Table 2. The quality of evidence of all comparisons.
| Comparisons | Direct estimate | Indirect estimate | Network meta-analysis | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RR (95% CI) | Quality of evidence | RR (95% CI) | Quality of evidence | OR (95% Crl) | Quality of evidence | |
| Infectious complications | ||||||
| IEN vs. SEN | 0.56 (0.36, 0.86) | Moderate1 | – | – | – | – |
| A vs. SEN | 1.05 (0.80, 1.39) | Very low1,2,4 | Not estimable3 | Not estimable3 | 1.18 (0.37, 2.89) | Very low |
| A vs. B | – | – | 5.06 (1.26, 14.93) | Very low4 | 5.06 (1.26, 14.93) | Very low |
| A vs. C | – | – | 1.62 (0.29, 5.19) | Low5 | 1.62 (0.29, 5.19) | Low |
| A vs. D | – | – | 15.39 (0.99, 77.21) | Very low4 | 15.39 (0.99, 77.21) | Very low4 |
| B vs. SEN | 0.37 (0.22, 0.63) | Moderate1 | Not estimable3 | Not estimable3 | 0.27 (0.12, 0.49) | Moderate |
| B vs. C | – | – | 0.36 (0.09, 0.97) | Moderate | 0.36 (0.09, 0.97) | Moderate |
| B vs. D | – | – | 3.38 (0.26, 16.43) | Low5 | 3.38 (0.26, 16.43) | Low5 |
| C vs. SEN | 0.89 (0.353, 1.49) | Moderate1 | Not estimable3 | Not estimable3 | 0.95 (0.31, 2.26) | Moderate |
| C vs. D | – | – | 12.14 (0.74, 62.18) | Very low4 | 12.14 (0.74, 62.18) | Very low4 |
| D vs. SEN | 0.22 (0.05, 0.94) | Low1,2 | Not estimable3 | Not estimable3 | 0.22 (0.02, 0.84) | Moderate7 |
| Non-infectious complications | ||||||
| IEN vs. SEN | 1.04 (0.52, 2.10) | Low1,5 | – | – | – | – |
| A vs. SEN | 3.24 (0.69, 15.26) | Very low1,2,4 | Not estimable3 | Not estimable3 | 8.15 (0.64, 40.43) | Very low1,2,4 |
| B vs. SEN | 0.78 (0.36, 1.71) | Moderate1 | Not estimable3 | Not estimable3 | 0.84 (0.25, 2.10) | Moderate |
| Length of hospitalization | ||||||
| IEN vs. SEN | −0.42 (−0.74, −0.10) | Low1,6 | – | – | – | – |
| A vs. SEN | 0.08 (−0.18, 0.34) | Very low1,2,4 | Not estimable3 | Not estimable3 | 0.08 (−0.76, 0.92) | Very low |
| A vs. B | – | – | 0.68 (−0.28, 1.64) | Low | 0.68 (−0.28, 1.64) | Low |
| A vs. C | – | – | 0.28 (−0.79, 1.37) | Low | 0.28 (−0.79, 1.37) | Low |
| A vs. D | – | – | 0.76 (−0.49, 2.01) | Moderate | 0.76 (−0.49, 2.01) | Moderate |
| B vs. SEN | −0.42 (−0.75, −0.07) | Low1,6 | Not estimable3 | Not estimable3 | −0.63 (−1.07, −0.13) | Low |
| B vs. C | – | – | −0.40 (−1.22, 0.42) | Low | −0.40 (−1.22, 0.42) | Low |
| B vs. D | – | – | 0.08 (−0.96, 1.12) | Moderate | 0.08 (−0.96, 1.12) | Moderate |
| C vs. SEN | −0.20 (−0.85, 0.46) | Low1,6 | Not estimable3 | Not estimable3 | −0.20 (−0.88, 0.48) | Low |
| C vs. D | – | – | 0.48 (−0.66, 1.62) | Moderate | 0.48 (−0.66, 1.62) | Moderate |
| D vs. SEN | −0.69 (−1.22, −1.07) | Moderate1,2 | Not estimable3 | Not estimable3 | −0.68 (−1.61, 0.25) | oderate |
1rated down for limitation, 2rated down for potential publication bias, 3cannot be estimated, 4severe imprecision, 5imprecision, 6inconsistency, 7greater precision, A = Arg+RNA, B = Arg+RNA+ω-3-FAs, C = Arg+Gln, D = Arg+Gln+ω-3-Fas, Arg = arginine, RNA = ribonucleic acid, ω-3-Fas = omega-3-fatty-acids, Gln = glutamine, SEN = standard enteral nutrition, RR = risk ratio, OR = odds ratio, CI = confidence interval, Crl = credible interval.