Table A6:
Risk Of Bias Among Nonrandomized Studies (RoBANS)
| Author, Year | Selection of Participants | Confounding Variables | Measurement of Exposure | Blinding of Outcome Assessment | Incomplete Outcome Data | Selective Outcome Reporting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hall-Flavin et al, 201355 | Low | Higha | Low | Highb | Highc | Low |
| Hall-Flavin et al, 201256 | Low | Higha | Low | Highb | Low | Lowd |
Abbreviation: RoBANS, Risk of Bias Assessment for Non-randomized Studies.
Major confounding variables were not considered during design stage, and no analysis to adjust for confounding factors was considered. Pharmacogenomic treatment group had fewer previously failed psychiatric medication trials than treatment as usual group. No information was provided about other treatments that might have been used.
No mention was made of blinding assessors, and no information was provided on who completed assessment.
Large and unbalanced numbers of dropouts in both groups, with larger number of dropouts by 8 weeks in guided group (36.8% in pharmacogenomic-guided treatment vs. 17.6% in treatment as usual). No differences were observed in measured baseline characteristics, and two methods of data imputation were applied to account for incomplete outcome data (although these were post-hoc imputations).
Authors noted raw changes in score as primary outcome, but focused on percent change in results.