Comparison 9. Sotalol versus placebo or no treatment.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 All‐cause mortality – main analysis	5	1882	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.23 [1.03, 4.81]
2 All‐cause mortality – intention to treat (ITT) worse case: missing participants counted as events	10	2757	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.02 [1.28, 3.20]
3 All‐cause mortality – sensitivity analysis: persistent atrial fibrillation	3	1311	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.51 [1.06, 5.98]
4 All‐cause mortality – sensitivity analysis: low risk of bias studies	3	1311	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.51 [1.06, 5.98]
5 All‐cause mortality – sensitivity analysis: studies > 200 participants	4	1826	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.65 [1.16, 6.09]
6 Withdrawals due to adverse effects – main analysis	12	2688	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.95 [1.23, 3.11]
7 Withdrawals due to adverse effects – sotalol: heterogeneity study	12	2688	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.95 [1.23, 3.11]
7.1 PAFAC and SOPAT trials	2	987	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.96 [0.74, 1.25]
7.2 Rest of studies	10	1701	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	2.77 [1.81, 4.22]
8 Withdrawals due to adverse effects – sensitivity analysis: persistent atrial fibrillation	6	1350	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.75 [1.28, 2.41]
9 Withdrawals due to adverse effects – sensitivity analysis: low risk of bias studies	4	1686	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.52 [0.82, 2.81]
10 Withdrawals due to adverse effects – sensitivity analysis: studies > 200 participants	5	1900	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.81 [0.97, 3.35]
11 Proarrhythmia – main analysis	12	2989	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	3.55 [2.16, 5.83]
12 Proarrhythmia – sotalol: heterogeneity study	11	2826	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	3.43 [2.07, 5.67]
12.1 PAFAC and SOPAT trials	2	986	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.49 [0.51, 4.37]
12.2 Rest of studies	9	1840	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	4.32 [2.40, 7.76]
13 Proarrhythmia – sensitivity analysis: persistent atrial fibrillation	6	1687	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	4.37 [2.25, 8.52]
14 Proarrhythmia – sensitivity analysis: low risk of bias studies	4	1686	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	3.05 [1.73, 5.40]
15 Proarrhythmia – sensitivity analysis: studies > 200 participants	6	2293	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	3.00 [1.77, 5.06]
16 Stroke – main analysis	3	1161	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.47 [0.48, 4.51]
17 Stroke – sensitivity analysis: persistent atrial fibrillation	1	393	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.35 [0.36, 5.00]
18 Stroke – sensitivity analysis: low risk of bias studies	2	768	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.85 [0.20, 16.71]
19 Stroke – sensitivity analysis: studies > 200 participants	3	1161	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.47 [0.48, 4.51]
20 Atrial fibrillation recurrence – main analysis	14	3179	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.83 [0.80, 0.87]
21 Atrial fibrillation recurrence – sensitivity analysis: persistent atrial fibrillation	7	1743	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.81 [0.77, 0.86]
22 Atrial fibrillation recurrence – sensitivity analysis: low risk of bias studies	4	1686	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.86 [0.82, 0.91]
23 Atrial fibrillation recurrence – sensitivity analysis: studies > 200 participants	6	2293	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.85 [0.81, 0.89]