Table 3.

Meta-analysis of clinical events and biochemical parameter changes in the included studies

Outcome title	Number of studies	Number of participants	Statistical method	Effect size	P-value
Pruritus	4	59	Odds ratio (M–H, fixed, 95% CI)	0.39 (0.09–1.78)	0.23
Adverse events	5	68	Odds ratio (M–H, fixed, 95% CI)	0.21 (0.03–1.25)	0.09
Alkaline phosphatase	6	84	Mean difference (IV, fixed, 95% CI)	−90.44 (−119.95 to −60.92)	<0.00001
Gamma-glutamyl transferase	4	48	Mean difference (IV, fixed, 95% CI)	−61.58 (−122.80 to −0.35)	0.05
Immunoglobulin M	5	62	Mean difference (IV, fixed, 95% CI)	−38.45 (−64.38 to −12.51)	0.004
Alanine aminotransferase	4	61	Mean difference (IV, fixed, 95% CI)	−3.31 (−14.60 to 7.97)	0.56
Total bilirubin	4	61	Mean difference (IV, fixed, 95% CI)	−0.05 (−0.21 to 0.12)	0.58
Triglycerides	4	61	Mean difference (IV, fixed, 95% CI)	−0.41 (−0.82 to −0.01)	0.05

Abbreviations: M–H, Mantel–Haenszel; CI, confidence interval; IV, inverse-variance.