Figure 3. Change in Late Bowel-Related Quality of Life (QoL) With vs Without Perirectal Hydrogel Spacer.

The mean difference and 95% CI between hydrogel spacer and control groups are plotted for each study (with inverse-variance weighting method and random-effect model). The size of the square is proportional to the sample size of the study. The pooled mean difference denoted by the diamond apex, and the 95% CI is denoted by the diamond width. A pooled mean difference of less than 0 indicates lower bowel-related QoL with hydrogel spacer; a value greater than 0 indicates higher bowel-related QoL with hydrogel spacer. Bowel-related QoL reported on a 0 to 100 scale, where higher values indicate better QoL. Late bowel-related QoL was significantly higher in the hydrogel spacer group (mean difference, 5.4; P < .001). Significant heterogeneity among studies was not identified (I² = 0%; P = .76).