Comparison 1. Any lipid‐lowering regimen vs control: all trials.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 All‐cause mortality	6		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.1 All‐cause mortality: All studies	6	2388	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.86 [0.49, 1.50]
1.2 All‐cause mortality without PQRST	5	2085	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.92 [0.54, 1.57]
1.3 All‐cause mortality without studies with moderate or high risk of bias	3	1685	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.84 [0.36, 1.96]
1.4 All‐cause mortality (Policosanol)	2	118	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.19 [0.02, 1.71]
2 Total cardiovascular events	8		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
2.1 Total cardiovascular ‐ All studies	8	9423	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.80 [0.59, 1.08]
2.2 Total cardiovascular without PQRST	7	9120	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.74 [0.55, 0.98]
2.3 Total cardiovascular events without studies with moderate or high risk of bias	4	8434	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.76 [0.54, 1.07]
2.4 Total cardiovascular (HMG Co A Group / Statins)	2	7102	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.74 [0.67, 0.82]
2.5 Total cardiovascular events (Policosanol group)	2	118	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.06 [0.01, 0.46]
3 Fatal cardiovascular	6		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
3.1 Fatal cardiovascular: All studies	6	2321	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.96 [0.70, 1.33]
3.2 Fatal cardiovascular without PQRST	5	2018	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.97 [0.70, 1.35]
3.3 Fatal cardiovascular without studies with moderate or high risk of bias	3	1686	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.02 [0.73, 1.43]
3.4 Fatal cardiovascular (Policosanol group)	2	118	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.33 [0.03, 3.30]
4 Non‐fatal cardiovascular events	7		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
4.1 Non‐fatal cardiovascular: All studies	7	2675	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.80 [0.48, 1.34]
4.2 Non‐fatal cardiovascular without PQRST	6	2372	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.64 [0.36, 1.13]
4.3 Non‐fatal cardiovascular without studies with moderate or low risk of bias	3	1686	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.25 [0.03, 1.83]
4.4 Non‐fatal cardiovascular (Policosanol group)	2	118	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.07 [0.01, 0.56]
5 Total coronary	8		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
5.1 Total coronary: All studies	8	9424	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.80 [0.66, 0.96]
5.2 Total cornary without PQRST	7	9120	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.76 [0.67, 0.87]
5.3 Total coronary excluding studies with moderate or high risk of bias	4	8434	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.76 [0.67, 0.87]
5.4 Total coronary (HMG Co A Group / Statins)	2	7102	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.77 [0.66, 0.89]
5.5 Total coronary (Policosanol group)	2	118	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.20 [0.02, 1.85]
6 Fatal coronary event	5		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
6.1 Fatal coronary: All studies	5	2557	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.94 [0.66, 1.33]
6.2 Fatal coronary without PQRST	4	2254	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.95 [0.67, 1.34]
7 Non‐fatal coronary event	6		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
7.1 Non‐fatal coronary: All studies	6	2629	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.73 [0.37, 1.45]
7.2 Non‐fatal coronary without PQRST	5	2326	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.54 [0.34, 0.86]
7.3 Non‐fatal coroanry excluding studies with moderate or high risk of bias	3	1686	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.53 [0.33, 0.85]
7.4 Non‐fatal coronary (Policosanol group)	2	118	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.20 [0.02, 1.85]
8 Total stroke	6		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
8.1 Total stroke: All studies	6	9074	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.88 [0.58, 1.33]
8.2 Total stroke excluding studies with moderate or high risk of bias	4	8434	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.86 [0.52, 1.41]
8.3 Total stroke (HMG Co A Group / Statins)	2	7102	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.72 [0.59, 0.88]
8.4 Total stroke (Policosanol group)	2	118	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.19 [0.02, 1.71]
9 Fatal stroke	5		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
9.1 Fatal stroke: All studies	5	2326	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.14 [0.54, 2.43]
9.2 Fatal stroke excluding studies with moderate or high risk of bias	3	1686	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.22 [0.55, 2.71]
9.3 Fatal stroke (Policosanol group)	2	118	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.33 [0.03, 3.30]
10 Non‐fatal stroke	5		Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
10.1 Non‐fatal stroke: All studies	5	2326	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.16 [0.76, 1.77]
10.2 Non‐fatal stroke without studies with moderate or high risk of bias	3	1686	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.14 [0.74, 1.74]
10.3 Non‐fatal stroke (Policosanol group)	2	118	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.33 [0.03, 3.30]
11 Revascularization (HMG Co A Group / Statins)	2	7102	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.73 [0.64, 0.83]
12 Pain‐free walking distance (PFWD)	7		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
12.1 PFWD: All studies	7	317	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	89.76 [30.05, 149.47]
12.2 PFWD (Policosanol group)	2	118	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	131.80 [14.97, 248.64]
12.3 PFWD (Sulodexide)	3	81	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	94.15 [‐5.33, 193.62]
13 Total walking distance (TWD)	4		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
13.1 TWD: All studies	4	236	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	152.00 [32.11, 271.88]
13.2 TWD (Policosanol group)	2	118	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	274.48 [9.21, 539.74]
14 Ankle brachial index (ABI)	6		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
14.1 ABI: All studies	6	620	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.04 [‐0.01, 0.09]
14.2 ABI (Policosanol group)	2	118	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.07 [‐0.05, 0.18]
14.3 ABI (HMG Co A Group / Statins)	2	440	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.05 [‐0.03, 0.13]