Meta-analysis - interpretation of forest plots: A wood for the trees
A forest plot is a graphical tool to visualise and interpret the summary of estimated results in a meta-analysis. However, it is limited by its inability to control for random error, publication bias, heterogeneity, and confounding factors. Therefore, the interpretation can be misleading, resulting...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Indian Journal of Anaesthesia |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ija.ija_1155_24 |
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| _version_ | 1832087373983252480 |
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| author | Soumya Sarkar Dalim Kumar Baidya |
| author_facet | Soumya Sarkar Dalim Kumar Baidya |
| author_sort | Soumya Sarkar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A forest plot is a graphical tool to visualise and interpret the summary of estimated results in a meta-analysis. However, it is limited by its inability to control for random error, publication bias, heterogeneity, and confounding factors. Therefore, the interpretation can be misleading, resulting in flawed conclusions. A careful interpretation and other complementing techniques are necessary to comprehensively summarise evidence in meta-analyses, reducing the risk of erroneous conclusions. The present review explores the components of forest plots, how to interpret them correctly, fundamental limitations, and techniques to mitigate them, along with examples to provide practical insights to ensure more accurate and reliable meta-analytic results. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6484f14a54e549918495de48252cbeec |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0019-5049 0976-2817 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Indian Journal of Anaesthesia |
| spelling | doaj-art-6484f14a54e549918495de48252cbeec2025-02-06T05:26:09ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Anaesthesia0019-50490976-28172025-01-0169114715210.4103/ija.ija_1155_24Meta-analysis - interpretation of forest plots: A wood for the treesSoumya SarkarDalim Kumar BaidyaA forest plot is a graphical tool to visualise and interpret the summary of estimated results in a meta-analysis. However, it is limited by its inability to control for random error, publication bias, heterogeneity, and confounding factors. Therefore, the interpretation can be misleading, resulting in flawed conclusions. A careful interpretation and other complementing techniques are necessary to comprehensively summarise evidence in meta-analyses, reducing the risk of erroneous conclusions. The present review explores the components of forest plots, how to interpret them correctly, fundamental limitations, and techniques to mitigate them, along with examples to provide practical insights to ensure more accurate and reliable meta-analytic results.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ija.ija_1155_24biasconfounding variablesforest plotheterogeneitymeta-analysis |
| spellingShingle | Soumya Sarkar Dalim Kumar Baidya Meta-analysis - interpretation of forest plots: A wood for the trees Indian Journal of Anaesthesia bias confounding variables forest plot heterogeneity meta-analysis |
| title | Meta-analysis - interpretation of forest plots: A wood for the trees |
| title_full | Meta-analysis - interpretation of forest plots: A wood for the trees |
| title_fullStr | Meta-analysis - interpretation of forest plots: A wood for the trees |
| title_full_unstemmed | Meta-analysis - interpretation of forest plots: A wood for the trees |
| title_short | Meta-analysis - interpretation of forest plots: A wood for the trees |
| title_sort | meta analysis interpretation of forest plots a wood for the trees |
| topic | bias confounding variables forest plot heterogeneity meta-analysis |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ija.ija_1155_24 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT soumyasarkar metaanalysisinterpretationofforestplotsawoodforthetrees AT dalimkumarbaidya metaanalysisinterpretationofforestplotsawoodforthetrees |