A Novel Meta-Analytic Approach with Applications to Nutrition Research: A Comprehensive Analysis of Sodium Restriction (OR06-05-19)

Abstract

ObjectivesSince the application of meta-analysis to biomedical research, the breadth of evidence covered in published meta-analyses has diminished. Despite the imperative of literature reviews to present “state of the art” knowledge, current meta-analyses are confined to pooling only select evidence. Imposing a priori criteria on scientific evidence results in biased and myopic conclusions. These current practices, in addition to the vastness of the literature base, ensure that research evidence remains opaque, and unusable to guide research and clinical practice. For example, whether and how much dietary sodium should be restricted for healthy or at-risk populations remains controversial. New epidemiological data suggest a striking increase in mortality with sodium intake <3 g/day, confounding this discussion. Thus, a system enabling investigators to access, review, and interpret all evidence is needed. MethodsMedAware Systems, Inc. is a platform that continuously identifies, extracts and organizes medical research data from multiple repositories. A blinded, cross-validated data extraction process, using artificial intelligence, guides two research scientists to process each study with near 100% accuracy. Intelligent software compares each data field for matches, prompting a senior scientist to review and reconcile any mismatched data fields. Over 200 methodological and clinical parameters are coded and organized, supporting comprehensive meta-analytic reviews of any medical topic.We demonstrate this innovative technology by addressing the effects of dietary sodium intake. We identify and analyze the complete domain of studies pertaining to sodium intake and cardiovascular outcomes. ResultsTo date, 368 studies have been identified. Initial review of patients, interventions, and outcomes data show extreme heterogeneity of this literature domain. This confirms the need for comprehensive evidence review, data extraction, and pooling. ConclusionsSodium intake literature is vast and difficult to interpret. We introduce a comprehensive process to analyze thousands of studies that traditional approaches cannot match. Our database and meta-analytic methodology profile the domain of evidence, summarizing the diversity and efficacy of sodium restriction recommendations. Funding SourcesMedAware Systems, Inc.