Table 1.
Scoring from the modified Downs and Black Checklist assessing risk of bias. Certain items were not applicable to all studies
| Downs and Black Checklist item | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authors | 1 Hypothesis described |
2 Main outcome described |
3 Patient characteristics described |
6 Main finding described |
7 Estimates of outcome variability |
9 Characteristics of patient lost to follow-up |
10 Actual probability values |
11 Subjects asked to participate representative |
12 Subjects prepared to participate representative |
16 Results based on data dredging made clear |
17 Different length of follow-up adjusted |
18 Appropriate statistics |
20 Outcome valid and reliable |
25 Adjustment for confounders |
26 Loss to follow-up taken into account |
27 Sufficient power |
Sum |
| Askling et al. [19] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Askling et al. [31] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Chumanov et al. [34] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | N/A | N/A | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 9 |
| Fiorentino et al. [32] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Hanley et al. [35] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 9 |
| Hanley et al. [36] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 9 |
| Heiderscheit et al. [37] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Higashihara et al. [38] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 8 |
| Higashihara et al. [39] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 8 |
| Jones et al. [40] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 9 |
| Mann et al. [28] | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Montgomery III et al. [33] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 8 |
| Ono et al. [41] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 8 |
| Padulo et al. [42] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 8 |
| Prior et al. [43] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 5 | 14 |
| Ruan et al. [44] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 8 |
| Sallay et al. [45] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Schache et al. [46] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Schache et al. [47] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Schache et al. [48] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Schuermans et al. [49] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 0 | 10 |
| Schuermans et al. [50] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Sun et al. [51] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Thelen et al. [52] | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 7 |
| Wan et al. [53] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 9 |
| Yu et al. [54] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 9 |
N/A Not applicable