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. 2002 May;57(5):393–395. doi: 10.1136/thorax.57.5.393

Comparing and combining studies of bronchial responsiveness

S Chinn 1
PMCID: PMC1746326  PMID: 11978913

Abstract

Background: There is no standardised protocol for the measurement of bronchial responsiveness. Results from different studies are difficult to compare and combine.

Methods: Analyses are divided between those of a continuous outcome, which can be directly standardised as effect size, and those based on a binary outcome. A published method is used to convert an odds ratio to equivalent effect size.

Results: The use of effect size allows comparison between studies using a continuous outcome but different protocols, provided the relevant standard deviation is reported. Effect size from a continuous outcome and that derived from an odds ratio from an equivalent analysis gave similar results.

Conclusions: Systematic reviews which include both continuous effect estimates and odds ratios can include both in one meta-analysis, provided relevant standard deviations are published for the former. Authors are encouraged to report these in all fields in which measurement protocols vary.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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