Improvement needed in the network geometry and inconsistency of Cochrane network meta-analyses: a cross-sectional survey

Ref ID	681
First Author	Y. Gao
Journal	JOURNAL OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
Year Of Publishing	2019
URL	https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2019.05.022
Keywords	• Cochrane • Network meta-analysis • General medical • Publication bias • Low reporting quality • Low methodological quality
Problem(s)	• Low reporting (PRISMA) quality • Low methodological (AMSTAR) quality • Poor consideration of publication bias • Individual study characteristics not reported sufficiently
Number of systematic reviews included	42
Summary of Findings	Only 26.2% NMAs described the geometry of network, 64.3% presented the network plot, and 33.3% fully assessed the inconsistency. The overall methodological quality was low. 88.1% of the included NMAs did not explain their selection of the study designs for inclusion in the review, and 59.5% of the NMAs did not carry out an adequate investigation of publication bias
Did the article find that the problem(s) led to qualitative changes in interpretation of the results?	N/A
Are the methods of the article described in enough detail to replicate the study?	Yes