Development and validation of MIX: comprehensive free software for meta-analysis of causal research data
2006

MIX: Free Software for Meta-Analysis

publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Leon Bax, Ly-Mee Yu, Noriaki Ikeda, Harukazu Tsuruta, Karel GM Moons

Primary Institution: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, UMC Utrecht, The Netherlands

Hypothesis

We aimed to create and validate an easy-to-use and comprehensive meta-analysis package for students and researchers new to meta-analysis.

Conclusion

The MIX program is a valid tool for performing meta-analysis and may be particularly useful in educational environments.

Supporting Evidence

  • The MIX program can be downloaded free of charge.
  • Results from the MIX program are identical to those from STATA.
  • The program includes educational features to assist users.
  • MIX has been downloaded over 1800 times within 6 months of its first release.

Takeaway

MIX is a free program that helps people do meta-analyses easily using Excel, making it great for students and beginners.

Methodology

The MIX program was developed using Visual Basic in Excel and validated against two major software packages, STATA and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis.

Limitations

The maximum number of studies that can be analyzed is currently limited to 100, and meta-regression is not yet implemented.

Statistical Information

P-Value

<0.0001

Confidence Interval

0.7196 to 0.8190

Statistical Significance

p<0.0001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2288-6-50

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication