Table 2.
Author/Year | Risk of Bias a | Bias Minimisation Items b | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Other | ||
Dolatkhah, 2015 [36] | Low | + | + | + | + | + | ? | Funding & sponsorship free from bias, statistical analysis appropriate |
Lindsay, 2015 [33] | Low | + | + | + | + | + | ? | Funding & sponsorship free from bias |
Jafarnejad, 2015 [35] | Low | + | + | + | + | ? | ? | Funding & sponsorship free from bias |
Karamali, 2015 [34] | Low | + | + | + | + | + | ? | Funding & sponsorship free from bias |
“+” = response of “yes” to use of the bias minimization item; “?” = response of “uncertain” to the use of the bias minimization item; a Assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration tool for assessing risk of bias in RCTs (ref); b Bias minimization items: 1. Random sequence generation (selection bias); 2. Allocation concealment (selection bias); 3. Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias); 4. Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias); 5. Complete outcome data (attrition bias); 6. Non-selective reporting (reporting bias). Trials receiving a + response for most items are likely to have a low risk of bias.