Comparison 1. Bezafibrate vs no intervention.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 All‐cause mortality	3	60	Risk Difference (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [‐0.11, 0.11]
2 Liver morbidity	3	60	Risk Difference (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [‐0.11, 0.11]
3 Adverse events	3	60	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	5.4 [0.69, 42.32]
4 Pruritus	2	38	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.12 [0.50, 2.53]
5 Serum alkaline phosphatases (U/L)	4	79	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐186.04 [‐249.03, ‐123.04]
5.1 Duration of administration 6 months	2	38	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐141.97 [‐228.30, ‐55.64]
5.2 Duration of administration 12‐13 months	2	41	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐236.23 [‐328.35, ‐144.10]
6 Serum gamma‐glutamyltransferase (U/L)	4	79	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.22 [‐11.97, 9.52]
6.1 Duration of administration 6 months	2	38	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.23 [‐12.17, 9.72]
6.2 Duration of administration 12‐13 months	2	41	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.20 [‐56.79, 54.39]
7 Serum alanine aminotransferase (U/L)	2	35	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐5.61 [‐24.50, 13.27]
8 Plasma immunoglobulin M (mg/dl)	3	50	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐164.00 [‐259.47, ‐68.53]
9 Total cholesterol (mg/dl)	2	38	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐12.51 [‐32.65, 7.64]
10 Triglycerides (mg/dl)	2	38	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐20.12 [‐47.73, 7.49]
11 Serum bilirubin (mg/dl)	2	34	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.19 [‐0.38, ‐0.00]
12 Number of patients having bezafibrate withdrawn due to adverse events	3	60	Risk Difference (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.03 [‐0.09, 0.16]