scholarly journals How to make a meta-analyst happy – what to report in your studies and how

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel Saska
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Temporal Structure ◽  
Large Data ◽  
Carabid Beetles ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

Meta-analysis represents an approach of synthesizing many independent data sets, and is useful in situations when abundant literature provides no conclusive evidence. Besides the quality of the research itself, the value of an individual study for meta-analysis depends to the large extent also on the quality of data presentation. The literature based on carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) as the study is enormous, therefore there is a great potential for the use in meta-analyses. In this paper I put together some notes which arose during my work on meta-analysis focused on the effects of field and crop management on populations of carabid beetles inside the crop fields of Europe and America north of Mexico. The aim of this contribution is to provide a set of recommendations which may potentially improve the use of each individual paper in future meta-analyses, and thus increase the impact of the original paper as well as the generality of conclusions drawn from future meta-analyses, hence based on larger sample size. Be accurate in describing the treatments. For example, “low” and “high intensity of management” is not enough. Mention also details that are constant across treatments, but may still provide useful information. E.g. “practice usual for the area” is not enough. Be precise with describing spatio-temporal structure in the study. Provide redundant information so everyone can check if he/she understood well the hierarchy of the experiment and the number of replications associated with each stratum. A scheme may be useful. Report the grand totals as well as treatment totals for both “abundance” and species richness. Text, tables or supplementary materials is preferred. If using mean values, always make it clear what is the number of replicates and provide standard errors. But, remember that total or treatment species richness cannot be reconstructed from the mean! Be explicit in stating what the means represent, also in figures. Expressions like “Mean abundance” are not enough. Provide species lists with the greatest resolution possible. Most journals allow for supplementary materials where this information can be provided. Remember that data can also be extracted from figures. Provide high resolution and accurate figures. For example, large data points on a line make data extraction difficult. Be accurate in describing the treatments. For example, “low” and “high intensity of management” is not enough. Mention also details that are constant across treatments, but may still provide useful information. E.g. “practice usual for the area” is not enough. Be precise with describing spatio-temporal structure in the study. Provide redundant information so everyone can check if he/she understood well the hierarchy of the experiment and the number of replications associated with each stratum. A scheme may be useful. Report the grand totals as well as treatment totals for both “abundance” and species richness. Text, tables or supplementary materials is preferred. If using mean values, always make it clear what is the number of replicates and provide standard errors. But, remember that total or treatment species richness cannot be reconstructed from the mean! Be explicit in stating what the means represent, also in figures. Expressions like “Mean abundance” are not enough. Provide species lists with the greatest resolution possible. Most journals allow for supplementary materials where this information can be provided. Remember that data can also be extracted from figures. Provide high resolution and accurate figures. For example, large data points on a line make data extraction difficult. With little extra effort during the preparation phase, the impact of your paper and the use of your data may considerably increase in the future.

scholarly journals Prenatal maternal stress and risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Nicla Manzari ◽  
Karen Matvienko-Sikar ◽  
Franco Baldoni ◽  
Gerard W. O'Keeffe ◽  
Ali S. Khashan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Maternal Stress ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Prenatal Maternal Stress ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

Background: Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) is defined as the experience of significant levels of prenatal stress, depression or anxiety during pregnancy. PNMS has been associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in exposed offspring. However, these findings are inconsistent and other studies found no association, meaning a clear consensus on the impact of PNMS on ASD and ADHD risk is required. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to summarize and critically review the existing literature on the effects of PNMS on ASD and ADHD risk. Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus and EMBASE) will be searched for articles following a detailed search strategy. We will include cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies that assessed maternal exposure to psychological and/or environmental stress and had ASD or ADHD as an outcome. Two reviewers will independently screen the titles, abstracts and full articles to identify eligible studies. We will use a standardised data extraction form for extracting data and a bias classification tool for assessing study quality. This systematic review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The generic inverse variance method will be used if possible to perform meta-analyses. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval is not required for this study because it will not involve the conduct or inclusion of any experimental or personal data that would require informed consent.  The systematic review will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018084222.

scholarly journals Prenatal maternal stress and risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicla Manzari ◽  
Karen Matvienko-Sikar ◽  
Franco Baldoni ◽  
Gerard W. O'Keeffe ◽  
Ali S. Khashan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Maternal Stress ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Prenatal Maternal Stress ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

Background: Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) is defined as the experience of significant levels of prenatal stress, depression or anxiety during pregnancy. PNMS has been associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in exposed offspring. However, these findings are inconsistent and other studies found no association, meaning a clear consensus on the impact of PNMS on ASD and ADHD risk is required. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to summarize and critically review the existing literature on the effects of PNMS on ASD and ADHD risk. Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus and EMBASE) will be searched for articles following a detailed search strategy. We will include cohort and case-control studies that assessed maternal exposure to psychological and/or environmental stress and had ASD or ADHD as an outcome. Two reviewers will independently screen the titles, abstracts and full articles to identify eligible studies. We will use a standardised data extraction form for extracting data and a bias classification tool for assessing study quality. This systematic review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The generic inverse variance method will be used if possible to perform meta-analyses. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval is not required for this study because it will not involve the conduct or inclusion of any experimental or personal data that would require informed consent.  The systematic review will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018084222.

Meta-analysis of randomized trials to study the impact of prednisone on toxicities and survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 28-28
Author(s):  
Gurudatta Naik ◽  
Charity Morgan ◽  
Matt D. Galsky ◽  
William K. Oh ◽  
Guru Sonpavde
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Randomized Trials ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Oral Prednisone ◽  
Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer ◽  
Castration Resistant ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

28 Background: The impact of daily oral prednisone (P) on toxicities and outcomes in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing regimens that included P in only one arm. Methods: PubMed, conferences and clinicaltrials.gov databases were searched for articles reported from January 1966 to June 2013. Eligible studies were selected in an unbiased manner and limited to randomized trials enrolling patients with mCRPC and comparing regimens administering P in only one arm. Data extraction was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Arms containing P were compared with arms without P for severe toxicities grade 3 or higher and overall survival (OS). Results: Five randomized trials were published or presented with P in only one arm: by Scher and colleagues comparing docetaxel (D) plus P versus D plus DN101 (n=953), by Higano and colleagues comparing DP versus GVAX (n=621), by Small and colleagues comparing DP versus GVAX plus D (n=394), by Fossa and colleagues comparing P versus flutamide (n=201) and by Petrylak and colleagues comparing mitoxantrone plus P versus D plus estramustine phosphate (n=770). The total number of patients was 2,939, of whom 1,471 received therapy not containing P and 1,468 received therapy containing P. All five trials were eligible for analysis of toxicities, but the Fossa trial was excluded for the OS analysis due to lack of required parameters. There was no difference between the non-P and P groups for severe toxicities (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.82, p = 0.712, I2 = 97.9%). When examining toxicities as a reason for discontinuing therapy, the non-P groups were not different from the P groups (relative risk [RR] = 1.24, p = 0.413, I2 = 86.8%). The non-P groups demonstrated no difference in OS compared to the P groups (HR = 1.09, p = 0.531, I2= 79.7%). The meta-analysis is limited by the trial level design and small number of patients and does not exclude a favorable palliative impact of P. Conclusions: This meta-analysis of randomized trials in mCRPC suggests no significant impact on severe toxicities and OS with the use of daily oral prednisone.

scholarly journals Non-adherence to immunosuppressants following renal transplantation: a protocol for a systematic review

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. e015411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail Hucker ◽  
Frances Bunn ◽  
Lewis Carpenter ◽  
Christopher Lawrence ◽  
Ken Farrington ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Renal Transplant ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Renal Transplant Recipients ◽  
Transplant Recipients ◽  
Data Extraction Form ◽  
Registration Number ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionAdherence to immunosuppressant medication is essential for renal transplant recipients. This review aims to summarise what is known about non-adherence, with a view to providing comprehensive evidence to inform strategies aimed at advancing adherent behaviour.Methods and analysisA systematic review of quantitative studies that report adherence to immunosuppressants in adult (over 18 years) renal transplant recipients. The review will follow the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines; study quality will be assessed using the Downs and Black checklist. Systematic searches will be completed across relevant databases. Two reviewers will independently extract data using a predefined data extraction form. We will summarise the operationalisation of adherence across studies and use narrative synthesis to identify factors associated with non-adherence. A meta-analysis will be conducted if there is sufficient homogeneity, and available data, across studies to estimate the prevalence of non-adherence in renal transplant recipients. Heterogeneity will be assessed using the I2test. Survival analysis will be conducted to estimate hazard ratios to explore the impact of non-adherence on graft survival, graft failure and patient survival.Ethics and disseminationFindings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated at conferences for professionals and researchers. Review outcomes will help support clinical practice by highlighting the extent of non-adherence among adults, and in doing so, signpost the need for suitable intervention.Trial registration numberPROSPERO registration number (CRD42016038751).

scholarly journals Impact and use of reviews and ‘overviews of reviews’ to inform clinical practice guideline recommendations: protocol for a methods study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e031442
Author(s):  
Carole Lunny ◽  
Cynthia Ramasubbu ◽  
Savannah Gerrish ◽  
Tracy Liu ◽  
Douglas M Salzwedel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Clinical Practice Guideline ◽  
Practice Guideline ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Assessment Development ◽  
Evaluation Approach ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionGuidelines are systematically developed recommendations to assist practitioner and patient decisions about treatments for clinical conditions. High quality and comprehensive systematic reviews and ‘overviews of systematic reviews’ (overviews) represent the best available evidence. Many guideline developers, such as the WHO and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, recommend the use of these research syntheses to underpin guideline recommendations. We aim to evaluate the impact and use of systematic reviews with and without pairwise meta-analysis or network meta-analyses (NMAs) and overviews in clinical practice guideline (CPG) recommendations.Methods and analysisCPGs will be retrieved from Turning Research Into Practice and Epistemonikos (2017–2018). The retrieved citations will be sorted randomly and then screened sequentially by two independent reviewers until 50 CPGs have been identified. We will include CPGs that provide at least two explicit recommendations for the management of any clinical condition. We will assess whether reviews or overviews were cited in a recommendation as part of the development process for guidelines. Data extraction will be done independently by two authors and compared. We will assess the risk of bias by examining how each guideline developed clinical recommendations. We will calculate the number and frequency of citations of reviews with or without pairwise meta-analysis, reviews with NMAs and overviews, and whether they were systematically or non-systematically developed. Results will be described, tabulated and categorised based on review type (reviews or overviews). CPGs reporting the use of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach will be compared with those using a different system, and pharmacological versus non-pharmacological CPGs will be compared.Ethics and disseminationNo ethics approval is required. We will present at the Cochrane Colloquium and the Guidelines International Network conference.

scholarly journals Prenatal maternal psychological stress and childhood asthma and wheezing: a meta-analysis

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim F.E. van de Loo ◽  
Marleen M.H.J. van Gelder ◽  
Jolt Roukema ◽  
Nel Roeleveld ◽  
Peter J.F.M. Merkus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Stress ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Subsequent Development ◽  
Respiratory Morbidity ◽  
Stress Exposure ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

The aim of this study was to systematically review and meta-analyse observational studies on prenatal maternal psychological stress and the subsequent development of asthma and wheezing in early childhood.All available published literature from 1960 until November 2013 was systematically searched through electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo and Web of Science). All observational studies assessing associations between any form of prenatal maternal psychological stress and respiratory morbidity in the child were included. Data extraction, quality assessment and meta-analyses were performed.The overall meta-analysis included 10 studies and showed that the prevalence of wheezing, asthma and other respiratory symptoms is higher in children of mothers who were exposed to or experienced some form of psychological stress during pregnancy than in mothers who did not (pooled OR 1.56 (95% CI 1.36–1.80)). Comparable results were observed in subgroup analyses of stress exposure, perceived stress, asthma and wheezing.This study demonstrates that prenatal maternal psychological stress is associated with respiratory morbidity, including asthma and wheezing in the child. Future studies examining the early origins of asthma and wheezing need to account for the impact of prenatal maternal stress.

scholarly journals Impact of Pharmacist-led Discharge Counseling on Hospital Readmission and Emergency Department Visits: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (01) ◽  
pp. 52-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aline Bonetti ◽  
Walleri C Reis ◽  
Antonio M Mendes ◽  
Inajara Rotta ◽  
Fernanda S Tonin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Hospital Readmission ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND: Transitions of care can contribute to medication errors and other adverse drug events. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pharmacist-led discharge counseling on hospital readmission and emergency department visits through a systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Electronic searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals), along with a manual search (July 2017). PROSPERO registration no. CRD42017068444. STUDY SELECTION: Two independent reviewers performed all the steps of the systematic review process (screening of titles and abstracts, full-text appraisal, data extraction, and quality assessment), with contributions from a third researcher. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting data on pharmacist-led discharge counseling. DATA EXTRACTION: Primary extracted outcomes were emergency department visits and hospital readmission rates. DATA SYNTHESIS: Meta-analyses of intervention versus usual care for hospital readmission and emergency department visit rates were performed using the inverse variance method. Results are reported as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Prediction intervals (PIs) were also calculated. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed. A total of 21 RCTs were included in the qualitative synthesis and 18 in the meta-analyses (n = 7,244 patients). The original meta-analysis revealed a significant difference in the impact between pharmacist-led discharge counseling and usual care on overall hospital readmission (RR = 0.864 [95% CI 0.763-0.997], P = .020) and emergency department (RR = 0.697 [95% CI 0.535-0.907], P = .007) visits. However, the small number of included studies, the high heterogeneity among trials (I2 between 40% and 60%), and the wide PIs (hospital readmission: PI 0.542-1.186; emergency department visits: PI 0.027-1.367) prevented drawing further conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: Insufficient evidence exists regarding the effect of pharmacist-led discharge counseling on hospital readmission and emergency department visits. Further well-designed clinical trials with defined core outcome sets are needed.

Association of Thyroid Hormone Therapy with Mortality in Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 292-303
Author(s):  
Carol Chiung-Hui Peng ◽  
Huei-Kai Huang ◽  
Brian Bo-Chang Wu ◽  
Rachel Huai-En Chang ◽  
Yu-Kang Tu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Thyroid Hormone ◽  
Hormone Therapy ◽  
Subclinical Hypothyroidism ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Context Benefits of thyroid hormone therapy on mortality in adults with subclinical hypothyroidism remain undetermined. Objective To summarize the impact of thyroid hormone therapy on mortality in adults with subclinical hypothyroidism. Data Sources PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Clinicaltrials.gov from inception until April 25, 2020. Study Selection Studies comparing the effect of thyroid hormone therapy with that of placebo or no therapy in adults with subclinical hypothyroidism on all-cause and/or cardiovascular mortality. Data Extraction Two reviewers independently extracted data and performed quality assessments. Random-effects models for meta-analyses were used. Data Synthesis Five observational studies and 2 randomized controlled trials with 21 055 adults were included. Overall, thyroid hormone therapy was not significantly associated with all-cause (pooled relative risk [RR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75-1.22, P = .704) or cardiovascular (pooled RR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.82-1.20, P = .946) mortality. Subgroup analyses revealed that in younger adults (aged <65-70 years), thyroid hormone therapy was significantly associated with a lower all-cause (pooled RR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.29-0.85, P = .011) and cardiovascular (pooled RR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.37-0.80, P = .002) mortality. However, no significant association between thyroid hormone therapy and mortality was observed in older adults (aged ≥65-70 years). Conclusions Use of thyroid hormone therapy does not provide protective effects on mortality in older adults with subclinical hypothyroidism. However, thyroid hormone therapy for subclinical hypothyroidism may show benefits on morality in adults aged <65 to 70 years.

scholarly journals Psychosocial family-level mediators in the intergenerational transmission of trauma: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Mew ◽  
Kate Nyhan ◽  
Jessica Bonumwezi ◽  
Vanessa Blas ◽  
Hannah Gorman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intergenerational Transmission ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Intergenerational Transmission Of Trauma ◽  
Causal Diagram ◽  
Transmission Of Trauma ◽  
Family Level ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: Psychosocial factors within the family appear to play a critical role in mediating the intergenerational transmission of trauma; however, there has yet to be a review article that quantitatively synthesizes causal mechanisms across a diversity of trauma-types. This study aims to systematically consolidate the epidemiological research on family-level psychosocial mediators and moderators to ultimately produce causal diagram(s) in the intergenerational transmission of trauma. Methods and analysis: We will identify epidemiological peer-reviewed publications, dissertations, and conference abstracts that measure the impact of at least one psychosocial family-level factor mediating or moderating the relationship between parental trauma exposure and a child mental health outcome. English, French, Kinyarwanda, and Spanish articles will be eligible. We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PTSDpubs, Scopus and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and will conduct forward citation chaining of included documents. Two reviewers will perform screening and data extraction independently. We will extract reported mediators, moderators, and relevant study characteristics for included studies. Findings will be presented using narrative syntheses, descriptive analyses, mediation meta-analyses, moderating meta-analyses, and causal diagram(s), where possible. We will also perform a risk of bias assessment for studies included in meta-analyses and will construct a funnel plot to assess publication bias. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval is not needed for this review. Results will be presented at academic conferences and published in a peer-reviewed journal in hopes to inform the development and evaluation of resilience-building interventions.

scholarly journals Meta-analysis and Commentary: Preemptive Correction of Arteriovenous Access Stenosis

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jochen G. Raimann ◽  
Levi Waldron ◽  
Elsie Koh ◽  
Gregg A. Miller ◽  
Murat H. Sor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protective Effect ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Venous Access ◽  
Risk Difference ◽  
Arteriovenous Access ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Measure Of Association ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackgroundA recent meta-analysis by Ravani and colleagues (Ravani, P., et al., Am J Kidney Dis, 2016. 67(3): p. 446-60.) studied the effect of pre-emptive correction of arterio-venous dialysis vascular access versus deferred care, based on data from 11 trials. The authors reported a non-significant protective treatment effect of pre-emptive correction on access loss, while showing a significant protective effect on thrombosis rates conferred by pre-emptive correction. We revisit this analysis, including data extraction and effects of a heterogenous study population.MethodsWe repeated data extraction from all referenced publications in the meta-analysis by Ravani et al. and corrected event counts where applicable. We repeated the meta-analyses with access loss as the outcome for studies that recruited patients with arterio-venous fistulae (AVF) and grafts (AVG), respectively, using a random effects model with relative risk (RR) and risk difference (RD) of access loss as the outcomes of interest. We repeated data extraction from all referenced publications, and corrected event counts where applicable.ResultsOur conclusions differ from the original findings in two ways. First, after some amendment of the event counts extracted from Mayer et al. (Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 1993), we find a significant overall positive effect of pre-emptive correction on arterio-venous access loss in the overall study population [RR 0.80 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.99), RD −0.07 (95% CI −0.12 to −0.02); Figure 1]. Secondly, we highlight the impact of heterogeneous study populations on the meta-analysis. Whereas the data do not conclusively show a benefit of pre-emptive correction for arteriovenous grafts (AVG; RR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.69 – 1.11), they show a strong protective effect for arteriovenous fistulae (AVF; RR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.86).Figure 1:Meta-analysis of access loss, overall and by access type using risk ratio (RR) as the measure of association.Discussion and ConclusionThese findings corroborate clinical arguments such as superior long-term patency of AVF and the nature of AVG failure that often involve infectious causes. The available data indicate mild or no benefit of pre-emptive correction for AVG, but strongly support tight monitoring of dialysis accesses and preemptive intervention and correction upon the slightest suspicion of access stenosis for AVF.

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