. 2013 Jan 24;9(1):50–59. doi: 10.1007/s11420-012-9315-7

Table 2.

Characteristics of the 18 non-randomized trials included in the meta-analysis

Study, year	Country	Comparison groups	Number of patients	% staged	Age (range), years	% female	NOS Quality Index	Outcomes reported
Brotherton et al., 1986 [3]	USA	• Simultaneous	47	61.7	62.8	NR	6	▪ DVT
Brotherton et al., 1986 [3]	USA	• Staged — 9.2 months	47	61.7	62.8	NR	6	▪ DVT
Forster et al., 2006 [6]	Australia	• Simultaneous	102	72.5	66.0 (41–79)	52.0	5	▪ RR
Forster et al., 2006 [6]	Australia	• Staged — 1 week to 68 months	102	72.5	66.0 (41–79)	52.0	5	▪ RR
Gill et al., 2003 [7]	USA	• Simultaneous	400	75.5	70.0 (19–93)	59.3	7	▪ Mortality
Gill et al., 2003 [7]	USA	• Staged — 3 months	400	75.5	70.0 (19–93)	59.3	7	▪ Mortality
Ivory et al., 1993 [15]	UK	• Simultaneous	93	15.1	68.2 (43–91)	62.4	5	▪ Mortality
Ivory et al., 1993 [15]	UK	• Staged — 6 weeks to 6 months	93	15.1	68.2 (43–91)	62.4	5	▪ IR
Jankiewicz et al., 1994 [16]	USA	• Simultaneous	155	36.1	70	69.0	5	▪ PE
Jankiewicz et al., 1994 [16]	USA	• Staged — within 9 months	155	36.1	70	69.0	5	▪ PE
Liu and Chen, 1998 [19]	Taiwan	• Simultaneous	88	27.3	67.7 (44–79)	96.6	6	▪ DVT
		• Staged — 7.4 days (5–11)						▪ CC
		• Staged — 7.4 days (5–11)						▪ IR
Mangaleshkar et al., 2001 [20]	UK	• Simultaneous	88	38.6	72.4 (36–90)	61.4	6	▪ Mortality
Mangaleshkar et al., 2001 [20]	UK	• Staged — 5.2 months	88	38.6	72.4 (36–90)	61.4	6	▪ Mortality
McLaughlin and Fisher, 1985 [21]	USA	• Simultaneous	68	67.6	69.3	72.1	6	▪ DVT
		• Staged — 17 days to 8 months						▪ CC
								▪ IR
								▪ RR
Memtsoudis et al., 2009 [22]	USA	• Simultaneous	33,662	25.2	66.1	58.7	8	▪ Mortality
		• Staged — 3.59 days						▪ PE
								▪ DVT
								▪ CC
Minter and Dorr, 1995 [23]	USA	• Simultaneous	64	64.1	66	43.8	5	▪ Mortality
		• Staged — NR						▪ PE
		• Staged — NR						▪ DVT
Morrey et al., 1987 [24]	USA	• Simultaneous	376	61.4	62.6 (22–88)	66.2	5	▪ PE
Morrey et al., 1987 [24]	USA	• Staged — same hospitalizations and separate hospitalizations	376	61.4	62.6 (22–88)	66.2	5	▪ RR
Ritter et al., 1997 [29]	USA	• Simultaneous	63,030	79.5	73.2	65.8	6	▪ Mortality
Ritter et al., 1997 [29]	USA	• Staged — 6 weeks to 1 year	63,030	79.5	73.2	65.8	6	▪ Mortality
Ritter et al., 2003 [28]	USA	• Simultaneous	2202	6.9	69.9	57.3	6	▪ Mortality
		• Staged — 1.4 ± 0.8 years						▪ PE
								▪ CC
								▪ IR
Sliva et al., 2005 [30]	USA	• Simultaneous	332	92.2	65.0 (35–90)	63.9	6	▪ Mortality
Sliva et al., 2005 [30]	USA	• Staged — 1 hospitalization to 70.5 weeks	332	92.2	65.0 (35–90)	63.9	6	▪ Mortality
Soudry et al., 1985 [31]	USA	• Simultaneous	74	24.3	68.8 (38–85)	70.3	4	▪ PE
Soudry et al., 1985 [31]	USA	• Staged — 29 days (1 week to 5 months)	74	24.3	68.8 (38–85)	70.3	4	▪ CC
Stefansdottir et al., 1987 [33]	Sweden	• Simultaneous	4571	75.1	80.0 (67–89)	NR	6	▪ Mortality
Stefansdottir et al., 1987 [33]	Sweden	• Staged — 1 to 2 years	4571	75.1	80.0 (67–89)	NR	6	▪ Mortality
Walmsley et al., 2006 [34]	UK	• Simultaneous	2622	68.5	NR	NR	5	▪ Mortality
Walmsley et al., 2006 [34]	UK	• Staged — 1 to 5 years	2622	68.5	NR	NR	5	▪ Mortality
Yoon et al., 2010 [36]	South Korea	• Simultaneous	238	50.0	70.0 (34–83)	94.1	6	▪ IR
Yoon et al., 2010 [36]	South Korea	• Staged — 12 months (1–48 months)	238	50.0	70.0 (34–83)	94.1	6	▪ IR

The “Outcomes reported” column only lists information used in the individual forest plots

NOS New Castle–Ottawa Scale, NR not reported, PE pulmonary embolism, DVT deep vein thrombosis, CC cardiac complications, IR infection rates, RR revision rates