DAMASCENE and Meta-Ecological Research: A Bridge Too Far.

Moyé, Lem · Circ Res · 2014

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Abstract

Population level studies commonly induce the ecological fallacy i.e., the belief that a relationship identified at the population level implies a cause and effect relationship at the level of the individual. A recent research report (DAMASCENE) that related clinical trial effect sizes in cardiovascular cell therapy trials to reporting discrepancies in the trials themselves has compounded meta-analysis difficulties with ecological fallacy issues. This dangerous combination has produced misleading conclusions and speculation that the research community should set aside.

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