Table 1.
Instrument Categories Used to Grade Articles for this Review
| Grading Criteria: |
| Assignment of patients (/9) |
| No mention of randomization-score 0; case study fully described-score 2; retrospective study fully described-score 4; prospective study fully described-score 5; non-randomized clinical trial-score 6; randomized clinical trial-score 7; non-randomized controlled trial with inadequate randomization-score 8; randomized controlled trial with adequate randomization described-score 9. |
| Baseline values of groups (/8) |
| No mention of baseline values-score 0; baseline values mentioned but not statistically significant-score 4; baseline values mentioned and not statistically significant-score 8. |
| Relevance of outcomes and clinical significance (/7) |
| No mention of outcomes and clinical significance-score 0; subjective outcome measures-score 3; objective outcome measures-score 5; both subjective and objective outcome measures-score 7. |
| Prognostic stratification (comorbidity and risk factors) (/6) |
| No clear mention of study inclusion or exclusion criteria-score 0; inadequate mention of inclusion or exclusion criteria-score 3; complete mention and description of inclusion and exclusion criteria-score 6. |
| Blinding strategies (/5) |
| No blinding strategies mentioned-score 0; single blinded study without method described and appropriate-score 2; single blinded study with method described and appropriate-score 3; double blinded study without method described and appropriate-score 4; double blinded study with method described and appropriate-score 5. |
| Contamination/co-intervention (/4) |
| No mention of ways to control for contamination or co-intervention-score 0; some patients received some sort of contamination or co-intervention-score 2; assumed that no contamination or co-intervention took place due to immediate follow-up-score 3; contamination and co-intervention closely monitored and accounted for-score 4. |
| Compliance of subjects to study procedures (/4) |
| No mention or detail given to compliance of study subjects-score 0; compliance and co-intervention of patients monitored but not closely monitored-score 1; some patients were compliant and did not receive co-interventions and was closely monitored and detailed-score 2; compliance of subjects was assumed due to immediate follow-up-score 3; all patients were compliant and closely monitored and detailed-score 4. |
| Drop-out rates of subjects (/3) |
| No mention of drop-out rates-score 0; drop-out rates mentioned-score 1; no drop-out rates assumed due to immediate follow-up-score 2; number and reason for drop-outs described- score 3. |
| Follow-up levels (/2) |
| No mention of subject follow-up-score 0; immediate follow-up mentioned/performed-score 1; adequate follow-up mentioned/performed-score 2. |
| Publication date of research (/2) |
| Published prior to 1990-score 0; published after 1990 and before 2000-score 1; published after 2000-score 2. |
| Total Score: /50 |