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. 2015 Nov 29;21:3704–3715. doi: 10.12659/MSM.895362

Supplementary Table 2.

Checklist of items to include when reporting a systematic review or meta-analysis.

Section/topic # Checklist item Section &/or figure reported in
Title
Title 1 Identify the report as a systematic review, meta-analysis, or both Title
Abstract
Structured summary 2 Provide a structured summary including, as applicable: background; objectives; data sources; study eligibility criteria, participants, and interventions; study appraisal and synthesis methods; results; limitations; conclusions and implications of key findings; systematic review registration number Abstract
Introduction
Rationale 3 Describe the rationale for the review in the context of what is already known Introduction
Objectives 4 Provide an explicit statement of questions being addressed with reference to participants, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, and study design (PICOS) Introduction
Methods
Protocol and registration 5 Indicate if a review protocol exists, if and where it can be accessed (e.g., Web address), and, if available, provide registration information including registration number No
Eligibility criteria 6 Specify study characteristics (e.g., PICOS, length of follow-up) and report characteristics (e.g., years considered, language, publication status) used as criteria for eligibility, giving rationale Methods-Eligibility criteria
Information sources 7 Describe all information sources (e.g., databases with dates of coverage, contact with study authors to identify additional studies) in the search and date last searched Methods-Information sources
Search 8 Present full electronic search strategy for at least one database, including any limits used, such that it could be repeate Methods-Search strategies
Study selection 9 State the process for selecting studies (i.e., screening, eligibility, included in systematic review, and, if applicable, included in the meta-analysis) Methods-Study selection
Data collection process 10 Describe method of data extraction from reports (e.g., piloted forms, independently, in duplicate) and any processes for obtaining and confirming data from investigators Methods-Data collection process
Data items 11 List and define all variables for which data were sought (e.g., PICOS, funding sources) and any assumptions and simplifications made Methods-Data items
Risk of bias in individual studies 12 Describe methods used for assessing risk of bias of individual studies (including specification of whether this was done at the study or outcome level), and how this information is to be used in any data synthesis Methods-Risk of bias in individual studies
Summary measures 13 State the principal summary measures (e.g., risk ratio, difference in means) Methods-Statistical analysis
Synthesis of results 14 Describe the methods of handling data and combining results of studies, if done, including measures of consistency (e.g., I2) for each meta-analysis Methods-Statistical analysis
Risk of bias across studies 15 Specify any assessment of risk of bias that may affect the cumulative evidence (e.g., publication bias, selective reporting within studies) Methods-Risk of bias across studies
Additional analyses 16 Describe methods of additional analyses (e.g., sensitivity or subgroup analyses, meta-regression), if done, indicating which were pre-specified. Methods-Sensitivity and subgroup analysis
Results
Study selection 17 Give numbers of studies screened, assessed for eligibility, and included in the review, with reasons for exclusions at each stage, ideally with a flow diagram Results-Literature Study selection
Study characteristics 18 For each study, present characteristics for which data were extracted (e.g., study size, PICOS, follow-up period) and provide the citations Results-Study characteristics
Risk of bias within studies 19 Present data on risk of bias of each study and, if available, any outcome level assessment (see item 12) Results-Risk of bias within studies
Results of individual studies 20 For all outcomes considered (benefits or harms), present, for each study: (a) simple summary data for each intervention group (b) effect estimates and confidence intervals, ideally with a forest plot. Result-Results of individual studies and their synthesis
Synthesis of results 21 Present results of each meta-analysis done, including confidence intervals and measures of consistency Result-Results of individual studies and their synthesis
Risk of bias across studies 22 Present results of any assessment of risk of bias across studies (see Item 15 Result-Risk of bias across studies
Additional analysis 23 Give results of additional analyses, if done (e.g., sensitivity or subgroup analyses, meta-regression [see Item 16]) Result-Sensitivity and subgroup analysis
Discussion
Summary of evidence 24 Summarize the main findings including the strength of evidence for each main outcome; consider their relevance to key groups (e.g., healthcare providers, users, and policy makers) Discussion-Summary of evidence
Limitations 25 Discuss limitations at study and outcome level (e.g., risk of bias), and at review-level (e.g., incomplete retrieval of identified research, reporting bias) Discussion-Limitations
Conclusions 26 Provide a general interpretation of the results in the context of other evidence, and implications for future research Discussion-Conclusions
Funding
Funding 27 Describe sources of funding for the systematic review and other support (e.g., supply of data); role of funders for the systematic review Funding