[R-sig-ME] Meta-analysis using lmer

[Yu-Kang Tu]

Hi,

I am trying to use lme and lmer to do random effects meta-analysis as described in Hox (2002) and UCLA website: http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/mlwin/examples/ma_hox/chapter8.htm

Basically, what I want to do is to constraint one residual error variance to be unity and use the inverse of standard errors as the covariate (weight) for this variance. And an additional random effects terms is used to estimate the between-study variation. I did take a look at the Pinheiro & Bates book on varFunc, but unfortunately, I cannot figure out how this can be done. Any suggestions/advices will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

Yu-Kang
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Dr Yu-Kang Tu
Senior Clinical Research Fellow
Division of Biostatistics, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health and Therapeutics, and 
Department of Periodontology, Leeds Dental Institute
Room 8.01, Level 8, Worsley Building,
Clarendon Way
University of Leeds, LS2 9JT
Email: y.k.tu at leeds.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 113 3431877
Fax: +44 (0) 113 3434877