The DOI matches its Crossref record; 36 of the 36 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Outcome selection bias in meta-analysis
Abstract
Publication bias has been previously identified as a threat to the validity of a meta-analysis. Recently, new evidence has documented an additional threat to validity, the selective reporting of trial outcomes within published studies. Several diseases have several possible measures of outcome. Some articles might report only a selection of those outcomes, perhaps those with statistically significant results. In this article, we review this problem while addressing the questions: what is within-study selective reporting? how common is it? why is it done? how can it mislead? how can it be detected?, and finally, what is the solution? We recommend that both publication bias and selective reporting should be routinely investigated in systematic reviews.
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Metadata
- Authors
- Williamson, P. R., Gamble, C., Altman, D. G., & Hutton, J. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- University of Warwick (GB)
- Venue
- Statistical Methods in Medical Research
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2005-10
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 515-524
- ISSN
- 0962-2802 (ISSN-L)
- 1477-0334
- OpenAlex
- W2056439589
- Cited by
- 188
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 10.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Statistical Methods in Medical Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Clinical Trials
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
- Keywords
- selective reporting, publication bias, meta-analysis validity, systematic reviews, trial outcomes
- MeSH terms
- Clinical Trials as Topic, United Kingdom, Humans, Publications, Meta-Analysis as Topic, Reproducibility of Results, Bias, Outcome Assessment, Health Care
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