Individual participant data meta-analysis of prognosis studies

Abstract

An alternative approach to meta-analysis of aggregate data from published prognosis research (as addressed in Chapter 9), with its challenges of heterogeneity and lack of information, is to conduct meta-analysis of individual participant data (IPD), that is, the original raw data of the individuals who are included in the primary prognosis studies. The approach is increasingly feasible as data sharing and open-access data become more popular, and the chapter highlights why they offer enormous advantages for a robust and meaningful evidence synthesis of prognosis studies. In particular, better prognostic models can be developed and directly validated across multiple settings, and power is increased to detect genuine predictors of treatment response. Key steps in such an IPD meta-analysis are explained, including practical guidance on how to obtain, handle, and synthesize data, and what potential challenges may be encountered.