Table 1.

Characteristics of included studies

Author, year	Intervention (dose, schedule)	Comparison (description)	Patients (N)	Age (years)	Male (%)	Cytogenetic risk group, N (%)	ECOG score	Bone marrow blasts, median (range)	Follow-up (months)
Azacitidine
Fenaux et al. [15]	Azacitidine: subcutaneously 75 mg/m2/day for 7 days Q28 days for at least 6 cycles	CCR (BSC, LDAC 20 mg/m2/day for 14 days Q28 days for at least 6 cycles, IC)	Intervention: 55 Comparison: 58	Intervention: 73 (64–89) Comparison: 73 (64–91)	Intervention: 62.1 Comparison: 56.6	Intermediate: 81 (71.7%) Normal: 52 (46.0%) Poor risk: 27 (23.9%) Missing: 5 (4.4%)	0–1: 107 (94.7%) 2: 4 (3.5%) Missing: 2 (1.8%)	Intervention: 23.0 (20.0–34.0) Comparison: 23.1 (13.0–68.9)	40
Dombret et al. [16]	Azacitidine: subcutaneously 75 mg/m2/day for 7 days Q28 days for at least 6 cycles	CCR (BSC, LDAC 20 mg/m2/day for 14 days Q28 days for at least 6 cycles, IC)	Intervention: 241 Comparison: 247	Intervention: 75 (64–91) Comparison: 75 (65–89)	Intervention: 57.7 Comparison: 60.3	Intermediate: 306 (63.1%) Normal: – Poor risk: 174 (35.8%) Missing: –	0-1: 375(76.8%) 2: 113(23.2%) missing:–	Intervention: 70.0 (2.0–100.0) Comparison: 72.0 (2.0–100.0) > 50%: 366 (75.0%)	40
Decitabine
Kantarjian et al. [17]	Decitabine: intravenously 20 mg/m2 QD for 5 days, every 4 weeks	TC (supportive care,or cytarabine 20 mg/m2 QD for 10 days, every 4 weeks)	Intervention: 242 Comparison: 243	Intervention: 73 (64–89) Comparison: 73 (64–91)	Intervention: 62.1 Comparison: 56.6	Intermediate: 306 (63.1%) Normal: – Poor risk: 174 (35.8%) Missing: –	0–1: 367 (75.7%) 2: 118 (24.3%) Missing: –	20–30%: 123 (25.2%) > 30–50%: 141 (29.3%) > 50%: 206 (42.7%)	36

CCR conventional care regimens, BSC best supportive care, LDAC low-dose ara-c, IC induction chemotherapy, TC treatment choice, N total number of patients, ECOG Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status