Comparison 1. Neuraxial block (spinal or epidural) versus general anaesthesia.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Mortality ‐ 1 month	11	2152	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.78 [0.57, 1.06]
2 Mortality ‐ 3 months	5	953	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.77 [0.55, 1.08]
3 Mortality ‐ 6 months	2	726	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.00 [0.73, 1.37]
4 Mortality ‐ 12 months	2	726	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.06 [0.81, 1.39]
5 Pneumonia	6	761	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.77 [0.45, 1.31]
6 Myocardial infarction	4	559	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.89 [0.22, 3.65]
7 Cerebrovascular accident	6	729	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.48 [0.46, 4.83]
8 Acute confusional state	6	624	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.85 [0.51, 1.40]
9 Deep vein thrombosis	4	591	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.64 [0.45, 0.91]
9.1 No prophylaxis or early mobilization only	2	116	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.57 [0.41, 0.78]
9.2 Low molecular weight heparin	1	88	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.98 [0.52, 1.84]
9.3 Standard heparin	1	387	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
10 Congestive cardiac failure	6	729	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.78 [0.31, 1.96]
11 Acute kidney injury	2	202	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.02 [0.18, 5.83]
12 Pulmonary embolism	5	642	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	7.51 [1.51, 37.38]
13 Number of patients transfused	3	202	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.90 [0.49, 1.66]
13.1 Fixation	2	172	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.93 [0.76, 1.15]
13.2 Arthroplasty	1	30	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.2 [0.03, 1.51]
14 Length of hospital stay	4	1143	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.20 [‐1.05, 0.65]
15 Length of surgery (minutes)	12	973	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.73 [‐8.50, 3.04]
16 Operative hypotension	12	1056	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.93 [0.64, 1.35]
16.1 Unilateral	2	50	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.57 [0.37, 0.89]
16.2 Bilateral, incremental doses	1	21	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.2 [0.05, 0.78]
16.3 Bilateral single shot	8	828	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.31 [0.87, 1.95]
16.4 Epidural	2	157	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.01 [0.50, 2.07]