The course will run from 9am-5pm BST, and will include a mixture of pre-recorded lectures, live lectures, and interactive sessions. To offer more flexibility for participants, pre-recorded lectures will be available as of 11th October 2021, and all materials will be available until 29th October 2021.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
This workshop is intended for a broad audience, including: healthcare researchers; statisticians and non-statisticians; study managers and data managers; funders; journal editors; and clinicians or other staff involved in the funding, delivery, appraisal, and/or interpretation of IPD meta-analyses in healthcare.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the two-day workshop, participants will:
- Have a deep understanding of what an IPD meta-analysis is, and the types of research questions it can address.
- Know when and why to conduct an IPD meta-analysis rather than a traditional systematic review and meta-analysis of (published) aggregate data, or a primary study with new data collection.
- Be fully aware of the ethical and governance issues involved in IPD meta-analysis projects.
- Understand the fundamental steps involved in completion of an IPD meta-analysis project, including: identification of relevant studies; selection of IPD and variables for analyses; obtaining IPD; examining data quality and risk of bias; data cleaning and checking; harmonising IPD; and merging data for analyses.
- Know how to calculate the potential power of an IPD meta-analysis to address the research question(s) of interest, and how to use that to ensure that data collection is targeted and as efficient as possible.
- Understand the basic principles of fundamental approaches to IPD meta-analysis; specifically, differences in 1-stage and 2-stage approaches, why they may differ, and when each should be used.
- Understand how to achieve active Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) throughout the IPD meta-analysis project.
- Ensure timely dissemination of IPD meta-analyses and adherence to reporting guidelines.
- Critically appraise published IPD meta-analyses.
- Gain individual advice during a one-to-one ‘expert consultation’ session.
OPTIONAL READING AND RESOURCES:
LEVIS B, HOLDEN MA, HATTLE M, ET AL. The Keele Toolbox for IPD Meta-analyses. 1st January 2021. https://www.keele.ac.uk/pcsc/research/ctu/whatweoffer/educationandtraining/ipdmatoolbox/
LEVIS B, HATTLE M, RILEY RD. Retrieving, checking, and harmonizing data are underappreciated challenges in individual participant data meta-analyses. J Clin Epi. Online ahead of print.
RILEY RD, TIERNEY J, STEWART LS (eds). Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis: A Handbook for Healthcare Research. Wiley, Chisester, 2021.
RILEY, R. D., LAMBERT, P. C. & ABO-ZAID, G. 2010. Meta-analysis of individual participant data: rationale, conduct, and reporting. BMJ, 340, c221.
TIERNEY, J. F., VALE, C., RILEY, R., SMITH, C. T., STEWART, L., CLARKE, M. & ROVERS, M. 2015. Individual Participant Data (IPD) Meta-analyses of Randomised Controlled Trials: Guidance on Their Use. PLoS Med, 12, e1001855.
VENTRESCA M, SCHUNEMANN HJ, MACBETH F, ET AL. 2020. Obtaining and managing data sets for individual participant data meta-analysis: scoping review and practical guide. BMC Med Res Methodol, 20, 113, doi: 10.1186/s12874-020-00964-6.
DRAFT PROGRAMME:
Thursday 14th October
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09:00 - 09:30
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Logging into the system, virtual meet and greet
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09:30 - 09:45
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Welcome and introductions
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09:45 - 11:15
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IPD meta-analysis: The ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘when’ including interactive small group work
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11:15 - 11:30
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Break
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11:30 - 12:30
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Guest speaker: Prof. Shakila Thangaratinam. Initiating and managing IPD projects – example from the pregnancy field
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12:30 - 13:00
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Question and Answer Session
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13:00 - 13:30
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Lunch
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13:30 - 15:00
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Identification of relevant studies; selection, obtaining and sharing of IPD, including problem-solving in small groups
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15:00 - 15:15
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Break
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15:15 - 16:15
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Data handling and harmonisation including resolving missing data
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16:15 - 17:00
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Optional - Meet the expert session - opportunity for one-to-one advice (Sign up in advance for a 15-minute slot)
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Friday 15th October
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08:45 - 09:00
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Log in ready for the day ahead
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09:00 - 10:00
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Examining the quality and risk of bias in IPD obtained (Group work / partner work)
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10:00 - 11:00
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Approaches to IPD meta-analysis (1 stage or 2 stage)
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11:00 - 11:15
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Break
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11:15 - 12:15
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How much IPD is enough? Power calculations for IPD projects and the online calculator
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12:15 - 12:45
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Lunch
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12:45 - 14:00
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Guest speaker: Prof. Catrin Tudur Smith. The benefits and impact of IPD over aggregate data – the example in the field of epilepsy
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14:00 - 14:15
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Break
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14:15 - 15:00
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PPIE in IPD meta-analyses and dissemination
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15:00 - 16:15
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Critical appraisal of IPD projects in small groups
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16:15 - 16:45
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Optional - Meet the expert session – opportunity for one to one advice (Sign up in advance for a 15-minute slot)
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16:45 - 17:00
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Workshop Close
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