Evidence-appraisal glossary
Cumulative Meta-Analysis
A cumulative meta-analysis repeats the pooled analysis each time a new study is added, in chronological order, showing how the combined estimate has evolved as evidence accumulated. It reveals when the answer became clear.
Also called: running meta-analysis.
Instead of one final pooled figure, this approach plots a running estimate, updating it study by study so you can see the point at which the effect stabilized or crossed a threshold. It can expose that a conclusion was established well before later trials were run, or that an early result was later overturned. Because each successive look tests the data again, it shares the multiplicity concerns of repeated analysis and is best read as a descriptive picture of evidence over time rather than a formal test.
Read the full Reading the Evidence blog.
This is a plain-language methodology definition for reading research. It is general education, not medical advice.