Comparison 2. Megestrol acetate versus other drugs (ITT).

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Appetite improvement	2	475	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.03 [0.64, 1.67]
1.1 Cancer	2	475	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.03 [0.64, 1.67]
1.2 AIDS	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
1.3 Other underlying pathology	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
2 Appetite gain	1	9	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.60 [‐1.28, 4.48]
2.1 Cancer	0	0	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
2.2 AIDS	1	9	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.60 [‐1.28, 4.48]
2.3 Other underlying pathology	0	0	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
3 Weight improvement	7	1131	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.66 [1.09, 2.52]
3.1 Cancer	4	1067	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	2.49 [1.54, 4.00]
3.2 AIDS	3	64	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.16 [0.84, 1.61]
3.3 Other underlying pathology	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
4 Weight gain	5	541	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	2.50 [0.37, 4.64]
4.1 Cancer	2	475	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.61 [‐0.15, 1.38]
4.2 AIDS	3	66	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	4.85 [‐0.79, 10.49]
4.3 Other underlying pathology	0	0	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5 Quality of life improvement	2	475	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.05 [0.77, 1.44]
5.1 Cancer	2	475	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.05 [0.77, 1.44]
5.2 AIDS	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5.3 Other underlying pathology	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
6 Quality of life gain	1	311	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.20 [‐0.02, 0.43]
6.1 Cancer	1	311	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.20 [‐0.02, 0.43]
6.2 AIDS	0	0	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
6.3 Other underlying pathology	0	0	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]