The Advantages and Limitations of Using Meta-analysis in Human Resource Management Research

A cost-effectiveness analysis for high versus standard (low) dose caffeine for the treatment of apnea in neonatal intensive care unit

Objective

Preterm babies are prone to experiencing apnea of prematurity (AOP), mostly characterised by a pause in breathing lasting a minimum of 20 seconds. Recent literature supported higher maintenance doses of caffeine, indicating benefits. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of high maintenance dose (HD) versus low maintenance dose (LD) caffeine for AOP in neonates.

Methods

From the hospital perspective of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Qatar, a cost-effectiveness decision-analytic model was constructed to follow the use of a HD maintenance caffeine of 20 mg/kg/dose versus a LD maintenance caffeine of 10 mg/kg/dose, in a simulated cohort of AOP neonates, over a therapy follow-up duration of six weeks, until neonatal intensive care (NICU) discharge. The clinical inputs were primarily literature-based, while the resource cost and utilisation were locally extracted in HMC. The cost-effectiveness outcome measure was calculated per therapy success, defined as survival with no apnea and successful extubation removal within 72 hours, with or without adverse events. One-way and multivariate sensitivity analyses were performed to confirm the robustness of the results.

Results

With 0.23 (95% CI, 0.23-0.23) enhancement in success rate, at United States dollar (US$) 3869 (95% CI, US$ 3823-3915) added infant cost, the HD caffeine was between dominant (34.8%) and cost-effective (63.7%), with an average incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of US $16,895 (95% CI, US$ 15,242-18,549) relative to LD caffeine per additional case of success. The hospitalisation contributed the most to the total infant cost, and the probability of patent ductus arteriosus was the model input that influenced the results most.

Conclusion

This is the first literature economic evaluation of caffeine for AOP. Despite increasing the cost of therapy, HD maintenance caffeine seems to be a cost-effective alternative to LD caffeine in Qatar. Our results support the recent global trends of increased use of HD caffeine for AOP in NICU.

Meta-analysis on application of Protection Motivation Theory in preventive behaviors against COVID-19

The present study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on quantitative conclusion and appraisal of findings from Protection Motivation Theory to predict protective behaviors against COVID-19. This meta-analysis covered the period between 2019 and 2022. Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, Emerald, PubMed, Springer, Sage, Online Wiley Library, Taylor & Francis and ProQuest were searched to find related articles to the study topic. Using Effect Size of Random model, the quality of each study, homogeneous of studies and Publication bias of data were analyzed and assessed by CMA2 software. The results indicate that perceived severity (β=0.197), perceived vulnerability (β=0.160), response efficacy (β=0.251) and self-efficacy (β=0.270) are positively associated with COVID-19 disease. In addition, the results show that Response cost (β=-0.074) is a negative and weak predictor of motivation to protect against COVID-19. The results of this study regarding Protection Motivation Theory (PMT)- as a very strong and flexible theory during outbreak of COVID-19- may suggest that despite positive protection, the mean of Effect Size of total PMT elements is less than average size. Meta-analysis of studies shows that coping appraisal variables provide the strongest predictors of behavior and intention. Furthermore, self-efficacy was identified as the most important determinant in protective behaviors against COVID-19.

Review Research as Scientific Inquiry

This article and the related Feature Topic at Organizational Research Methods upcoming were motivated by the concern that despite the bourgeoning number and diversity of review articles, there was a lack of guidance on how to produce rigorous and impactful literature reviews. In this article, we introduce review research as a class of research inquiries that uses prior research as data sources to develop knowledge contributions for academia, practice and policy. We first trace the evolution of review research both outside of and within management including the articles published in this Feature Topic, and provide a holistic definition of review research. Then, we argue that in the plurality of forms of review research, the alignment of purpose and methods is crucial for high-quality review research. To accomplish this, we discuss several review purposes and criteria for assessing review research's rigor and impact, and discuss how these and the review methods need to be aligned with its purpose. Our paper provides guidance for conducting or evaluating review research and helps establish review research as a credible and legitimate scientific endeavor.

Descemetorhexis Without Endothelial Keratoplasty in Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PURPOSE

Descemetorhexis without endothelial keratoplasty (DWEK) is an innovative corneal intervention and potentially effective against Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the outcomes of DWEK, associated or not with phacoemulsification (PKE) and rho-kinase inhibitor (RHOKI) in FECD.

METHOD

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov , and Science Direct were searched for studies until November 29, 2020. We performed random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions, stratified by the type of intervention and descemetorhexis size (PROSPERO CRD42020167566).

RESULTS

We included 11 articles (mainly case series, both prospective and retrospective), representing 127 eyes of 118 patients. DWEK globally improved visual acuity (effect size = -1.11, 95% confidence interval, -1.70 to -0.52, P < 0.001) and pachymetry (-1.25, -1.92 to -0.57, P < 0.001), without significant effects on endothelial cell count (-0.59, -2.00 to 0.83, P = 0.419). The 3 types of interventions (ie, DWEK ± RHOKI, DWEK ± PKE, and DWEK ± PKE ± RHOKI) improved visual acuity and pachymetry in FECD. A descemetorhexis size ≤4 mm improved visual acuity (-0.72, -1.29 to -0.14, P < 0.001) and pachymetry (-0.68, -0.98 to -0.38, P < 0.001), whereas >4 mm did not. Overall, DWEK failure (ie, the prevalence of EK after DWEK) was 17% (7%-27%, P < 0.001), with 4% (0%-8%, P = 0.08) for a descemetorhexis size ≤4 mm.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the lack of comparative studies, DWEK seemed to improve visual acuity and pachymetry in early stages of FECD. A descemetorhexis size ≤4 mm was associated with the best visual outcomes and pachymetry.

Reporting on the Value of Artificial Intelligence in Predicting the Optimal Embryo for Transfer: A Systematic Review including Data Synthesis

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been gaining support in the field of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Despite the promising existing data, AI cannot yet claim gold-standard status, which serves as the rationale for this study. This systematic review and data synthesis aims to evaluate and report on the predictive capabilities of AI-based prediction models regarding IVF outcome. The study has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021242097). Following a systematic search of the literature in Pubmed/Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central Library, 18 studies were identified as eligible for inclusion. Regarding live-birth, the Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the Summary Receiver Operating Characteristics (SROC) was 0.905, while the partial AUC (pAUC) was 0.755. The Observed: Expected ratio was 1.12 (95%CI: 0.26–2.37; 95%PI: 0.02–6.54). Regarding clinical pregnancy with fetal heartbeat, the AUC of the SROC was 0.722, while the pAUC was 0.774. The O:E ratio was 0.77 (95%CI: 0.54–1.05; 95%PI: 0.21–1.62). According to this data synthesis, the majority of the AI-based prediction models are successful in accurately predicting the IVF outcome regarding live birth, clinical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy with fetal heartbeat, and ploidy status. This review attempted to compare between AI and human prediction capabilities, and although studies do not allow for a meta-analysis, this systematic review indicates that the AI-based prediction models perform rather similarly to the embryologists’ evaluations. While AI models appear marginally more effective, they still have some way to go before they can claim to significantly surpass the clinical embryologists’ predictive competence.

Effects of a Short Daytime Nap on the Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Napping in the workplace is under debate, with interesting results on work efficiency and well-being of workers. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to assess the benefits of a short daytime nap on cognitive performance.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect and PsycInfo databases were searched until 19 August 2021. Cognitive performance in working-aged adults, both before and following a daytime nap or under control conditions (no nap), was analysed by time and by type of cognitive function (alertness, executive function and memory).

RESULTS

We included 11 studies (all in laboratory conditions including one with a subgroup in working conditions) for a total of 381 participants. Mean duration of nap was 55.4 ± 29.4 min. Overall cognitive performance did not differ at baseline (t0) between groups (effect size -0.03, 95% CI -0.14 to 0.07), and improved in the nap group following the nap (t1) (0.18, 0.09 to 0.27), especially for alertness (0.29, 0.10 to 0.48). Sensitivity analyses gave similar results comparing only randomized controlled trials, and after exclusion of outliers. Whatever the model used, performance mainly improved until 120 min after nap, with conflicting results during the sleep inertia period. Early naps in the afternoon (before 1.00 p.m.) gave better cognitive performance (0.24, -0.07 to 0.34). The benefits of napping were independent of sex and age. Duration of nap and time between nap and t1 did not influence cognitive performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the fact that our meta-analyses included almost exclusively laboratory studies, daytime napping in the afternoon improved cognitive performance with beneficial effects of early nap. More studies in real work condition are warranted before implementing daytime napping at work as a preventive measure to improve work efficiency.

Effectiveness of eHealth Tools for Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness and costs of eHealth tools with usual care in delivering health-related education to patients' undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty due to osteoarthritis.

Data Sources: Six electronic databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials and experimental designs (randomized or not) examining the effect of eHealth tools on pre- or post-operative care. Only manuscripts written in English were included. In the current study, no specific primary or secondary outcomes were selected. Any study that investigated the impacts of eHealth tools on hip or knee arthroplasty outcomes were included.

Review Methods: Two researchers reviewed all titles and abstracts independently and in duplicate. Two researchers also conducted full-text screening and data extraction from the 26 selected articles.

Results: The data were descriptively reported, and themes could emerge from each outcome. Two researchers separately assessed the Risk of Bias for each paper using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. The majority of studies evaluated the impact of eHealth tools on physical (n = 23) and psychosocial outcomes (n = 19). Cost-related outcomes were measured in 7 studies. eHealth tools were found to be equivocal to usual care, with few studies reporting statistically significant differences in physical or psychosocial outcome measures. However, cost-related outcomes showed that using eHealth tools is more cost-effective than usual care.

Conclusions: This review demonstrated that eHealth tools might be as effective as usual care, and possibly more cost-effective, a crucial implication for many overly burdened health care systems.

Mycophenolic acid and cancer risk in solid organ transplant recipients: Systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) is an immunosuppressive drug commonly used for prophylaxis of graft rejection in solid organ transplant recipients. The main concern with the prolonged use of immunosuppressive drugs is the risk of developing cancer. However, it remains unclear whether the immunosuppressive regimens containing MPA confer an increased degree of cancer risk. The present study aimed to determine the association between MPA exposure and the incidence of cancer in solid organ transplant recipients.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed on the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases. Relevant articles that had findings on the incidence (or event) of cancer in cohorts with and without MPA exposure were retrieved for data extraction. A meta-analysis was conducted by means of the random-effects model, and the relative risk (RR) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were used as a summary effect measure.

RESULTS

A total of 39 studies were eligible for inclusion, with 32 studies that enabled meta-analysis. MPA exposure was significantly associated with a lower risk of cancer when compared to azathioprine exposure (RR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.53-0.81, P < .001) or no exposure to any additional treatments (RR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.73-0.99, P = .04). There was no significant difference in cancer risk for the comparison between MPA exposure and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor exposure (RR = 1.54, 95% CI = 0.96-2.46, P = .07).

CONCLUSIONS

MPA exposure was not associated with an increased risk of cancer and may even be associated with a lower risk of cancer when compared to azathioprine or no treatment.

Targeting impaired nutrient sensing with repurposed therapeutics to prevent or treat age-related cognitive decline and dementia: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Dementia is a debilitating syndrome that significantly impacts individuals over the age of 65 years. There are currently no disease-modifying treatments for dementia. Impairment of nutrient sensing pathways has been implicated in the pathogenesis of dementia, and may offer a novel treatment approach for dementia.

AIMS

This systematic review collates all available evidence for Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapeutics that modify nutrient sensing in the context of preventing cognitive decline or improving cognition in ageing, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia populations.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases were searched using key search terms focusing on available therapeutics such as 'metformin', 'GLP1', 'insulin' and the dementias including 'Alzheimer's disease' and 'Parkinson's disease'. Articles were screened using Covidence systematic review software (Veritas Health Innovation, Melbourne, Australia). The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool v 2.0 for human studies and SYRCLE's risk of bias tool for animal studies.

RESULTS

Out of 2619 articles, 114 were included describing 31 different 'modulation of nutrient sensing pathway' therapeutics, 13 of which specifically were utilized in human interventional trials for normal ageing or dementia. Growth hormone secretagogues improved cognitive outcomes in human mild cognitive impairment, and potentially normal ageing populations. In animals, all investigated therapeutic classes exhibited some cognitive benefits in dementia models. While the risk of bias was relatively low in human studies, this risk in animal studies was largely unclear.

CONCLUSIONS

Modulation of nutrient sensing pathway therapeutics, particularly growth hormone secretagogues, have the potential to improve cognitive outcomes. Overall, there is a clear lack of translation from animal models to human populations.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated with School Bullying in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Cultural Meta-Analysis

Through this meta-analysis, we sought to examine the prevalence of, risks for, and factors associated with bullying involvement (victimization, perpetration, perpetration-victimization) among students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Additionally, we attempted to examine sources of variance in the prevalence and effect sizes of bullying in students with ASD across studies. Systematic database and literature review identified 34 relevant studies (31 for Western countries, three for Eastern countries). Pooled prevalence estimates for victimization, perpetration, and perpetration-victimization in general were 67%, 29%, and 14%, respectively. The risk of victimization in students with ASD was significantly higher than that in typically developing students and students with other disabilities. Further, deficits in social interaction and communication, externalizing symptoms, internalizing symptoms, and integrated inclusive school settings were related to higher victimization, and externalizing symptoms were related to higher perpetration. Finally, moderation analyses revealed significant variations in the pooled prevalences thereof depending on culture, age, school settings, and methodological quality and in the pooled effect sizes according to publication year and methodological quality. Our results highlight needs for bullying intervention for students with ASD, especially those who are younger, are in an inclusive school setting, and have higher social difficulties and externalizing/internalizing symptoms; for intensive research of bullying experiences among students with ASD in Eastern countries; and for efforts to improve the methodological quality of such research.

Why Do They Ride with Others? Meta-Analysis of Factors Influencing Travelers to Carpool

Carpooling can be viewed as a simple intervention to reduce congestion, environmental problems, and land use for parking spaces. The present study assembled 18 studies on carpooling from all over the world that were published during the last five years (2014–2018) for a meta-analysis. By calculating effect sizes of 20 different factors, the study aimed to understand user characteristics, motives, and barriers to carpooling, and to gain insights about carpool interventions. Our results indicate that carpooling is very weakly related to socio-demographic variables, and that psychological factors are becoming more important, including monetary and time benefits, reducing congestion, and environmental concerns. Policy-makers can increase carpooling by offering cheaper parking or special parking spaces for carpoolers and introducing high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. Not surprisingly, fuel prices influence mode choice. The overall findings support previous results, but we found judgmental factors becoming more important for the choice to carpool. We conclude that carpooling services still fail to include many potential users and to serve users adequately. The challenge of meeting the needs of all users requires new approaches to designing carpool concepts, systems, and encounters.

Efficacy and safety of systemic hydrocortisone for the prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Early lung inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). We aimed to establish the efficacy and safety of systemic hydrocortisone for the prevention of BPD. A systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken, with a detailed electronic literature search. Trials involving preterm infants were included if they were randomised to receive systemic hydrocortisone or a placebo. The primary outcome was the composite of survival without BPD at 36-week postmenstrual age (PMA). Results are presented as relative risk (RR) or risk difference (RD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), along with numbers needed to treat (NNT) or harm (NNH). After filtering, 12 studies using early (within 1 week of birth) and two using late hydrocortisone were identified. Early systemic hydrocortisone significantly increased the chances of survival without BPD (RR 1.13, 95% CI [1.01, 1.26], NNT 18), and survival without moderate-to-severe neurodevelopmental impairment (1.13 [1.02, 1.26], NNT 14). Infants who received hydrocortisone had a higher risk of intestinal perforation (1.69 [1.07, 2.68], NNH 30), primarily with concurrent treatment for patent ductus arteriosus.Conclusion: Early systemic hydrocortisone is a modestly effective therapy for the prevention of BPD in preterm infants, although some safety concerns remain. No conclusions could be drawn for late hydrocortisone due to the paucity of studies. What is Known: • Preterm infants are at high risk of developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and early lung inflammation plays a significant role in its pathogenesis. • Both early and late systemic dexamethasone seems to reduce the incidence of BPD, but its use is associated with serious neurodevelopmental impairment at follow-up. What is New: • Early systemic hydrocortisone significantly improved survival without BPD at 36 weeks and survival without moderate to severe neurodevelopmental impairment on follow up. • Incidence of gastrointestinal perforation associated with concurrent treatment for PDA was significantly higher, although early systemic hydrocortisone reduced the need for treatment of PDAs.

WFSBP guidelines on how to grade treatment evidence for clinical guideline development

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS

This paper reviews sources of data typically used in guideline development, available grading systems, their pros and cons, and the methods for evaluating risks of bias in publications, and proposes a revised method for grading evidence and recommendations for use in development of clinical treatment guidelines.

RESULTS

The new World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) grading system allows guideline developers to follow a multi-step approach of defining levels of evidence, applying criteria for grading (define the acceptability) and the grading of recommendations.

CONCLUSIONS

Further, these updated WFSBP recommendations for rating evidence and treatment recommendations provide a grading system that takes into account potential biases in sources of evidence in arriving at final ratings that are likely more clinically meaningful and pragmatic and thus should be used for the development of future treatment guidelines.

Board Attributes and Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure: A Meta-Analysis

Many studies have examined the relationships between board attributes (board independence, CEO duality, board size, and women on boards) and corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) as a means to improve a firm’s reputation. This research was performed in various international settings and uneven outcomes were obtained. We therefore meta-analyzed 88 studies to summarize scattered evidence and found that CEO duality had a significantly negative relationship with CSRD, while board independence, board size and women representation had a significantly positive relationship with CSRD. These relationships were more significant in countries with low levels of commitment to sustainable goals. Thus, our study revealed differences in the relationship between board attributes and CSRD, and that these differences were conditioned by the institutional contexts in which firms operate. Our research has practical implications for practitioners and policy makers alike as we offer guidelines on the most suitable corporate governance mechanisms to achieve lower capital costs and better access to finance.

Corporate social responsibility and behavioral intention: the moderator effect of contextual factors

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the behavioral intention (BI) of customers (e.g. repurchase/revisit intention, spread word of mouth, loyalty, willingness to pay).

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative meta-analysis of 37 articles (n = 34,942) was conducted to determine the effect sizes of the relationship between CSR and BI of the customer. Furthermore, two kinds of contextual factors (environmental context and industry type) have been investigated as potential moderators between CSR and BI.

Findings

Meta-analysis suggests that the positive relationship between CSR and BI is well-established and has a large effect size (r = 0.42). Individually, the repurchase/revisit intention was the most affected by CSR (r = 47) followed by loyalty intention (r = 0.41) where both word of mouth and willingness-to-pay intentions were less affected by CSR (r = 0.38, r = 0.37, respectively). Moreover, the result of meta-regression shows that both environmental context and industry type do not moderate the relationship between CSR and BI.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper comes from presenting a summary of the direction of research on primary relationship between CSR and BI, as no prior meta-analysis on the primary relationship has been conducted till date (to the best of the authors’ knowledge).