Table 1

Proposed advantages of individual patient data meta-analyses

Ability to use common definitions, coding and cutpoints
Address questions not addressed in original publication
Assess adequacy of randomization
Permits data checking
Permits data updating
Permits checking of analyses
Allows adjustment for the same variables across studies
Permits ready use of time-to-event data for estimating survival
Ability to address long-term outcomes
Facilitates exploration of heterogeneity at the patient level and subgroup analyses of patient level data

Lyman and Kuderer BMC Medical Research Methodology 2005 5:14   doi:10.1186/1471-2288-5-14