Cochrane Statistics Methods Group
Annual Meeting
Rome 21st October 1999
Present
Doug Altman (chair), Jon Deeks (minutes), Deborah Ashby, Gary Lyman, Jaqueline Birks,
Paula Williamson, Carrol Preston, Catrin Tudur, George Wells, Jonathan Sterne, Rob
Scholton, David Moher, Ba' Pham, Jeph Herrin, Jesse Berlin, Dianne O'Connell, Vivienne
Moore, Julian Higgins, Guido Schwarzer, Marta Roque, Anne Lethaby
(1)
SMGList- email list (Jon Deeks)
An email list for communication between statisticians within the Cochrane collaboration has
been set up on the German Cochrane Centre server. The list appears to be functioning
correctly, and most statisticians within the collaboration have joined. All members of the
group were encouraged to send messages to the list whenever they encountered problematic
statistical issues suitable for discussion among members of the statistical methods group. It
was suggested that initially replies to messages should be sent to the whole list (where
relevant) to promote more involvement and lively discussion. However the situation will be
monitoring- if too many messages are being sent we will move to using summaries of
responses as used on Allstat and other email lists. If anybody is having problems joining the
list or sending messages to it they should contact Jon Deeks (J.Deeks@icrf.icnet.uk).
(2)
Update on Cochrane Software (Julian Higgins)
Julian Higgins has taken over from Jon Deeks in representing the statistical methods group on
both the RevMan advisory group and the software development group. It was noted that the
collaboration had recently released RevMan 4.0 and MetaView 4.0 as part of the change over
to 32-bit operating systems. The meeting noted that the MetaView 4.0 software had been
released without proper testing, and has been found to contain bugs. The statistics methods
group regarded it as unacceptable for statistical software to be released in such a manner, and
requested that this comment be passed to the software development group.
The differences between versions 3 and 4 of RevMan and MetaView were outlined. Julian
agreed to circulate a summary of these changes to the list, and to keep the statisticians
informed about current bugs.
The next meeting of the software and RevMan groups is in early December. Julian
requested that members of the SMG should email any suggestions for changes to the software
to him before that date so that they could be added to the possible software changes for
updates and version 5 of the software.
(3)
Research Action Groups (Doug Altman)
The development of the research action groups had not progressed since the previous
meeting, partially through waiting for the new email list to be set-up. The list of proposed
groups and their aims was reviewed from minutes of the last meeting. To recap, the nine
proposed groups are: meta-analysis of cluster randomised trials, cross-over trials, survival
data, continuous data, and sparse data; computing study weights in meta-analysis; issues
related to heterogeneity, subgroups and meta-regression; trial quality and reporting; and
Bayesian methods of meta-analysis. Each group should (a) list the important research
questions in the area, (b) list important publications, (c) list on-going research projects, (d)
contribute to research in the field and (e) advise review groups. The module of the statistics
methods group published on the library will contain a summary from each of the groups.
The issue of selection of a co-ordinator for each of the groups was discussed. It was agreed
that Doug would email the SMGList asking who would be interested in each of the groups,
and whether there were any volunteers willing to take forward the co-ordination of each of
the groups in the short-term. [Doug- is this correct]
(4)
Update to the Cochrane Handbook (Doug Altman, Jon Deeks and Julian
Higgins)
The statistics methods group has been asked to contribute to the next version of the
handbook. Doug Altman, Jon Deeks and Julian Higgins have agreed to act as editors for a
rewrite of Section 8 regarding statistical methods. David Moher and Ken Schulz will
organise a rewrite of Section 6 concerning trial quality. Doug had circulated a proposed
outline of Section 8 before the meeting which had been well received. There had been several
offers of help in writing and reviewing the new sections.
(5)
Cochrane review group statistical guidelines
It had been noted that many of the Cochrane Review Groups had produced their own
statistical guidelines within the last year, as suggested by the steering group. There were
concerns that this was a duplication of the work being done in revising the handbook, and
also that there may be disagreements between guidelines, and between the guideline and the
handbook. Once the handbook revision had been completed it was hoped that many of these
guidelines would be unnecessary, and that the handbook should be promoted as the set of
guidelines which should be used throughout the collaboration.