Table 3.
Risk of bias assessment of the studies included in the present systematic review and meta‐analysis
| First author | Year | Clear definition of study population? | Clear definition of outcomes and outcome assessment? | No selective loss during follow‐up? | Important confounders and prognostic factors identified? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aoki | 2015 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unclear |
| Yagi | 2014 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sun | 2014 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Rothenfluh | 2014 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Castro | 2014 | Yes | Yes | Unclear | Yes |
| Lykissas | 2013 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Daubs | 2012 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Burneikiene | 2012 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Liu | 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unclear |
| Hwang | 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Cho | 2008 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Potter | 2005 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Yagi | 2015 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Di Silvestre | 2014 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unclear |
| Caputo | 2013 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Hioki | 2011 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Cho | 2007 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hioki | 2005 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |