Meta-analyses: heterogeneity and subgroup analysis

Researchers undertook a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of comprehensive geriatric assessment in hospital for older adults admitted as an emergency. They included randomised controlled trials that compared comprehensive geriatric assessment with usual care. Comprehensive geriatric assessment is a multidimensional interdisciplinary diagnostic process used to determine the medical, psychological, and functional capabilities of a frail elderly person so as to develop a coordinated and integrated plan for treatment and long term follow-up. Usual care usually involved admission to a general medical ward setting under the care of a non-specialist. Twenty two trials were identified, evaluating 10 315 participants in six countries.1

The primary outcome was “living at home” at the end of the scheduled follow-up period. This outcome was reported by 18 trials evaluating 7062 participants. The median follow-up was 12 months (range six weeks to 12 months). The test of heterogeneity for these trials gave χ²=28.49, df=17, P=0.04, I²=40%. The total overall estimate indicated that the odds of a patient living at home at the end of scheduled follow-up were significantly higher in those patients who had undergone comprehensive geriatric assessment than in those who received usual care (odds ratio=1.16 (95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.28; P=0.003)).

Subgroup analysis was undertaken, based on the type of model of comprehensive geriatric assessment performed. Two broad types of model were identified: assessment in designated wards by a coordinated specialist team; and assessment by mobile teams wherever the patient was admitted. The test of heterogeneity for “ward” gave χ²=17.66, df=13, P=0.17, I²=26% while that for “team” gave χ²=1.86, df=3, P=0.60, I²=0%.

The subtotal estimate for “ward” indicated that comprehensive geriatric assessment was significantly more likely to result in patients being in their own homes at the end of scheduled follow-up …