Table 6. Subgroup meta-analyses based on confounding factors.
| Pass Rate | Excellent Rate | Examination Score | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of studies | Sample size(T/C) | Number of events (T/C) | Weight(%) | I2(%) | P of heterogeneity | RR(95% CI) | P of effect | Number of studies | Sample size (T/C) | Number of events (T/C) | Weight(%) | I2(%) | P of heterogeneity | RR(95% CI) | P of effect | Number of studies | Sample size(T/C) | Weight(%) | I2(%) | P of heterogeneity | SMD(95% CI) | P of effect | |
| Major | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clinical medicine | 11 | 978/950 | 933/807 | 100 | 87 | <0.001 | 1.09 (1.03–1.17) | 0.006 | 9 | 902/874 | 465/272 | 100 | 68 | 0.001 | 1.66 (1.33–2.06) | <0.001 | 8 | 929/892 | 34.8 | 88 | <0.001 | 0.78 (0.49–1.07) | <0.001 |
| Integrative Chinese and western medicine | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 354/333 | 17.3 | 96 | <0.001 | 0.80 (0.03–1.56) | 0.040 | ||
| Others | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 635/581 | 47.9 | 68 | <0.001 | 0.86 (0.65–1.07) | <0.001 | ||
| Pattern | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| PBL vs LBL | 5 | 192/194 | 181/167 | 36.4 | 0 | 0.860 | 1.09 (1.03–1.16) | 0.006 | 3 | 116/118 | 69/36 | 23.4 | 57 | 0.100 | 2.02 (1.21–3.39) | 0.008 | 10 | 676/643 | 40.5 | 93 | <0.001 | 1.00 (0.55–1.45) | <0.001 |
| PBL+LBL vs LBL | 6 | 786/756 | 752/640 | 63.6 | 94 | <0.001 | 1.09 (1.00–1.20) | 0.060 | 6 | 786/756 | 396/236 | 76.6 | 75 | 0.001 | 1.57 (1.22–2.03) | <0.001 | 14 | 1242/1163 | 59.5 | 67 | <0.001 | 0.71 (0.56–0.86) | <0.001 |
| Course type | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Theory course | 7 | 826/796 | 789/671 | 69.4 | 93 | <0.001 | 1.10 (1.01–1.21 | 0.030 | 6 | 786/756 | 396/236 | 76.6 | 75 | 0.001 | 1.57(1.22–2.03) | <0.001 | 22 | 1823/1711 | 92.7 | 81 | <0.001 | 0.72 (0.56–0.89) | <0.001 |
| Laboratory course | 4 | 152/154 | 144/136 | 30.6 | 0 | 0.950 | 1.08 (1.01–1.15) | 0.020 | 3 | 116/118 | 69/36 | 23.4 | 57 | 0.100 | 2.02 (1.21–3.39) | 0.008 | 2 | 95/95 | 7.3 | 49 | 0.160 | 2.01 (1.50–2.52)* | <0.001 |
| Tutor scale in PBL group | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| One tutor in each group | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 175/136 | 12.2 | 18 | 0.300 | 0.57 (0.32–0.83) | <0.001 | ||||
| One tutor in all groups | 11 | 978/950 | 933/807 | 100 | 87 | <0.001 | 1.09 (1.03–1.17) | 0.006 | 9 | 902/874 | 465/272 | 100 | 68 | 0.001 | 1.66 (1.33–2.06) | <0.001 | 21 | 1743/1670 | 87.8 | 88 | <0.001 | 0.85 (0.65–1.06) | <0.001 |
| Study Type | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| RCT | 4 | 543/504 | 509/402 | 36 | 66 | 0.030 | 1.14 (1.06–1.24) | <0.001 | 3 | 507/468 | 260/150 | 41 | 86 | <0.001 | 1.60 (1.04–2.45) | 0.030 | 8 | 827/759 | 33.9 | 88 | <0.001 | 0.84 (0.52–1.16) | <0.001 |
| Non-RCT | 7 | 435/446 | 424/405 | 64 | 75 | <0.001 | 1.06 (1.00–1.12) | 0.050 | 6 | 395/406 | 205/122 | 59 | 53 | 0.060 | 1.69 (1.30–2.19) | <0.001 | 16 | 1091/1047 | 66.1 | 86 | <0.001 | 0.81 (0.56–1.05) | <0.001 |
| Modified Jadad score | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| <4 | 7 | 496/507 | 484/455 | 63.2 | 74 | <0.001 | 1.08 (1.02–1.15) | 0.010 | 6 | 456/467 | 238/146 | 61 | 51 | <0.001 | 1.69 (1.33–2.15) | <0.001 | 11 | 752/736 | 45.4 | 80 | <0.001 | 0.67 (0.43–0.92) | <0.001 |
| ≥4 | 4 | 482/443 | 449/352 | 36.8 | 93 | <0.001 | 1.10 (0.95–1.29) | 0.210 | 3 | 446/407 | 227/126 | 39 | 87 | <0.001 | 1.56 (0.96–2.52) | 0.070 | 13 | 1166/1070 | 5406 | 90 | <0.001 | 0.94 (0.66–1.23) | <0.001 |
| Total | 11 | 978/950 | 933/807 | 100 | 87 | <0.001 | 1.09 (1.03–1.17) | 0.006 | 9 | 902/874 | 465/272 | 100 | 68 | 0.001 | 1.66 (1.33–2.06) | <0.001 | 24 | 1918/1806 | 100 | 86 | <0.001 | 0.82 (0.63–1.01) | <0.001 |
*: The Examination Score SMD of “Laboratory course” subgroup is higher than “theory course” subgroup, P<0.001.