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. 2020 Jul 17;2020(7):CD005331. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005331.pub3

Summary of findings 8. Specialised cognitive behavioural therapy‐based physiotherapy intervention compared with treatment as usual.

Specialised CBT‐based physiotherapy‐led intervention compared with TAU for conversion disorder
Patient or population: people with conversion disorder according to DSM‐IV or ICD‐10 criteria
Settings: outpatients at day hospital
Intervention: specialised CBT‐based physiotherapy‐led intervention
Comparison: TAU
Outcomes Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI) Relative effect
(95% CI) No of participants
(studies) Certainty of the evidence
(GRADE) Comments
Assumed risk Corresponding risk
TAU Specialised CBT‐based physiotherapy‐led intervention
Reduction in physical signs
End of treatment
No studies assessed this outcome at end of treatment.
Level of functioning
As assessed by WSAS scale (lower is better)
Range: 0–40
End of treatment
The mean level of functioning in the control group was 26.9 MD 7.10 lower
(11.40 lower to 2.80 lower)
54
(1 study) ⊕⊝⊝⊝
Very lowa,b Specialised CBT‐based physiotherapy intervention may slightly improve level of functioning at end of treatment.
Quality of life No studies assessed this outcome.
Adverse events No studies assessed this outcome.
*The basis for the assumed risk (e.g. the median control group risk across studies) is provided in footnotes. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).
CBT: cognitive behavioural therapy; CI: confidence interval; DSM‐IV:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition; ICD‐10:International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision; TAU: treatment as usual; WSAS: Work and Social Adjustment Scale.
GRADE Working Group grades of evidence
High quality: further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect.
Moderate quality: further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate.
Low quality: further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.
Very low quality: we are very uncertain about the estimate.

aDowngraded one level due to high risk of bias.
bDowngraded two levels due to imprecision (wide confidence interval and based on one study with few patients).