Alternative and more clinically applicable approach to the standardized mean difference effect size for meta-analysis of differentially scaled pain outcome data in anesthesia and pain medicine
Authors' conclusion
Rescaling data into a more understandable metric intended for a wider variety of audiences is plausible.
Study context
- Population
- RCTs of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on pain, assessed using different pain scales (data from a previous meta-analysis)
- Comparison
- Rescaling differentially scaled pain data to a common 0-10 metric vs the SMD effect size
- Outcome
- Feasibility of rescaling pain data to 0-10
Methodological detailsre-analysis of a previous meta-analysis of RCTs, inverse-variance heterogeneity model, Data for each study rescaled to 0-10 using an Excel spreadsheet and selected formulas; results pooled using the inverse-variance heterogeneity model
- Re-analysis of a previous meta-analysis of RCTs
- Inverse-variance heterogeneity model
- Data for each study rescaled to 0-10 using an Excel spreadsheet and selected formulas; results pooled using the inverse-variance heterogeneity model
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
- Rescaling pain data to 0-10 easily accomplished using this 'real-world' dataset
Original publication
Alternative and more clinically applicable approach to the standardized mean difference effect size for meta-analysis of differentially scaled pain outcome data in anesthesia and pain medicine. Reg Anesth Pain Med. Published 23 September 2025. doi:10.
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