07: A Recursive Method for Scoring Open-Ended Categories in Dose-Response Meta-Analyses

Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center 

Accurately assigning exposure scores to open-ended categories is critical in dose-response meta-analyses (DRMAs). However, the current usage of scoring methods is complete chaos, resulting in inconsistent, non-reproducible, and unreliable results. Through a systematic review, we summarized at least 11 commonly used methodologies. In addition, to identify current trends, we analyzed 158 DRMA publications from the past three years and listed the five most popular methods. We found that none of these methods were used with sufficient justification, and that even more surprisingly, over 39% of publications failed to report their scoring approach. In this work, we propose a novel recursive method that assigns exposure scores based on the sample sizes of categories, which provides a more unified, data-driven framework for exposure scoring, enhancing the accuracy, transparency, and reliability of DRMAs. We performed two case studies to highlight the method's practical utility and robustness. In addition, we further provide guidance on selecting scoring methods in various scenarios.

Meta-analysis

Dose–response relationships

Grouped dose levels

Trend estimation 

Biometrics Section