Table 2.

Assessment of quality and reliability of the individual studies

Study	Section A: Are the results of the study valid?						Section B: What are the results?			Section C: Will the results help locally?
	Did the study address a focused issue?	Was the cohort recruited acceptably?	Was the exposure accurately measured to minimize bias?	Was the outcome accurately measured to minimize bias?	Have the authors identified all-important confounding factors?	Was the follow up of subjects complete enough?	Have ethical issues been taken into consideration?	Was the data analysis sufficiently rigorous?	Is there a clear statement of findings?	How valuable is the research?
Non-traumatic patients
Donald [16] 2009	Yes	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	High
Duncan [8] 2009	Yes	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	High
Eizadi-Mood [17] 2009	Yes	Uncertain	Uncertain	Uncertain	Uncertain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Moderate
Montassier [18] 2012	Yes	Yes	Uncertain	No	Uncertain	Uncertain	Uncertain	Uncertain	Yes	Low
Nielsen6 2012	Yes	Yes	Uncertain	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Low
Dietze [19] 2014	Yes	Uncertain	Uncertain	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Low
Van Helmond [20] 2019	Yes	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Moderate
Trauma patients
Davis [21] 2005	Yes	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Uncertain	Moderate
Irvin [11] 2010	Yes	Uncertain	Uncertain	Uncertain	Uncertain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Moderate
Evans [22] 2011	Yes	Uncertain	Uncertain	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Moderate
Emami [23] 2019	Yes	Uncertain	Uncertain	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Moderate
Adult Mixed cases
Steuerwald [24] 2018	Yes	Uncertain	Uncertain	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Moderate
Pediatric Mixed cases
Tweed [12] 2018	Uncertain	Uncertain	No	Uncertain	Uncertain	Yes	Yes	Uncertain	Yes	Low