Comparison 8. Sensitivity analysis.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Glycated haemoglobin‐ large trials ommited	20	5300	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.08 [‐0.12, ‐0.03]
1.1 Short term	3	640	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.08 [‐0.18, 0.02]
1.2 Intermediate term	9	2105	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.18 [‐0.25, ‐0.10]
1.3 Long term	8	2555	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.03 [‐0.05, 0.11]
2 Glycated haemoglobin‐ low quality ommited	16	6267	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.05 [‐0.10, ‐0.01]
2.1 Short term	2	875	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.04 [‐0.13, 0.06]
2.2 Intermediate term	8	2560	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.16 [‐0.23, ‐0.08]
2.3 Long term	7	2832	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.04 [‐0.03, 0.12]
3 Fasting blood glucose‐total‐ low quality ommited	13	4559	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.75 [‐0.91, ‐0.60]
4 Fasting plasma glucose‐ total‐ low quality ommited	9	4485	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.07 [‐1.36, ‐0.79]
5 Mean daily self measured blood glucose (SMBG) average (7‐8 points)‐ low quality ommited	3	500	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.09 [‐0.58, 0.40]
5.1 Short term	1	256	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.30 [‐0.42, 1.02]
5.2 Intermediate term	2	244	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.43 [‐1.09, 0.24]
5.3 Long term	0	0	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
6 Percent of participating experiencing hypoglycemia‐ low quality ommited	13		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
6.1 Total episodes	12	5214	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.92 [0.77, 1.09]
6.2 Severe episodes	10	4688	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.71 [0.58, 0.88]
6.3 Nocturnal episodes	12	5070	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.73 [0.64, 0.82]
7 Hypoglycemic events per 100 patient's days‐ low quality ommited	14		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
7.1 Total episodes	11	4301	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.70 [‐0.82, ‐0.58]
7.2 Severe episodes	10	4110	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.00 [‐0.02, 0.02]
7.3 Nocturnal episodes	12	4497	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.38 [‐0.44, ‐0.32]
8 Glycated haemoglobin‐ selection bias analysis	10	4077	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.12 [‐0.18, ‐0.07]
8.1 Short term	1	619	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.10 [‐0.27, 0.07]
8.2 Intermediate term	7	2405	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.19 [‐0.27, ‐0.12]
8.3 Long term	3	1053	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.02 [‐0.09, 0.14]
9 Fasting blood glucose‐total‐ selection bias analysis	7	2628	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.72 [‐0.93, ‐0.51]
10 Fasting plasma glucose‐ total‐ selection bias analysis	5	2632	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.92 [‐1.26, ‐0.58]
11 Mean daily self measured blood glucose (SMBG) average (7‐8 points)‐ selection bias analysis	3	365	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.47 [‐0.86, ‐0.09]
11.1 Intermediate term	2	244	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.43 [‐1.09, 0.24]
11.2 Long term	1	121	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.5 [‐0.98, ‐0.02]
12 Percent of participating experiencing hypoglycemia‐ selection bias analysis	9		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
12.1 Total episodes	7	3093	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.92 [0.73, 1.15]
12.2 Severe episodes	9	3326	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.77 [0.61, 0.98]
12.3 Nocturnal episodes	7	3091	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.74 [0.63, 0.86]
13 Hypoglycemic events per 100 patient's days‐ selection bias analysis	10		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
13.1 Total episodes	9	2873	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.82 [‐2.07, ‐1.56]
13.2 Severe episodes	9	2811	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.01 [‐0.01, 0.03]
13.3 Nocturnal episodes	8	2741	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.64 [‐0.74, ‐0.54]
14 Glycated haemoglobin‐ attrition bias analysis	11	3919	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.10 [‐0.17, ‐0.04]
14.1 Intermediate term	5	1672	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.22 [‐0.31, ‐0.13]
14.2 Long term	6	2247	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.01 [‐0.08, 0.11]
15 Fasting blood glucose‐total‐ attrition bias analysis	8	2830	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.73 [‐0.94, ‐0.51]
16 Fasting plasma glucose‐ total‐ attrition bias analysis	6	3025	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.98 [‐1.34, ‐0.63]
17 Mean daily self measured blood glucose (SMBG) average (7‐8 points)‐ attrition bias analysis	2	244	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.43 [‐1.09, 0.24]
17.1 Intermediate term	2	244	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.43 [‐1.09, 0.24]
18 Percent of participating experiencing hypoglycemia‐ attrition bias analysis	9		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
18.1 Total episodes	8	3497	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.79 [0.65, 0.97]
18.2 Severe episodes	8	3484	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.68 [0.54, 0.87]
18.3 Nocturnal episodes	9	3609	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.62 [0.53, 0.73]
19 Hypoglycemic events per 100 patient's days‐ attrition bias analysis	11		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
19.1 Total episodes	9	3425	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.70 [‐0.83, ‐0.58]
19.2 Severe episodes	9	3491	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.01 [‐0.03, 0.01]
19.3 Nocturnal episodes	9	3609	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.38 [‐0.44, ‐0.32]