Publication

Network meta-analysis with integrated nested Laplace approximations

Journal Paper/Review - Sep 11, 2015

Units
Keywords
Bayesian inference; Integrated nested Laplace approximations; Network meta-analysis; Node-splitting
PubMed
Doi
Link
Contact

Citation
Sauter R, Held L. Network meta-analysis with integrated nested Laplace approximations. Biometrical Journal 2015; 57:1038-1050.
Type
Journal Paper/Review (English)
Journal
Biometrical Journal 2015; 57
Publication Date
Sep 11, 2015
Pages
1038-1050
Brief description/objective

Analyzing the collected evidence of a systematic review in form of a network meta-analysis (NMA) enjoys increasing popularity and provides a valuable instrument for decision making. Bayesian inference of NMA models is often propagated, especially if correlated random effects for multiarm trials are included. The standard choice for Bayesian inference is Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling, which is computationally intensive. An alternative to MCMC sampling is the recently suggested approximate Bayesian method of integrated nested Laplace approximations (INLA) that dramatically saves computation time without any substantial loss in accuracy. We show how INLA apply to NMA models for summary level as well as trial-arm level data. Specifically, we outline the modeling of multiarm trials and inference for functional contrasts with INLA. We demonstrate how INLA facilitate the assessment of network inconsistency with node-splitting. Three applications illustrate the use of INLA for a NMA.