Table 2.
Methodologic quality assessment of randomized trials without fluoroscopy.
| Study | Randomization adequate | Concealed treatment allocation | Patient blinded | Care provider blinded | Outcome assessor blinded | Drop-out rate described | All randomized participants analyzed in the group | Reports of the study free of suggestion of selective outcome reporting | Groups similar at baseline regarding most important prognostic indicators | Co-interventions avoided or similar | Compliance acceptable in all group | Time of outcome assessment in all groups similar | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iversen et al. [50] | Y | Y | U | N | U | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | Y | 6/12 |
| Murakibhavi and Khemka [95] | Y | Y | N | N | U | Y | Y | U | Y | N | Y | Y | 7/12 |
| Dilke et al. [32] | U | U | Y | N | Y | Y | U | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 8/12 |
| Pirbudak et al. [104] | Y | Y | Y | Y | U | Y | U | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 10/12 |
| Arden et al. [4] | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 11/12 |
| Carette et al. [18] | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 11/12 |
| Wilson-MacDonald et al. [128] | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 10/12 |
Y = yes; N = no; U = unclear.