Abstract
The objective of a meta-analysis is usually to estimate the overall treatment effect and make inferences about the difference between the effects of the two treatments. Meta-analysis is a quantitative method commonly used to combine the results of multiple studies in the medical and social sciences. There are three common types of meta-analysis. Pairwise, Multivariate and Network Meta-analysis. In general, network meta-analysis (NMA) offers the advantage of enabling the combined assessment of more than two treatments. Statistical approaches to NMA are largely classified as frequentist and Bayesian frameworks Because part of NMA has indirect, multiple comparisons, As reports of network meta-analysis become more common, it is essential to introduce the approach to readers and to provide guidance as to how to interpret the results. In this chapter, the terms used in NMA are defined, relevant statistical concepts are summarized, and the NMA analytic process based on the frequentist and Bayesian framework is illustrated using the R program and an example of a network involving diabetes treatments. The aim of the article is to compare the basic concepts and analyzes of network meta-analysis using diabetes data and the treatment methods used.