicine and to examine factors associated with reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses. Design.-Meta-analyses were identified in 12 major diagnostic pathology journals without specifying years and 4 major medicine journals in 2006 and 2011 using PubMed. Reporting quality of meta-analyses was evaluated using the 27-item checklist of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement published in 2009. A higher PRISMA score indicates higher reporting quality. Results.-Forty-one diagnostic pathology meta-analyses and 118 medicine meta-analyses were included. Overall, reporting quality of meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology was lower than that in medicine (median [interquartile range]1/422 [15, 25] versus 27 [23, 28], P , .001). Compared with medicine meta-analyses, diagnostic pathology metaanalyses less likely reported 23 of the 27 items (85.2%) on the PRISMA checklist, but more likely reported the data items. Higher reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses was associated with recent publication years (later than 2009 versus 2009 or earlier, P 1/4 .002) and non- North American first authors (versus North American, P 1/4 .001), but not journal publisher's location (P 1/4 .11). Interestingly, reporting quality was not associated with adjusted citation ratio for meta-analyses in either diagnostic pathology or medicine (P1/4 .40 and P 1/4 .09, respectively). Conclusions.-Meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology had lower reporting quality than those in medicine. Reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses is linked to publication year and first author's location, but not to journal publisher's location or article's adjusted citation ratios. More research and education on metaanalysis methodology may improve the reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses.