Table 18:
GRADE Evidence Profile for Robot-Assisted Versus Open Radical Prostatectomy for Biochemical Recurrence-Free Rates
| # Studies (Design) | Risk of Bias | Inconsistency | Indirectness | Imprecision | Publication Bias | Upgrade Considerations | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 non-RCTs | Serious limitations (−1)a | Serious limitations (−1)b | Serious limitations (−1)c | Serious limitations (−1)d | Undetected | None | ⊕ Very low |
Abbreviations: GRADE, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation; RCT, randomized controlled trial.
Nonrandomized studies start at low GRADE. Unadjusted differences in baseline patient, tumour, or surgeon characteristics may affect outcome.
One study showed significant results favouring the open group, while other two studies showed no difference.
Surrogate (substitute or proxy) outcome for patient-important outcome of cancer-free survival or cancer-specific mortality. There is an issue with the biological relevancy of the outcome, and the ability to detect true prostate cancer recurrence in patients.
Unpowered to detect differences.