Individual participant data meta-analyses (IPDMA): data contribution was associated with trial corresponding author country, publication year, and journal impact factor

Marleine Azar; Andrea Benedetti; Kira E Riehm; Mahrukh Imran; Ankur Krishnan; Matthew Chiovitti; Tatiana Sanchez; Ian Shrier; Brett D Thombs

doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2020.03.026

Individual participant data meta-analyses (IPDMA): data contribution was associated with trial corresponding author country, publication year, and journal impact factor

J Clin Epidemiol. 2020 Aug:124:16-23. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2020.03.026. Epub 2020 Apr 13.

Authors

Marleine Azar¹, Andrea Benedetti², Kira E Riehm³, Mahrukh Imran¹, Ankur Krishnan¹, Matthew Chiovitti³, Tatiana Sanchez³, Ian Shrier¹, Brett D Thombs⁴

Affiliations

¹ Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
² Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
³ Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
⁴ Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Biomedical Ethics Unit, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: brett.thombs@mcgill.ca.

PMID: 32298776
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2020.03.026

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives were to determine the proportion of eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that contributed data to individual participant data meta-analyses (IPDMAs) and explore associated factors.

Study design and setting: IPDMAs with ≥10 eligible RCTs were identified by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane May 1, 2015 to February 13, 2017. Mixed-effect logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with data contribution.

Results: Of 774 eligible RCTs from 35 included IPDMAs, 517 (67%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 63%-70%) contributed data. Compared to RCTs from journals with low-impact factors (0-2.4), RCTs from journals with higher impact factors were more likely to contribute data: impact factor 5.0-9.9, odds ratio [OR] 2.6, 95% CI: 1.37-4.86; impact factor: 10.0-19.9, OR: 5.7, 95% CI: 3.0-10.8; impact factor >20.0, OR: 4.6, 95% CI: 1.9-11.4. RCTs from the United Kingdom were more likely to contribute data than those from the United States (reference; OR: 2.4, 95% CI, 1.3-4.6). There was an increase in OR per publication year (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02-1.09).

Conclusion: The country where RCTs are conducted, impact factor of the journal where RCTs are published, and RCT publication year were associated with data contribution in IPDMAs with ≥10 eligible RCTs.

Keywords: Data contribution; Data sharing; Individual participant data meta-analysis; Meta-analysis; Meta-research; Randomized controlled trial.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Authorship*
Data Analysis*
Humans
Internationality*
Journal Impact Factor*
Meta-Analysis as Topic*
Periodicals as Topic / statistics & numerical data*
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic