One relative risk versus two odds ratios: implications for meta-analyses involving paired and unpaired binary data

BACKGROUND: There are debates on whether the conditional odds ratio or marginal odds ratio should be used in meta-analysis involving both paired and unpaired binary data. Although statistically sound, both approaches result in overall odds ratios which are known to be less meaningful to consumers. PURPOSE: To show that while two odds ratios can be calculated in a pair-matched study, there is only…