A comparison of two varying coefficient meta-analysis methods for an average risk difference

Abstract

Two interval estimation methods for a general linear function of binomial proportions have been proposed. One method [Zou GY, Huang W, Zhang X. A note on confidence interval estimation for a linear function of binomial proportions. Comput Statist Data Anal. 2009;53:1080–1085] combines Wilson interval estimates of individual proportions, and the other method [Price RM, Bonett DG. An improved confidence interval for a linear function of binomial proportions. Comput Statist Data Anal. 2004;45:449–456] uses an adjusted Wald interval. Both methods are appropriate in varying coefficient meta-analysis models where the risk differences are allowed to vary across studies. The two methods were compared in a simulation study under realistic meta-analysis conditions and the adjusted Wald method was found to have the best performance characteristics.