Table 2.
Meta-analysis summary of all outcomes of node splitting analysis and confidence in network meta-analysis (CINeMA).
| Outcome | Comparison | Number of knees | Number of studies | Node-splitting (P-value) | Nature of evidence | CINeMA level | Downgraded reason |
| ROM (early follow-up) | CR vs. PS | 709 | 10 | 0.968 | Mixed | Moderate | Heterogeneity |
| BCS vs. PS | 111 | 1 | 0.283 | Mixed | Low | With-study bias Heterogeneity |
|
| BCS vs. CR | 85 | 1 | 0.398 | Mixed | Moderate | With-study bias | |
| BCR vs. PS | 40 | 1 | 0.205 | Mixed | Moderate | With-study bias | |
| BCR vs. CR | 400 | 2 | 0.295 | Mixed | Low | With-study bias Heterogeneity |
|
| BCR vs. BCS | 72 | 1 | 0.205 | Mixed | Low | With-study bias Heterogeneity |
|
| ROM (long-term follow-up) | CR vs. PS | 876 | 7 | – | Mixed | Very low | Heterogeneity Incoherence |
| BCS vs. PS | 187 | 1 | – | Mixed | Low | Incoherence | |
| BCS vs. CR | 0 | 0 | – | Indirect | Low | Incoherence | |
| BCR vs. PS | 0 | 0 | – | Indirect | Very low | Imprecision Incoherence |
|
| BCR vs. CR | 1 | 14 | – | Mixed | Very low | Incoherence Imprecision |
|
| BCR vs. BCS | 0 | 0 | – | Indirect | Very low | Imprecision Incoherence |
|
| KSFS | CR vs. PS | 1353 | 12 | 0.839 | Mixed | Low | Heterogeneity |
| BCS vs. PS | 362 | 2 | 0.524 | Mixed | Low | Heterogeneity | |
| BCS vs. CR | 85 | 1 | 0.775 | Mixed | Low | Heterogeneity | |
| BCR vs. PS | 200 | 1 | 0.686 | Mixed | Low | Heterogeneity | |
| BCR vs. CR | 111 | 2 | 0.767 | Mixed | Moderate | Heterogeneity | |
| BCR vs. BCS | 72 | 1 | 0.232 | Mixed | Low | With-study bias | |
| OKS | CR vs. PS | 327 | 2 | – | Mixed | Moderate | Incoherence |
| BCS vs. PS | 266 | 2 | – | Mixed | Very low | Incoherence Heterogeneity |
|
| BCS vs. CR | 0 | 0 | – | Indirect | Very low | Incoherence Heterogeneity |
|
| BCR vs. PS | 0 | 0 | – | Indirect | Low | Incoherence | |
| BCR vs. CR | 48 | 1 | – | Mixed | Low | Incoherence | |
| BCR vs. BCS | 0 | 0 | – | Indirect | Low | Incoherence | |
| Complication rate | CR vs. PS | 681 | 6 | 0.780 | Mixed | Low | Imprecision |
| BCS vs. PS | 549 | 3 | – | Mixed | High | – | |
| BCS vs. CR | 0 | 0 | – | Indirect | Low | Imprecision | |
| BCR vs. PS | 240 | 2 | 0.771 | Mixed | Low | Imprecision | |
| BCR vs. CR | 351 | 2 | 0.781 | Mixed | Very low | With-study bias Imprecision |
|
| BCR vs. BCS | 0 | 0 | – | Indirect | Low | Imprecision | |
| Revision rate | CR vs. PS | 476 | 2 | – | Mixed | Very low | With-study bias Imprecision Incoherence |
| BCS vs. PS | 362 | 2 | – | Mixed | Very low | Imprecision Incoherence |
|
| BCS vs. CR | 0 | 0 | – | Indirect | Very low | Heterogeneity Incoherence |
|
| BCR vs. PS | 0 | 0 | – | Indirect | Very low | Imprecision Incoherence |
|
| BCR vs. CR | 351 | 2 | – | Mixed | Very low | Imprecision Incoherence |
|
| BCR vs. BCS | 0 | 0 | – | Indirect | Very low | Heterogeneity Incoherence |
BCR: Bi-cruciate retaining; BCS: Bi-cruciate substituting; CR: Cruciate-retaining; KSFS: Knee Society Function Score; OKS: Oxford Knee Score; PS: Posterior-stabilized; ROM: Range of knee motion; SD: Standard difference; –: Not available.