Integrating Sankey Diagrams Into Meta-Analysis Reporting: A Novel Approach to Visualizing Intergroup Relationships, Study Inclusion, Event Rates, and Statistical Outcomes in Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis of Pediatric Surgery

jpedsurg.org

Meta-analyses are among the most valuable methodologies in clinical research, as they integrate data from multiple studies to generate stronger and more reliable conclusions. Traditionally, statistical outcomes in meta-analyses are displayed through forest plots, funnel plots. These tools are the core of meta-analysis and are useful for displaying results. Nevertheless, these tools are limited in their ability to provide an integrated visualization of key meta-analytic outcomes—such as intergroup relationships, number of included studies, number of patients, percentages, and p-values—within a single figure.

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Article · Sep 2025 · 1 min read

In brief

This article introduces Sankey diagrams as an innovative visualization tool for meta-analyses in pediatric surgery, addressing limitations of traditional forest and funnel plots. The method enables integrated display of study inclusion, patient flow, event rates, and statistical outcomes in a single comprehensive figure, enhancing the communication of complex meta-analytic findings.

Traditional meta-analysis visualizations (forest plots, funnel plots) cannot display intergroup relationships, study counts, patient numbers, and p-values simultaneously in one figure.
Sankey diagrams offer a novel method to integrate multiple meta-analytic outcomes into a single comprehensive visualization.
Current meta-analysis reporting tools are limited in their ability to show the complete analytical picture at a glance.

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