Comparison 1. NLU vs general inpatient care.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Inpatient mortality	7	953	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.10 [0.56, 2.16]
1.1 Stronger studies	4	607	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.52 [0.86, 2.68]
1.2 Weaker studies	3	346	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.68 [0.13, 3.46]
2 Early post discharge death (4‐6 weeks)	4	892	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.63 [0.25, 1.62]
2.1 Stronger studies	1	153	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.44 [0.08, 2.49]
2.2 Weaker studies	3	739	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.74 [0.24, 2.24]
3 Mortality within 3 months of admission (12 weeks / 90 days)	3	885	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.60 [0.93, 2.75]
3.1 Stronger studies	2	352	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.52 [0.82, 2.82]
3.2 Weaker studies	1	533	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.88 [0.61, 5.80]
4 Mortality within 6 months of admission (24 weeks / 180 days)	3	946	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.96 [0.63, 1.47]
4.1 Stronger studies	2	413	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.95 [0.58, 1.56]
4.2 Weaker studies	1	533	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.00 [0.46, 2.20]
5 Mortality to longest follow up (within 6 months)	6	1350	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.92 [0.65, 1.29]
5.1 Stronger studies	3	590	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.08 [0.71, 1.65]
5.2 Weaker studies	3	760	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.70 [0.37, 1.34]
6 Discharge to institutional care	7	952	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.44 [0.22, 0.89]
6.1 stronger studies	4	529	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.83 [0.41, 1.67]
6.2 Weaker studies	3	423	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.24 [0.12, 0.49]
7 Independent at discharge	6	861	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.71 [0.53, 0.95]
7.1 stronger studies	4	586	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.04 [0.72, 1.50]
7.2 Weaker studies	2	275	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.36 [0.22, 0.59]
8 Institutional care to longest follow up	3	411	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.97 [0.60, 1.58]
8.1 Stronger studies	3	411	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.97 [0.60, 1.58]
9 Functional Status	6	762	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.35 [0.16, 0.53]
9.1 Stronger studies	4	540	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.22 [0.05, 0.39]
9.2 Weaker studies	2	222	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.61 [0.34, 0.88]
10 Change in functional Status (admission to discharge)	5	638	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.32 [0.11, 0.54]
10.1 Strong	4	540	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.22 [0.05, 0.39]
10.2 Weak	1	98	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.77 [0.35, 1.18]
11 Length of stay to first discharge from hospital setting	9	1669	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	7.37 [2.86, 11.88]
11.1 Stronger studies	4	607	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	13.41 [8.54, 18.29]
11.2 Weaker Studies	5	1062	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	4.08 [‐0.97, 9.13]
12 Length of stay to first discharge home	8	1478	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	5.13 [‐0.50, 10.76]
12.1 Stronger studies	4	607	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	8.78 [2.93, 14.63]
12.2 Weaker Studies	4	871	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.37 [‐13.52, 10.79]
13 Early readmission (within 30 days)	5	1126	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.52 [0.34, 0.80]
13.1 Stronger studies	3	493	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.63 [0.36, 1.12]
13.2 Weaker studies	2	633	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.40 [0.21, 0.76]
14 Quality of life / health status	5	448	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.28 [0.09, 0.48]
14.1 Stronger studies	2	238	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.33 [‐0.01, 0.67]
14.2 Weaker studies	3	210	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.22 [‐0.07, 0.51]
15 Quality of life / health status change scores only	3	275	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.22 [‐0.15, 0.59]
15.1 Stronger studies	2	238	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.33 [‐0.01, 0.67]
15.2 Weaker studies	1	37	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.30 [‐1.12, 0.53]
16 Psychological wellbeing	3	280	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.36 [‐0.03, 0.74]
16.1 Stronger studies	2	244	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.25 [‐0.03, 0.52]
16.2 Weaker studies	1	36	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.04 [0.17, 1.90]
17 Satisfaction	4	335	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.22 [‐0.03, 0.46]
17.1 Stronger studies	2	175	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.19 [‐0.11, 0.48]
17.2 Weaker Studies	2	160	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.29 [‐0.15, 0.72]