Can a meta-analysis that included articles with high heterogeneity appropriately evaluate the risk of venous thromboembolism in users of combined hormonal contraceptives containing drospirenone or desogestrel?

Abstract

The authors suggest that the authors of the systematic review reassess the meta-analyses which demonstrated high diversities. The reanalysis of the cohort studies comparing venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk in users of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) containing desogestrel with that of women taking a COC containing levonorgestrel brought no substantial change to light with regard to the aforementioned author’s findings. On the contrary when reassessing the cohort studies comparing users of COCs containing drospirenone with women taking a COC containing levonorgestrel unlike the review authors they found no significant difference in VTE risk between these two groups. The authors’ meta-analysis of nested case control studies did show a higher VTE risk associated with the use of drosperinone-containing pills. Future studies of higher quality and longer duration are needed to determine whether the risk of VTE associated with the use of COCs containing drosperinone is greater than with those containing levonorgestrel.