Table 2. Quality assessment for non-randomized trials.
| Quality assessment for non-randomized trials | Acar et al.[14] | Klauser[11] | Wendelstein et al.[16] |
| A clearly stated aim | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Inclusion of consecutive patients | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Prospective data collection | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Endpoints appropriate to the aim of the study | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Unbiased assessment of the study endpoint | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| A follow-up period appropriate to the aims of study | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Less than 5% loss to follow-up | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Prospective calculation of the sample size | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| An adequate control group | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Contemporary groups | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Baseline equivalence of groups | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Adequate statistical analyses | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Total score | 17 | 20 | 20 |