One-stage parametric meta-analysis of time-to-event outcomes

Methodology for the meta‐analysis of individual patient data with survival end‐points is proposed. Motivated by questions about the reliance on hazard ratios as summary measures of treatment effects, a parametric approach is considered and percentile ratios are introduced as an alternative to hazard ratios. The generalized log‐gamma model, which includes many common time‐to‐event distributions as special cases, is discussed in detail. Likelihood inference for percentile ratios is outlined. The proposed methodology is used for a meta‐analysis of glioma data that was one of the studies which motivated this work. A simulation study exploring the validity of the proposed methodology is available electronically. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.