Table 2 Study quality scores.
| Study reference | Allocation to intervention group | Assigned intervention concealed before allocation | Outcomes of participants who withdrew described + included in analysis | Outcome assessors blinded | Inclusion/exclusion criteria clearly defined? | Groups comparable at entry | Interventions clearly defined | Definition outcome measures | Surveillance period active and of clinically appropriate duration | Total score | Quality rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emery14 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | M |
| Grace13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | P |
| Heidt15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | M |
| Hewett19 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | P |
| Junge16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | M |
| Mandelbaum20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | M |
| McIntosh17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | P |
| Olsen18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 13 | M |
| Webster12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | P |
| Wedderkopp21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 | M |
| Wedderkopp22 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | M |
| Yang11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | P |
M, moderate; P, poor.