Table 1.
Search strategy for Pubmed/MEDLINE for identification of primary studies on surgery versus conservative treatment for sciatica
| 1 | randomised controlled trial.pt. |
| 2 | controlled clinical trial.pt. |
| 3 | randomised.ab. |
| 4 | placebo.ab,ti. |
| 5 | drug therapy.fs. |
| 6 | randomly.ab,ti. |
| 7 | trial.ab,ti. |
| 8 | groups.ab,ti. |
| 9 | or/1–8 |
| 10 | (animals not (humans and animals)).sh. |
| 11 | 9 not 10 |
| 12 | dorsalgia.ti,ab. |
| 13 | exp Back Pain/ |
| 14 | backache.ti,ab. |
| 15 | (lumbar adj pain).ti,ab. |
| 16 | coccyx.ti,ab. |
| 17 | coccydynia.ti,ab. |
| 18 | sciatica.ti,ab. |
| 19 | sciatica/ |
| 20 | spondylosis.ti,ab. |
| 21 | lumbago.ti,ab. |
| 22 | exp low back pain/ |
| 23 | Or/12–22 |
| 24 | 11 and 23 |
| 25 | limit 24 to ed = 20080501–20081223 |
Search strategy was adapted for other databases