[R] how to change the order of subgroups in forest plot using meta

[petretta at unina.it]

Dear all,

I use R 3.0.2 for Windows 7.

I performed a sub-groups meta-analysis of the prevalence (single
proportion)reported in 14 different studies using the package “meta”
(April 19, 2014). I have two groups.

I use the line commands:

res <-metaprop(case,n,sm="PFT", comb.fixed=FALSE, comb.random=TRUE,
byvar=group, tau.common=TRUE, studlab<- paste(Study))

forest(res, fontsize=10, squaresize=1.2, just.studlab="left",
just="center", addspace=TRUE, pooled.events=TRUE, bylab="",
print.byvar=FALSE, bysort=FALSE)

I would like to change the order of the two subgroup presentation in the
forest plot.

However, despite (bysort=FALSE), the two subgroups are presented in
alphabetic order and I’m unable to change the order of the two subgroups
without change the dataset.

A more generally question is: how to change the order of presentation of
subgroups in the forest plot using the package meta?

Any suggestion is welcome.

Mario Petretta
Department of Translational Medical Sciences
Naples University Federico II Italy