2. Outcomes of the excluded studies.

Outcomes	Eberhart 2008	Gerardi 2008	Marx 2006
Primary outcomes
Length of hospital stay (days)	‐	Intervention group: 7.0 (95% CI 3 to 27) Control group: 10.0 (95% CI 5 to 30) P = 0.010	Intervention group: 5 (95% CI 2 to 31) Control group: 6 (95% CI 2 to 64) P < 0.05
Postoperative complications	"rare and did not differ between both groups"	Intervention group: 57.9% Control group: 62.2% P = 0.746	Intervention group: 24.6% Control group: 31.9% P > 0.05
Early and late mortality	‐	Only 1 mortality in control group at day 17	Intervention group: 0% Control group: 2.8% P > 0.05
Secondary outcomes
Re‐admission rate	‐	Intervention group: 21.1% Control group: 33.3% P = 0.326	Intervention group: 2.9% Control group: 12.5% P > 0.05
Time to flatus (days)	"Patients in fast‐track group rated their recovery to be faster than patients treated by the traditional concept"	Intervention group: 6.0 (95% CI 4 to 20) Control group: 6.0 (95% CI 2 to 15) P = 0.630	‐
Time to tolerance of diet (days)	‐	Intervention group: 3.0 (95% CI 1 to 20) Control group: 6.0 (95% CI 1 to 14) P = 0.013	‐
QoL	"Several dimensions of the PPP33‐questionnaire ("autonomy", "physical complaints", and "postoperative pain") were improved by the multimodal "fast‐track" rehabilitation programme"	‐	‐
Cost	‐	Intervention group: 19,700 (95% CI 11,010 to 84,170) Control group: 25,110 (95% CI 11,980 to 78,150) P = 0.043 *	‐
Re‐operation	‐	‐	Intervention group: 4.3% Control group: 12.5% P > 0.05

* 2006 US dollars

CI: confidence interval; QoL: quality of life.