3. Age and sex of participants.
| EVLA versus RFA | ||||
| Study | Age (years) | Sex (F:M) | ||
| EVLA | RFA | EVLA | RFA | |
| Nordon 2011 | 46.7 (14.4) mean (SD) |
46.9 (15.1) mean (SD) |
54:26 | 45:34 |
| Rasmussen 2011 | 52 (18 ‐ 74) mean (range) |
51 (23 ‐ 75) mean (range) |
90:35 | 88:37 |
| Recovery 2009 | 51.6 (12.8) mean (SD) |
52.4 (15.3) mean (SD) |
31:10 | 29:17 |
| Shepherd 2010 | 48 (16) mean (SD) |
49 (15) mean (SD) |
42:22 | 47:20 |
| Syndor 2017 | 48.5 (23 ‐ 86) mean (range) |
47 (19 ‐ 86) mean (range) |
77:23 | 80:20 |
| EVLA versus EVSA | ||||
| Study | Age (years) | Sex (F:M) | ||
| EVLA | EVSA | EVLA | EVSA | |
| LAST 2014 | 55 (12) mean (SD) |
56 (13) mean (SD) |
61:45 62:48 (legs) |
73:39 76:41 (legs) |
| EVLA versus UGFS | ||||
| Study | Age (years) | Sex (F:M) | ||
| EVLA | UGFS | EVLA | UGFS | |
| Magna 2013 | 49 (15.03) mean (SD) |
56 (13.30) mean (SD) |
54:24 | 52:25 |
| Rasmussen 2011 | 52 (18 ‐ 74) mean (range) |
51 (18 ‐ 75) mean (range) |
90:35 | 94:30 |
| Vernermo 2016 | 47 (13.4) [20 ‐ 73] mean (SD) [range] |
48.3 (12.7) [20 ‐ 73] mean (SD) [range] |
55:18 | 58:18 |
| EVLA versus CA | ||||
| Study | Age (years) | Sex (F:M) | ||
| EVLA | CA | EVLA | CA | |
| Calik 2019 | 38.4 (11.9) mean (SD) |
38.6 (11.6) mean (SD) |
114:86 | 109:91 |
| EVLA versus MOCA | ||||
| Study | Age (years) | Ses (F:M) | ||
| EVLA | MOCA | EVLA | MOCA | |
| Vähäaho 2019 | 49.5 (11.9) mean (SD) |
50.9 (12.0) mean (SD) |
N/A | N/A |
| EVLA versus HL/S (surgery) | ||||
| Study | Age (years) | Sex (F:M) | ||
| EVLA | HL/S (surgery) | EVLA | HL/S (surgery) | |
| Darwood 2008 | EVLT1: 42 (30.5 ‐ 54.5); EVLT2: 52 (35 ‐ 59); mean (IQR) |
49 (38.5 ‐ 57.5) mean (IQR) |
EVLT1: 22:16 EVLT2: 16:11 |
16:14 |
| Flessenkämper 2013 | 47.4 (12.9) mean (SD) |
47.7 (11.5) mean (SD) |
97:45 | 112:47 |
| HELP‐1 2011 | 49 (14) mean (SD) |
49 (13) mean (SD) |
85:54 | 90:47 |
| Magna 2013 | 49 (15.03) mean (SD) |
52 (15.59) mean (SD) |
54:24 | 46:22 |
| Pronk 2010 | 49 (11.0) mean (SD) |
50 (10.5) mean (SD) |
46:16 | 53:15 |
| Rasmussen 2007 | 53 (26 ‐ 79) mean (range) |
54 (22 ‐ 78) mean (range) |
41:21 | 43:16 |
| Rasmussen 2011 | 52 (18 ‐ 74) mean (SD) |
50 (19 ‐ 72) mean (range) |
90:35 | 95:29 |
| RELACS 2012 | 47.9 (10.9) mean (SD) |
48.0 (10.7) mean (SD) |
113:48 | 124:61 |
| Vernermo 2016 | 47 (13.4) [20 ‐ 73] mean (SD) [range] |
47.3 (11.3) [27 ‐ 75] mean (SD) [range] |
55:18 | 55:10 |
| RFA versus UGFS | ||||
| Study | Age (years) | Sex (F:M) | ||
| RFA | UGFS | RFA | UGFS | |
| Rasmussen 2011 | 51 (23 ‐ 75) mean (range) |
51 (18 ‐ 75) mean (range) |
88:37 | 94:30 |
| RFA versus CA | ||||
| Study | Age (years) | Sex (F:M) | ||
| RFA | CA | RFA | CA | |
| Morrison 2015 | 50.5 (25.6 ‐ 70.1) mean (range) |
49.0 (26.6 ‐ 70.6) mean (range) |
93:21 | 83:25 |
| RFA versus MOCA | ||||
| Study | Age (years) | Sex (F:M) | ||
| RFA | MOCA | RFA | MOCA | |
| Lane 2017 | 58 (median) |
54.5 (median) |
50:33 | 50:37 |
| MARADONA 2019 | 53.4 (22.6 ‐ 77.9) median (range) |
54.9 (16.3 ‐ 18.2) median (range) |
63:43 | 67:40 |
| Vähäaho 2019 | 50.3 (13.9) mean (SD) |
50.9 (12.0) mean (SD) |
N/A | N/A |
| RFA versus HL/S (surgery) | ||||
| Study | Age (years) | Sex (F:M) | ||
| RFA | HL/S (surgery) | RFA | HL/S (surgery) | |
| EVOLVeS 2003 | 49 (4) mean (SD) |
47 (4) mean (SD) |
32:12 | 26:10 |
| Helmy ElKaffas 2011 | 33.1 (2.6) mean (SD) |
34.9 (3.7) mean (SD) |
48:42 | 45:45 |
| Rasmussen 2011 | 51 (23 ‐ 75) mean (range) |
50 (19 ‐ 72) mean (range) |
88:37 | 95:29 |
| Rautio 2002 | 33 (6.7) mean (SD) |
38 (6.8) mean (SD) |
14:1 | 12:1 |
| Subramonia 2010 | 47 (38 ‐ 58) median (IQR) |
45 (37 ‐ 53) median (IQR) |
34:13 | 27:14 |
| UGFS versus HL/S (surgery) | ||||
| Study | Age (years) | Sex (F:M) | ||
| UGFS | HL/S (surgery) | UGFS | HL/S (surgery) | |
| FOAM 2010 | 55.8 (13.4) mean (SD) |
54.6 (13.4) mean (SD) |
175:58 | 162:65 |
| Magna 2013 | 56 (13.30) mean (SD) |
52 (15.59) mean (SD) |
52:25 | 46:22 |
| Rasmussen 2011 | 51 (18 ‐ 75) mean (range) |
50 (19 ‐ 72) mean (range) |
94:30 | 95:29 |
| Vernermo 2016 | 48.3 (12.7) [20 ‐ 73] mean (SD) [range] |
47.3 (11.3) [27 ‐ 75] mean (SD) [range] |
58:18 | 55:10 |
CA: cyanoacrylate glue EVLA: endovenous laser ablation (same as EVLT) EVLT: endovenous laser therapy EVSA: endovenous steam ablation F: female HL/S: high ligation and stripping IQR: interquartile range M: male MOCA: mechanochemical ablation RFA: radio frequency ablation SD: standard deviation UGFS: ultrasound‐guided foam sclerotherapy