. 2024 Jul 10;19(7):e0305573. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305573

Table 1. Baseline characteristics of the included trials.

Study (year)	Design	Blinding methods	Subject	Period (months)	Participants numbers		Types and Average number of injections
Study (year)	Design	Blinding methods	Subject	Period (months)	anti-VEGF group	DEX implant group	anti-VEGF group	DEX implant group
NCT 2012	RCT	Single blind	DME	6	10 eyes	10 eyes	Bevacizumab	Ozurdex
NCT 2012	RCT	Single blind	DME	6	10 eyes	10 eyes	5 times	2 times
Guignier 2013	RCT	Not mentioned	BRVO-ME	6	8 eyes	11 eyes	Bevacizumab	Ozurdex
Guignier 2013	RCT	Not mentioned	BRVO-ME	6	8 eyes	11 eyes	3 times	1 times
Shah 2016	RCT	Single blind	DME	7	23 eyes	27 eyes	Bevacizumab	Ozurdex
Shah 2016	RCT	Single blind	DME	7	23 eyes	27 eyes	7.0±0.5 times	2.7±0.5 times
Wickremasinghe 2017	RCT	Single blind	DME	24	22 eyes	22 eyes	Bevacizumab	Ozurdex
Wickremasinghe 2017	RCT	Single blind	DME	24	22 eyes	22 eyes	14.2±7.9 times	14.2±7.9 times
Kumar 2019	RCT	Not mentioned	BRVO-ME	6	30 eyes	30 eyes	Ranibizumab	Ozurdex
Kumar 2019	RCT	Not mentioned	BRVO-ME	6	30 eyes	30 eyes	3 times	1 times
Podkowinski 2020	RCT	Double blind	DME	6	9 eyes	9 eyes	Ranibizumab	Ozurdex
Podkowinski 2020	RCT	Double blind	DME	6	9 eyes	9 eyes	2 times	2 times
Sharma 2020	RCT	Not mentioned	DME	6	20 eyes	20 eyes	Bevacizumab or Ranibizumab	Ozurdex
Sharma 2020	RCT	Not mentioned	DME	6	20 eyes	20 eyes	4.04 times	1.15 times
Mishra 2021	RCT	Double blind	DME	4	64 eyes	63 eyes	Ranibizumab	Ozurdex
Mishra 2021	RCT	Double blind	DME	4	64 eyes	63 eyes	3 times	1 times

Abbreviations: RCT = randomized controlled trial; DME = diabetic macular edema; DEX = dexamethasone; RVO-ME = macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion; VEGF = vascular endothelial growth factor.