Comparison 17. Bisphosphonates versus placebo or no treatment ‐ subgroup analysis.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Fracture: incident or prevalent patients	13	765	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.60 [0.37, 0.97]
1.1 Incident patients	9	583	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.62 [0.37, 1.05]
1.2 Prevalent patients	4	182	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.47 [0.13, 1.77]
2 Fracture: adults and children	13	765	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.60 [0.37, 0.97]
2.1 Adults	12	735	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.61 [0.37, 1.00]
2.2 Children	1	30	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.33 [0.01, 7.58]
3 Fracture: treatment duration	13	765	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.60 [0.37, 0.97]
3.1 6 months or less	1	19	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.11 [0.19, 6.34]
3.2 More than 6 months	12	746	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.57 [0.34, 0.94]
4 Fracture: primary or secondary prevention	13	765	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.60 [0.37, 0.97]
4.1 Primary	9	582	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.60 [0.35, 1.02]
4.2 Secondary	4	183	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.59 [0.17, 1.97]
5 Fracture: surveillance versus non‐systematic assessment	13	765	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.60 [0.37, 0.97]
5.1 Surveillance	6	519	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.59 [0.35, 1.01]
5.2 Non‐systematic	7	246	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.63 [0.19, 2.04]
6 Fracture: baseline bone mineral density	13	765	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.62 [0.38, 1.01]
6.1 Low	4	183	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.59 [0.17, 1.97]
6.2 Normal or not specified	9	582	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.63 [0.37, 1.06]
7 Fracture: spinal or peripheral	13	765	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.62 [0.38, 1.01]
7.1 Peripheral	2	60	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.33 [0.04, 3.04]
7.2 Vertebral	7	578	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.61 [0.36, 1.02]
7.3 Not specified	4	127	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.11 [0.19, 6.34]
8 Fracture: high and low potency bisphosphonate	13	765	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.62 [0.38, 1.01]
8.1 High potency	4	305	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.70 [0.38, 1.29]
8.2 Low potency	9	460	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.51 [0.23, 1.13]
9 Bone mineral density at vertebrae: drug potency	13	579	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.04 [‐0.01, 0.08]
9.1 Low potency (clodronate, pamidronate, alendronate)	9	331	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.04 [‐0.04, 0.11]
9.2 High potency (risedronate, ibandronate, zolendronate)	4	248	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.04 [‐0.03, 0.10]