Table 2.

JBI critical appraisal checklist applied to the included studies

Author name/year (Ref)

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q5

Q6

Q7

Q8

Q9

Q10

Overall quality

Case series

Liu et al. , 2020-a (27)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

N/A

No

Yes

7/10

Liu et al. , 2020-c (28)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

N/A

Yes

Yes

Yes

N/A

Yes

8/10

Zhu et al. , 2020 (31)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

8/10

Yu et al. , 2020 (30)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

N/A

Yes

7/10

Khan et al. , 2020 (25)

Yes

Yes

N/A

Yes

No

Yes

N/A

No

No

Yes

5/10

Chen et al. , 2020-a (13)

Yes

Yes

N/A

Yes

No

Yes

N/A

Yes

No

Yes

6/10

Chen et al. , 2020-b (22)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

N/A

N/A

Yes

No

Yes

7/10

Chen et al. , 2020-c (14)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

7/10

Case-control

Liu et al. , 2020-b (26)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

N/A

Yes

Yes

No

8/10

Li et al. , 2020 (24)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

N/A

N/A

Yes

No

6/10

Case series design questions: Q1. Were there clear criteria for inclusion in the case series? Q2. Was the condition measured in a standard, reliable way for all participants included in the case series? Q3. Were valid methods used for identification of the condition for all participants included in the case series? Q4. Did the case series have consecutive inclusion of participants? Q5. Did the case series have complete inclusion of participants? Q6. Was there clear reporting of the demographics of the participants in the study? Q7. Was there clear reporting of the clinical information of the participants? Q8. Were the outcomes or follow-up results of cases reported? Q9. Was there clear reporting of the presenting site(s)/clinic(s) demographic information? Q10. Was the statistical analysis appropriate? Case-control design questions: Q1. Were the groups comparable other than the presence of disease in cases of the absence of disease in controls? Q2. Were cases and controls matched appropriately? Q3. Were the same criteria used for the identification of cases and controls? Q4. Was exposure measured in a standard, valid, and reliable way? Q5. Was exposure measured in the same way for cases and controls? Q6. Were confounding factors identified? Q7. Were strategies to deal with confounding factors stated? Q8. Were outcomes assessed in a standard, valid, and reliable way for cases and controls? Q9. Was the exposure period of interest long enough to be meaningful? Q10. Was an appropriate statistical analysis used?