Professor Sofia Dias

Research summary

My research has focused on statistical methodology for evidence synthesis with a particular focus on network meta-analysis, consistency checking, and bias modeling. I am Scientific Coordinator at the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Clinical Guidelines Technical Support Unit located in Bristol, which requires rapid response consultancy on complex synthesis methodology issues that arise in the development of clinical guidelines.

I have a special interest in the use of meta-analysis for choosing the best infertility treatment and I am statistical editor for the Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group.

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Biography

Sofia studied Probability and Statistics at the University of Lisbon, Portugal, which included an ERASMUS year in the UK. She then went on to complete a PhD on Predictive Comparisons at the University of Sheffield, supervised by Professor Ian R. Dunsmore.

 From 2004 to 2007 Sofia worked at the University of Manchester with Andy Vail and Dr Roseanne McNamee, investigating the quality of randomised controlled trials in subfertility. She was editor and statistician for the Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group until 2014.

In September 2007 Sofia joined the Multiple-Parameter Evidence Synthesis Programme. She worked on the project "Making Best ...

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Links

•   NMA book
• NICE Clinical Guidelines Technical Support Unit
•   NICE DSU Technical Support Documents on Evidence Synthesis

Selected publications

• Dias, S, Welton, N, Caldwell, D & Ades, A, 2010, ‘Checking consistency in mixed treatment comparison meta-analysis’. Statistics in Medicine, vol 29., pp. 932 - 944
• Dias, S, Welton, NJ, Marinho, VCC, Salanti, G, Higgins, JPT & Ades, AE, 2010, ‘Estimation and adjustment of bias in randomized evidence by using mixed treatment comparison meta-analysis’. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A, vol 173., pp. 613-629

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Recent publications

• Naci, H, Salcher-Konrad, M, Dias, S, Blum, MR, Sahoo, SA, Nunan, D & Ioannidis, JP, 2019, ‘How does exercise treatment compare with antihypertensive medications? A network meta-analysis of 391 randomised controlled trials assessing exercise and medication effects on systolic blood pressure’. British Journal of Sports Medicine, vol 53., pp. 859-869
• Dias, S & Caldwell, D, 2019, ‘Network meta-Analysis explained’. Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal and Neonatal Edition, vol 104., pp. F8-F12

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View complete publications list in the University of Bristol publications system