[R-meta] contour enhanced funnel plots when using function of sample size

[Viechtbauer, Wolfgang (NP)]

Hi Tori,

The funnel() function will work just as well on an rma.mv object, so yes, you can also create a contour-enhanced funnel plot for an rma.mv object. For example:

dat <- dat.konstantopoulos2011
res <- rma.mv(yi, vi, random = ~ 1 | district/school, data=dat)
funnel(res, level=c(90, 95, 99), shade=c("white", "gray55", "gray75"), refline=0, legend=TRUE)

Best,
Wolfgang

>-----Original Message-----
>From: R-sig-meta-analysis [mailto:r-sig-meta-analysis-bounces using r-project.org] On
>Behalf Of Tori Peña
>Sent: Wednesday, 25 May, 2022 21:41
>To: r-sig-meta-analysis using r-project.org
>Subject: Re: [R-meta] contour enhanced funnel plots when using function of sample
>size
>
>Hi folks,
>
>I wanted to follow-up this question and ask if there is a way (or is it
>recommended) to generate a color-enhanced funnel plot on a rma.mv object?
>Thanks in advance!
>
>On Tue, May 24, 2022 at 6:00 AM Guido Schwarzer <sc using imbi.uni-freiburg.de>
>wrote:
>
>> Am 24.05.22 um 10:46 schrieb Brendan Hutchinson:
>>
>> > [...]
>> > My question is specifically whether there is a means of generating a
>> contour enhanced funnel plot with pseudo confidence regions when using a
>> function of sample size on the y axis. According to the R documentation,
>> this isn't possible. I wanted to ask if anyone knew of any means to achieve
>> this or perhaps a workaround (unless this is some inherent issue to the use
>> of a function of sample size that I'm not seeing).
>>
>> The sample size does not contain any information on the statistical
>> significance of a study result. For example, for a binary outcome:
>>
>>  > meta::metabin(1, 100, 2, 100)$pval
>> [1] 0.5688381
>>  > meta::metabin(25, 100, 50, 100)$pval
>> [1] 0.0005287824
>>
>> Both studies have a total sample size of 200, however, depending on the
>> number of events, the studies have very different p-values.
>>
>> The same argument can be made for a continuous outcome, studies with the
>> same sample sizes and mean values can have very different standard
>> deviations leading to different p-values.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Guido
>>
>> --
>> Dr. Guido Schwarzer
>> Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics,
>> Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center - University of Freiburg
>>
>> Postal address: Zinkmattenstr. 6a, D-79108 Freiburg
>>
>> Mail: sc using imbi.uni-freiburg.de
>> Homepage: https://www.imbi.uni-freiburg.de/
>>
>> ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6214-9087
>> R-book: https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783319214153