Table.

Methods of comparison and number of significant findings^* in 44 meta-analyses of competing interventions. Weighted κ 0.53 for agreement between direct and adjusted indirect estimate

Direct estimate	Adjusted indirect estimate
	Significant effect (−) (n=6)	Non-significant effect (n=33)	Significant effect (+) (n=5)
Significant effect (−) (n=8)	5	3	0
Non-significant effect (n=25)	1	23	1
Significant effect (+) (n=11)	0	7	4

^*Non-significant effect: difference between intervention groups is non-significant (P>0.05); significant effect (P⩽0.05) is separated according to whether intervention A is less (−) or more effective (+) than intervention B.