How to plan and manage an individual participant data meta‐analysis. An illustrative toolkit

Abstract

AbstractIndividual participant data meta‐analyses (IPD‐MAs) have several benefits over standard aggregate data meta‐analyses, including the consideration of additional participants, follow‐up time, and the joint consideration of study‐ and participant‐level heterogeneity for improved diagnostic and prognostic model development and evaluation. However, IPD‐MAs are resource‐intensive and require careful budgeting of time from data contributing groups, a dedicated management team, diversity of expertise, clearly documented data sharing and authorship agreements, and consistent and clear communication. We present a toolkit to facilitate the implementation and management of IPD‐MAs, from study recruitment to retrospective harmonization. The toolkit was developed and refined over our work on multiple multinational IPD‐MA projects over the last 13 years. The toolkit's budget and email templates, agreements, project management spreadsheets, and standard operating procedures are meant to facilitate routine IPD‐MA tasks to expedite implementing and managing future IPD‐MA projects.