Table 5. GRADE summary of findings.
| Outcome | Anticipated absolute effects (95%CI) | Relative effect (95%CI) | No. of participants (Studies) | Quality | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risk with no bronchiectasis | Risk with bronchiectasis | |||||
| Tuberculosis history | 96 per 1000 | 239 per 1000 (158 to 360) | RR 2.49 (1.65 to 3.75) | 1400 (6) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Smoking history | 635 per 1000 | 794 per 1000 (730 to 857) | RR 1.25 (1.15 to 1.35) | 1267 (5) | ⊕⊕○○ | |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection | 28 per 1000 | 122 per 1000 (85 to 176) | RR 4.36 (3.04 to 6.27) | 1479 (7) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Purulent sputum | 70 per 1000 | 216 per 1000 (117 to 398) | RR 3.09 (1.68 to 5.69) | 514 (4) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Purulent mucus sputum | 122 per 1000 | 510 per 1000 (314 to 828) | RR 4.18 (2.57 to 6.79) | 269 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Positive sputum culture | 284 per 1000 | 443 per 1000 (315 to 616) | RR 1.56 (1.11 to 2.17) | 269 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Admission within the past year | 222 per 1000 | 404 per 1000 (335 to 488) | RR 1.82 (1.51 to 2.20) | 402 (3) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Daily dyspnea | 294 per 1000 | 706 per 1000 (562 to 885) | RR 2.40 (1.91 to 3.01) | 269 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Hypertension history | 362 per 1000 | 398 per 1000 (315 to 500) | RR 1.10 (0.87 to 1.38) | 505 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Diabetes history | 208 per 1000 | 275 per 1000 (191 to 395) | RR 1.32 (0.92 to 1.90) | 505 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Female | 328 per 1000 | 358 per 1000 (298 to 430) | RR 1.09 (0.91 to 1.31) | 1669 (8) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Mucous sputum | 546 per 1000 | 158 per 1000 (27 to 906) | RR 0.29 (0.05 to 1.66) | 361 (3) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Klebsiella pneumoniae infection | 49 per 1000 | 45 per 1000 (32 to 64) | RR 0.92 (0.66 to 1.30) | 1387 (6) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Escherichia coli infection | 21 per 1000 | 40 per 1000 (20 to 79) | RR 1.92 (0.99 to 3.75) | 1185 (4) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Streptococcus pneumoniae infection | 10 per 1000 | 8 per 1000 (4 to 21) | RR 0.84 (0.35 to 2.05) | 1101 (4) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Acinetobacter baumannii infection | 41 per 1000 | 32 per 1000 (16 to 64) | RR 0.79 (0.40 to 1.55) | 965 (3) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection | 30 per 1000 | 7 per 1000 (1 to 56) | RR 0.23 (0.03 to 1.86) | 333 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Enterobacter cloacae infection | 18 per 1000 | 24 per 1000 (9 to 62) | RR 1.33 (0.52 to 3.42) | 832 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Haemophilus infection | 69 per 1000 | 98 per 1000 (35 to 275) | RR 1.42 (0.50 to 3.98) | 202 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Anticholinergic therapy | 713 per 1000 | 791 per 1000 (684 to 913) | RR 1.11 (0.96 to 1.28) | 282 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
| FEV1/FVC | The mean FEV1/FVC in the control group was 0 | The mean FEV1/FVC in the trial group was 0.61 standard deviations lower (0.89 lower to 0.32 lower) | - | 1326 (6) | ⊕○○○ | |
| FEV1% | The mean FEV1% in the control group was 0 | The mean FEV1% in the trial group was 0.96 standard deviations lower (1.22 lower to 0.71 lower) | - | 269 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
| FEV1%pred | The mean FEV1%pred in the control group was 0 | The mean FEV1%pred in the trial group was 0.38 standard deviations lower (0.50 lower to 0.26 lower) | - | 1155 (4) | ⊕⊕○○ | |
| PaO2 | The mean PaO2 in the control group was 0 | The mean PaO2 in the trial group was 0.14 standard deviations lower (0.27 lower to 0.01 lower) | - | 985 (3) | ⊕⊕○○ | |
| Hospital stay | The mean hospital stay in the control group was 0 | The mean hospital stay in the trial group was 0.41 standard deviations higher (0.26 lower to 0.56 higher) | - | 766 (3) | ⊕⊕○○ | |
| Duration of symptoms | The mean duration of symptoms in the control group was 0 | The mean duration of symptoms in the trial group was 0.31 standard deviations higher (0.05 lower to 0.57 higher) | - | 245 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
| CRP | The mean CRP in the control group was 0 | The mean CRP in the trial group was 0.50 standard deviations higher (0.07 lower to 0.93 higher) | - | 956 (4) | ⊕○○○ | |
| WBC | The mean WBC in the control group was 0 | The mean WBC in the trial group was 0.72 standard deviations higher (0.07 lower to 1.36 higher) | - | 1118 (4) | ⊕○○○ | |
| N% | The mean N% in the control group was 0 | The mean N% in the trial group was 0.91 standard deviations higher (0.09 lower to 1.72 higher) | - | 1932 (3) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Smoking index (pack/year) | The mean smoking index in the control group was 0 | The mean smoking index in the trial group was 0.72 standard deviations higher (0.07 lower to 1.50 higher) | - | 684 (5) | ⊕○○○ | |
| BMI | The mean BMI in the control group was 0 | The mean BMI in the trial group was 0.13 standard deviations lower (0.37 lower to 0.11 higher) | - | 1022 (3) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Age | The mean age in the control group was 0 | The mean age in the trial group was 0.15 standard deviations higher (0.10 lower to 0.39 higher) | - | 1669 (8) | ⊕○○○ | |
| PaCO2 | The mean PaCO2 in the control group was 0 | The mean PaCO2 in the trial group was 0.31 standard deviations higher (0.01 lower to 0.64 higher) | - | 985 (3) | ⊕○○○ | |
| ESR | The mean ESR in the control group was 0 | The mean ESR in the trial group was 0.53 standard deviations higher (0.65 lower to 1.72 higher) | - | 985 (3) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Hb | The mean Hb in the control group was 0 | The mean Hb in the trial group was 0.12 standard deviations lower (0.25 lower to 0.00 higher) | - | 985 (3) | ⊕⊕○○ | |
| FIB | The mean FIB in the control group was 0 | The mean FIB in the trial group was 0.78 standard deviations higher (0.01 lower to 1.58 higher) | - | 1155 (4) | ⊕○○○ | |
| Albumin | The mean albumin in the control group was 0 | The mean albumin in the trial group was 0.05 standard deviations lower (0.27 lower to 0.18 higher) | - | 323 (2) | ⊕○○○ | |
BMI, body mass index; CI, confidence interval; CRP, C-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; FEV1/FVC, the ratio between forced expiratory volume in 1s and forced vital capacity; FEV1%, the percentage of FEV1;. FEV1%pred, FEV1 as a percentage of the predicted value; FIB, plasma fibrinogen; GRADE, grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation; Hb, hemoglobin; N%, percentage of neutrophils; PaCO2, arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure; PaO2, arterial oxygen pressure; RR, risk ratio; WBC, leukocytes.