Table 3B.
Critical Appraisal Table
| Author | Any untoward events | Unusual characteristics of sample | Intention to treat basis? | Basic data described adequately | Do the numbers add up | Statistical methods described |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castro et al. 2003 [38] | Protocol was amended in the trial because of severe side effects and 2 deaths related to treatment with CDDP/epi gel. Enclosure of tumors > 20 cm3 that invaded or were in close proximity to the carotid artery. | All patients in at least 2nd recurrence 92% treated with ≥ 2 of: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy | Not specified | Yes, tabular | Yes | - Computer analysis - Exact Clopper -Pearson for confidence intervals - Fisher's exact test-compare rates across patient groups - Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel. For stratified comparisons - MULTITEST- for P values |
| Georgiou et al. 2000 [39] | None specified | Final stage of the disease | Not specified | Yes, Graphically | Yes | - Computer analysis - students t-test for statistical analysis of results - ANOVA's for pain score |
| Jovic et al. 2008 [40] | None specified | 10% had histologically benign tumour | Not specified | Yes, tabular and graphically | Yes | Not mentioned |
| McNeely et al. 2004 [47] | None specified | None | No | Yes, tabular | Yes | - Computer analysis - t-test for continuous data - Chi-square for categorical data - Independent sample t-tests for outcome comparison |
| McNeely et al. 2008 [27] | One patient in PRET group had to leave the study due to pain considered to be a result of exercise | Wide variety in time between surgery to entering the study | Yes | Yes, tabular | Yes | - Independent samples student t test for continuous data and person Chi-squared test for categorical data |
| Pfister et al. 2010 [48] | None specified | None | Yes | Yes, tabular | Yes | - Computer analysis - Stata 9.2 - No details of specific tests |
| Plantevin et al. 2007 [41] | None specified | None | Not specified | Yes, tabular | Yes | - Computer analysis - Mann-Whitney U test for comparison of groups - Chi-squared for qualitative variables - Tukey correction |
| Roussier et al. 2006 [42] | None specified | All patients chronic smokers with bronchitis | Not specified | Yes, tabular | Yes | - Computer analysis - Fisher test for categorical data - Mann-Whitney U test for VAS score, Fentanyl consumption and PCA demand - Tukey correction |
| Saxena et al. 1994 [43] | Large drop out | Excluded for communication difficulties | Not specified | Yes, tabular | Yes | - t-test for mean reduction of pain score - Chi-quared for comparison of groups |
| Singhal et al. 2006 [44] | None specified | None | Yes | Yes, graph and tabular | Yes | - Student t test assess statistical dose required - Wilcoxon test for VAS pain scores - Bonferroni adjustments for multiple comparisons - Two way ANOVA - for trend significance |
| Werner et al. 2002 [45] | Large drop out | Only most problematic tumours | Yes | Yes, tabular | Yes | - 2-tailed α test for power - CMH for comparison of end points - Fisher analyses of strata |
| Wittekindt et al. 2006 [46] | None specified | All undergone conservative treatment for neck and shoulder pain after neck dissection | Not specified | Yes, tabular and graph | Yes | - Computer analysis - Wilcoxon test for dependent groups used for comparison of VAS before and after therapy - Chi-squared for different treatment outcomes |
| Yagi et al. 1997 [35] | No information | No information | No information | No information | No information | No information |
CDDP/epi gel = intratumoral cisplatin/epinephrine injectable gel; VAS = Visual Analogue Scale; ANOVA = analysis of variance;