Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Workshop

WORKSHOP ON SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

African Centre of Excellence in Population Health & Policy Conference Room
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

May 15 – May 19, 2023

REGISTRATION LINK


This course introduces methods for conducting qualitative systematic review and quantitative research synthesis using meta-analysis. The focus of the course is both practical and methodological and includes training on all parts of the research synthesis process.

The short course will cover the following topics:

  • Question formulation
  • Assessing quality
  • Statistical analyses and synthesis: perform fixed effect and random effect meta-analysis and interpret the results, use I2 and Q statistics.
  • Compare the weight assigned to studies in fixed–effects and random effects meta-analysis.
  • Produce a forest-plot and other meta-analysis graphical depictions.
  • Explore publication bias in meta-analysis and introduction to addressing confounding in meta-analysis (regression)
  • Utilizing evidence-based tools: GRADE, MOOSE, QUORUM, JADAD etc.
  • Reporting a systematic review
  • Systematic reviews and change in clinical practice – an overview of the NICE process.

By the end of the training, trainees will be able to:

  1. Conduct a systematic, replicable search of the literature to identify studies eligible for a meta-analysis.
  2. Extract information from eligible studies based on a clearly defined coding manual.
  3. Create and analyze meta-analytic databases using appropriate statistical techniques.
  4. Prepare written reports of meta-analytic findings.

FACULTY

Baba M. Musa, MBBS, FWACP, MPH
Associate Professor of Medicine, Bayero University, Kano & Consultant Physician, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
V-BRCH Co-Investigator

Lukman F. Owolabi, MBBS, FWACP
Professor of Medicine, Bayero University, Kano & Consultant Neurologist, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Ahmed M. Yakasai, MBBS, FWACP
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Bayero University, Kano & Consultant Physician, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Zubaida Farouk, MBBS, MSc, FWACPaed
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria 

AGENDA

DAY 1 – Monday, May 15, 2023

TIME

TOPIC

 

FACILITATOR

9:00 - 9:30 AM

 

Introduction/Pre-test
STATA Installation
  • Basic installation proceedings

ALL

9:30 - 10:30 AM

Overview of STATA software
  • Functionality of STATA
  • Windows in STATA
  • Meta analysis add-on in STATA

Musa

10:30 -10:45 AM

Tea break

 

 

10:45 - 11:45 AM

 

Basic biostatistics for appreciating meta-analysis

Calculations of

  • Means,
  • Variance,
  • Proportion
  • Odds ratio
  • Risk ratio

Yakasai

11:45 - 12:45 PM

 

Basic biostatistics for appreciating meta-analysis
  • Correlation,
  • Linear regression

Owolabi

12:45 - 1:30 PM

Lunch

 

 

1:30 - 2:30 PM

Overview of clinico-epidemiological studies and systematic review (reviews, steps in meta-analyses and systematic reviews)
  • Situations in which meta-analysis is applicable.
  • Strengths of meta-analysis
  • Weaknesses of meta-analysis

Baba

2:30 - 3:30 PM

Introduction to Systematic Reviews
  • Components of systematic review
  • Coding in systematic review

Owolabi

3:30 - 3: 45 PM

Break

3:45 - 4:30 PM

Producers and Users of Systematic Reviews

Utility in

  • systemic review
  • Meta analysis

Yakasai

4:30 - 5:00 PM

Overview and Q & A

 

ALL


DAY 2 - Tuesday, May 16, 2023

TIME

TOPIC

HIGHLIGHTS

FACILITATOR

9:00 - 9:30 AM

 

Overview of preceding day sessions

 

ALL

9:30 - 10:00 AM

 

Overview of meta-analysis
  • Components of meta-analysis

Owolabi

10:00 -11:00 AM

 

Developing meta-analysis research questions/selection and search strategy (GRADE, JADAD/criteria/spreadsheet/ gray literature
  • Identifying appropriate literature
  • Study eligibility criteria
  • Evaluating study quality
  • How to manage data from the retrieved literature
  • How to code collected data  
  • Types of variables to code for, including study quality, study design, moderators, types of outcome measures

Musa

11:00 – 11:15 AM

Tea Break

11:15 AM -
12:00 PM

 

Framing Your Question

SMART concept
PICO concept
FINER concept

Yakasai

12:00 -1:00 PM

 

Deciding the Type and Scope of Your Question

Variability in research question in :

  • Observational studies
  • Interventional studies

Owolabi

1:00 - 2:00 PM

Lunch

2:00 - 3:00 PM

The essential steps of conducting a systematic review

PRISMA
Adjudication in abstraction

Baba

3:00 - 4:00 PM

Terms, nomenclature, and graphics (effect size, Forest plot, I square statistics, funnel plot, meta regression. etc), demonstration of output

 
  • Introduction to what an effect size is, why it is useful, etc.
  • Mean difference.
  • Standardized mean difference.
  • Cohen’s d, Hedges g
  • Risk ratios
  • Odds ratios
  • Risk difference

Owolabi

4:00 - 4:30 PM

Overview and Q & A

 

ALL


DAY 3 – Wednesday, May 17, 2023

TIME

 

 

FACILITATOR

9:00- 9:30 AM

Recap

 

 

9:30-10:30 AM

Rayyan systematic analysis tool

 

Musa

10:30-11:00 AM

Guidelines and tools (PRISMA flow chart, check list
  • MOOSE,
  • STROBE,
  • GRADE,
  • QUOROM,
  • DOWNS & BLACK

Musa

11:00-11:15 AM

Tea Break

11:15 AM -
12:00 PM

Elements of the Question

Heterogeneity (fixed effect, Random effect, Mantel Haenszel , I squared, Q statistics.

Owolabi

12:00-1:00 PM

Bias in Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Selection Bias/
Information Bias

Owolabi

1:00-1:45 PM

Lunch

 

 

1:45-2:45 PM

Refining the Question addressing Bias

Publication bias (Beggs & Mazunder’s test, Eggers’s test (GRADEPRO software usage)
HANDS-ON ASSIGNMENT

Yakasai

2:45-4:00 PM

Hands-on

Break out session

  • Plotting forest plot
  • Plotting funnel plot

ALL

4:00-5:00 PM

 Overview and Q and A

 

ALL


DAY 4: Thursday, May 18, 2023

TIME

 

 

FACILITATOR

9:00-9:30 AM

Recap

 

 

9:30-10:30 AM

Practical session (systematic review)
  • Sensitivity analysis
  • Sub-group evaluation

ALL

10:30-11:00 AM

Practical session (systematic review)

Meta regression

ALL

11:00-11:15 AM

Tea Break

11:15-12:00 PM

Practical session (meta-analysis)

Interpretation of plots

ALL

12:00-1:00 PM

Practical session (meta-analysis)

Interpretation of outputs

ALL

1:00-2:00 PM

Lunch

 

 

2:00-4:00 PM

Breakout sessions

Group assignments

ALL

4:00-4:30 PM

 Overview and Q and A

 

ALL


DAY 5 – Friday, May 19, 2023

TIME

 

FACILITATOR

8:30-10:00 AM

Preparing written reports of meta-analytic findings

Musa

10:00-11:00 AM

Overcoming challenges in meta-analysis
Illustrative published studies

Yakasai

11:00-12:30 PM

Group Presentations & Interactive sessions

ALL

12:30-1:00 PM

Wrap up, Q& A, Group Photos

All