Table 3. Meta-analysis for the toxicity associated with PSK arm vs control arm.
| Toxicity | Patients (P/C) | OR (95%CI) | Heterogeneity (P, I2) | Quality of evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gastrointestinal | ||||
| Nausea-vomiting | 6 (685/701) | 0.53 (0.31, 0.91)* | P = 0.195, I2 = 32.1% | High |
| Diarrhea | 6 (685/701) | 0.84 (0.50, 1.40) | P = 0.264, I2 = 22.6% | High |
| Anorexia | 5 (670/686) | 0.89 (0.55, 1.45) | P = 0.259, I2 = 24.4% | High |
| Obstipation | 2 (276/276) | 1.42 (0.85, 2.37) | P = 0.331, I2 = 0.0% | Moderate |
| Haematological | ||||
| Anemia | 3 (456/463) | 0.86 (0.56, 1.30) | P = 0.389, I2 = 0.0% | High |
| Leukopenia | 5 (629/646) | 0.60 (0.43, 0.83) * | P = 0.3603, I2 = 8.1% | High |
| Thrombocytopenia | 3 (359/365) | 1.45 (0.94, 2.22) | P = 0.633, I2 = 0.0% | High |
| Abnormal hepatic function | 5 (782/815) | 0.93 (0.71, 1.20) | P = 0.524, I2 = 0.0% | High |
| Abnormal pain | 3 (393/404) | 0.69 (0.27, 1.79) | P = 0.053, I2 = 65.9%# | Moderate |
| Stomatitis | 2 (269/275) | 0.89 (0.03, 23.77) | P = 0.077, I2 = 68.0%# | Low |
C, control group; P, PSK group; PSK, Polysaccharide.
*Result with significant differences; #Substantial heterogeneity.