In this issue of Pediatrics, Askie et al1,2 present their report of an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) in preterm infants. This article is of great interest regarding what it tells us about both IPD meta-analysis and the use of iNO in preterm infants.
By now, everyone in the pediatric community is familiar with the idea of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Most meta-analysis reports that pediatricians would have read involve aggregate data analyzed at the trials level. Meta-analyses of aggregate data are typical of Cochrane reviews. Data from these types of analyses enable us to gain greater precision regarding clinically important outcomes. Aggregate-data meta-analyses at the trials level have been used in creating policies and guidelines. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of antenatal3 and postnatal4,5 corticosteroids have greatly influenced practice in neonatal-perinatal medicine. However,...
