OBJECTIVES:

Traditional network meta-analysis (NMA) methods are time-consuming, requiring extensive data preparation and knowledge of statistical programming. A living NMA tool presents an opportunity to recreate existing NMAs, monitor new evidence and quickly update analyses within a few minutes. In this study, we replicated and updated an existing NMA using an interactive NMA tool.

METHODS:

Leveraging an existing living systematic literature review (SLR) platform, which is regularly updated to capture newly published articles and abstracts, we developed an integrated living NMA tool. To validate this tool, an existing NMA of overall survival (OS) among patients with mCRPC who progressed after treatment with docetaxel regimens by Chen et al. (2022) was replicated. The network consisted of 5 trials, including TROPIC, ALSYMPCA, COU-AA-301, AFFIRM, and a trial by Sun et al. (2016). The included trials involved 5 treatment regimens: abiraterone, cabazitaxel, enzalutamide, radium-223, and best supportive care. The replicated NMA was subsequently updated with results from the VISION trial, comparing a prostate-specific membrane antigen-based radioligand therapy with best supportive care. The LiveNMA analysis was based on the Bayesian approach, with a default Markov Chain Monte Carlo setting of 10, 000 iterations. The analysis was performed using a fixed-effect model.

RESULTS:

By combining the living SLR and NMA platforms, the analysis, from configuration via the user interface to the generation of output, was implemented within 2 minutes. The replicated network was structurally similar to the original NMA, and treatment ranking was comparable.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study demonstrated the utility of an interactive NMA tool, which replicated and updated an existing analysis in a few minutes. This efficient and reliable tool can help decision-makers stay current with comparative effectiveness of new and existing treatments.