Moderator's view: Meta-analysis: the best knowledge but not always shining gold

Abstract

Meta-analysis has gained top status in medicine. Correctly so, well-performed meta-analysis is perceived as an unbeatable method for distilling first class medical knowledge. However, such a high status should in no way be considered as a guarantee that all information derived from meta-analyses is pure gold. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses not performed with due methodological attention abound and nephrology is not at all a protected territory. Herein I give concrete examples of meta-analyses published in major journals whose findings are not pure gold.