Combining summaries of binary outcomes with those of continuous outcomes in a meta-analysis

Abstract

We present a methodology for combining trials some of which report continuous outcome measures and others binary outcomes created by a dichotomy of the continuous measurement. This was motivated by a series of controlled clinical trials investigating the effect of prophylactic use of oxytocics on postpartum blood loss during labor. Data were available in the form of summary statistics from published papers. The log-odds ratio is used as a common measure of treatment difference across all trials. We discuss the general applicability of this approach.