This problem is addressed in PRISMA 2009, PRISMA 2020, AMSTAR 1, AMSTAR 2, ROBIS and MECIR. If trials differ due to clinical, methodological or statistical heterogeneity this should be elaborated appropriately and meta-analyses of such trials may be misleading. Common errors include meta-analysing trials in spite of substantial heterogeneity, ignoring heterogeneity, or over-reliance on the I squared statistic as a descriptor of heterogeneity.
Articles that support this problem:
Reporting and methodologic quality of Cochrane Neonatal review group systematic reviews
2009 : Bmc pediatrics
Journal impact factor is associated with PRISMA endorsement, but not with the methodological quality of low back pain systematic reviews: a methodological review
2020 : European spine journal
Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews Relating to Performance of All-Ceramic Implant Abutments, Frameworks, and Restorations
2021 : Journal of prosthodontics
An AMSTAR assessment of the methodological quality of systematic reviews of oral healthcare interventions published in the Journal of Applied Oral Science (JAOS)
2011 : Journal of applied oral science
Quality of urological systematic reviews registered in PROSPERO
2019 : Bju international
The methodological quality of systematic reviews on the treatment of adult major depression needs improvement according to AMSTAR 2: A cross-sectional study
2020 : Heliyon
Heterogeneity of systematic reviews in oncology
2017 : Baylor university medical center proceedings
Heterogeneity can impair the results of Cochrane meta‐analyses despite accordance with statistical guidelines
2008 : Allergy
The impact of including different study designs in meta-analyses of diagnostic accuracy studies
2013 : European journal of epidemiology
Methodologically weak systematic review of Chinese herbal medicine for diabetic peripheral neuropathy calls for more rigorous trials
2013 : Focus on alternative and complementary therapies
Potential Problems With Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
2017 : Journal of pain
Statistical heterogeneity in systematic reviews of clinical trials: a critical appraisal of guidelines and practice
2002 : Journal of health services research & policy
Clinical heterogeneity was a common problem in Cochrane reviews of physiotherapy and occupational therapy
2006 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Statistical methods can be improved within Cochrane pregnancy and childbirth reviews
2011 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Systematic overview finds variation in approaches to investigating and reporting on sources of heterogeneity in systematic reviews of diagnostic studies
2014 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Are systematic reviews taking heterogeneity into account? An analysis from the Infectious Diseases Module of the Cochrane Library
2000 : Unknown
Strong heterogeneity of outcome reporting in systematic reviews
2016 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Dealing with substantial heterogeneity in Cochrane reviews. Cross-sectional study
2011 : Bmc medical research methodology
The association between periodontitis and coronary heart disease: a quality assessment of systematic reviews
2013 : Journal of the american dental association
A re-analysis of the Cochrane Library data: the dangers of unobserved heterogeneity in meta-analyses
2013 : Plos one [electronic resource]
Apparently conclusive meta-analyses may be inconclusive--Trial sequential analysis adjustment of random error risk due to repetitive testing of accumulating data in apparently conclusive neonatal meta-analyses
2009 : International journal of epidemiology
Evolution of heterogeneity (I2) estimates and their 95% confidence intervals in large meta-analyses
2012 : Plos one
Incorrect inclusion of individual studies and methodological flaws in systematic review and meta-analysis
2014 : British journal of general practice
Quality of reporting in systematic reviews of implantable medical devices
2012 : Unknown
Cochrane systematic reviews of Chinese herbal medicines: an overview
2011 : Plos one
Dissemination bias in systematic reviews of animal research: a systematic review
2014 : Plos one
Not all systematic reviews are created equal
2018 : Canadian journal of occupational therapy
In an empirical evaluation of the funnel plot, researchers could not visually identify publication bias
2005 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
A systematic survey showed important limitations in the methods for assessing drug safety among systematic reviews
2020 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Misleading funnel plot for detection of bias in meta-analysis
2000 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
A review of methodological quality of systematic reviews on multiple pregnancies
2006 : Journal of obstetrics & gynaecology
Quality of the Evidence Supporting the Role of Oral Nutritional Supplements in the Management of Malnutrition: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
2021 : Adv nutr
Trust, but verify. The errors and misinterpretations in the Cochrane analysis by O. J. Storebo and colleagues on the efficacy and safety of methylphenidate for the treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD
2016 : Zeitschrift fur kinder-und jugendpsychiatrie und psychotherapie
A case study of a retracted systematic review on interactive health communication applications: impact on media, scientists, and patients
2005 : Journal of medical internet research
A Cochrane review on brain [18F]FDG PET in dementia: limitations and future perspectives
2015 : European journal of nuclear medicine & molecular imaging
Epidemiology, quality, and reporting characteristics of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of nursing interventions published in Chinese journals
2015 : Nursing outlook
Survey of the reporting characteristics of systematic reviews in rehabilitation
2013 : Physical therapy
Quality of Cochrane reviews: Quality of Cochrane reviews is better than that of non-Cochrane reviews
2002 : Bmj: british medical journal
The fate of urological systematic reviews registered in PROSPERO
2019 : World journal of urology
Low Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews Published in the Urological Literature (2016-2018)
2020 : Urology
Epidemiology and Reporting Characteristics of Systematic Reviews of Biomedical Research: A Cross-Sectional Study
2016 : Plos medicine
A methodological review of how heterogeneity has been examined in systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy.
2005 : Health technology assessment
Cochrane vertebroplasty review misrepresented evidence for vertebroplasty with early intervention in severely affected patients
2020 : Bmj evidence-based medicine
Methodological issues and recommendations for systematic reviews of prognostic studies: an example from cardiovascular disease
2014 : Systematic reviews
Letter to the editor regarding "the prevalence and influencing factors of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage in people in contact with livestock: A systematic review"
2015 : American journal of infection control
Reduce variation and improve quality in meta-analyses
2014 : Annals of surgery
Letter to the Editor on "Prognostic Role of Serum Albumin, Total Lymphocyte Count, and Mini Nutritional Assessment on Outcomes After Geriatric Hip Fracture Surgery: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review"
2019 : Journal of arthroplasty
Characteristics and quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational nutritional epidemiology: a cross-sectional study
2021 : American journal of clinical nutrition
Results from a meta-analysis comparing bovine carotid artery grafts with polytetrafluoroethylene grafts must be interpreted with caution due to methodological flaws
2021 : Journal of vascular access
Methodological quality was critically low in 9/10 systematic reviews in advanced cancer patients-A methodological study
2021 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Errors and Biases in Meta-analysis of the Prevalence of Olfactory Dysfunction in Patients With COVID-19
2021 : Otolaryngology - head and neck surgery (united states)
Comments on "the role of percutaneous neurolysis in lumbar disc herniation: Systematic review and meta-analysis"
2022 : Korean journal of pain
Commentary on "The association between serum vitamin D, fertility and semen quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis" [Int. J. Surg. 71 (2019) 101-109]
2021 : International journal of surgery
Methodological issues in designing and reporting of systematic reviews in assessing association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 severity
2023 : Qjm
Methodological considerations for systematic review and meta-analysis of Xpert bladder cancer monitor
2022 : Urologic oncology: seminars and original investigations
Striking Errors in the Methodology, Execution, and Conclusions of the Cochrane Library Review of Spinal Cord Stimulation for Low Back Pain by Traeger et al
2023 : Pain medicine
How is the quality of the available evidence on molar-incisor hypomineralization treatment? An overview of systematic reviews
2022 : Clinical oral investigations
Comment on "Ticks infected with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV): A decision approach systematic review and meta-analysis regarding their role as vectors"
2023 : Travel medicine and infectious disease
A commentary on "Robot-assisted kidney transplantation as a minimally invasive approach for kidney transplant recipients: A systematic review and meta-analyses" [Int. J. Surg. 99 (2022) 106264]
2022 : International journal of surgery
Letter to the Editor concerning "the influence of cognitive behavioral therapy on lumbar spine surgery outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis" by Parish JM, et al. (Eur Spine J [2021]; 30(5):1365-1379)
2022 : European spine journal
The normality assumption on between-study random effects was questionable in a considerable number of Cochrane meta-analyses
2023 : Bmc medicine
Impact of industry sponsorship on the quality of systematic reviews of vaccines: a cross-sectional analysis of studies published from 2016 to 2019
2022 : Systematic reviews