Study	Reason for exclusion
Bang 2003a	Timing > 24 hours
Bang 2003b	Timing > 24 hours
Barlinn 2013	Timing > 24 hours
Chen 2014	Nonconsecutive patient sample. Timing > 24 hours
Felberg 2002	Timing > 24 hours
Gerriets 2002	Lack of data for 2 x 2 tables
Khan 2009	Inclusion of asymptomatic patients
Kim 2014	Occlusions causing significant haemodynamic disorders in a different artery from the target arteries
Lange 2015	Timing > 24 hours
Ley‐Pozo 1990	Inclusion of TIA patients
Nasr 2013	Inclusion of TIA patients
Postert 1998	Lack of data for 2 x 2 tables
Postert 1999	Lack of data for 2 x 2 tables
Rorick 1994	Timing > 24 hours
Suwanwela 2002	Timing > 24 hours
Tsivgoulis 2007	Inclusion of TIA patients
Zhou 2013	Lack of data for 2 x 2 tables

TIA: transient ischaemic attack