Reduce variation and improve quality in meta-analyses

Ref ID 746
First Author L. Timmermans
Journal ANNALS OF SURGERY
Year Of Publishing 2014
URL https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24253146/
Keywords Surgery
Heterogeneity
Low reporting quality
Problem(s) Intervention not described / defined
Inadequate analysis of heterogeneity
Number of systematic reviews included 1
Summary of Findings The authors of the letters highlight that the randomised controlled trials included in the meta-analysis are highly heterogenous with regards to interventions, types of surgery (cerebrospinal fluid to breast surgery) and patient characteristics (adults and children). The differences between trials highlighted by the letter authors call into question the validity of the meta-analysis and conclusion.
Did the article find that the problem(s) led to qualitative changes in interpretation of the results? Not Applicable
Are the methods of the article described in enough detail to replicate the study?