Table 1. Summary Details for the 32 Independent Studies Included in the Meta-analysis.
| Characteristic | Studies, No.a | Participants, No. (%)a | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sample size, mean (SD), No. of participants | 32 | 1422 | 44.4 (42.5) |
| Age at first assessment, y | |||
| Mean (SD) | 24 | 1208 | 5.7 (6.6) |
| Median (interquartile range) | 3.3 (0.5-10.3) | ||
| Surgical status, mean (SD), No. of participantsb | |||
| CM | 4 | 98 | 24.5 (20.7) |
| Presurgery | 13 | 581 | 44.7 (38.7) |
| Postsurgery | 25 | 915 | 36.6 (32.4) |
| Mixedc | 4 | 193 | 48.3 (32.5) |
| Sexd | |||
| Female | 20 | 182 (22.0) | NA |
| Male | 20 | 642 (78.0) | NA |
| Study focus | |||
| Studies examining sagittal synostosis only | 18 | 996 (70.0) | NA |
| Studies examining multiple suture types | 14 | 426 (30.0) | NA |
| Control group used | |||
| Yes | 9 | 262 (18.4) | NA |
| No | 23 | 1160 (81.6) | NA |
| Origin of study | |||
| US | 15 | 469 (32.9) | NA |
| Europe | 10 | 534 (37.6) | NA |
| United Kingdom | 3 | 283 (19.9) | NA |
| Asia | 2 | 104 (7.3) | NA |
| Australia | 2 | 32 (2.3) | NA |
| Surgical technique reported | |||
| Yes | 16 | 801 (56.3) | NA |
| No | 12 | 459 (32.3) | NA |
| CM or presurgery only | 4 | 162 (11.4) | NA |
| Surgical procedures, No. | |||
| 1 | 3 | 48 (3.4) | NA |
| ≥2 | 6 | 216 (15.2) | NA |
| Not reported | 20 | 1042 (73.3) | NA |
| CM or presurgery only | 3 | 116 (8.1) | NA |
| Criteria for surgery reported | |||
| Yes | 6 | 170 (12.0) | NA |
| No | 26 | 1252 (88.0) | NA |
| Family history of craniosynostosis reported | |||
| Yes | 0 | 0 | NA |
| No | 32 | 1422 (100.0) | NA |
| Genetic status examined | |||
| Yes | 5 | 373 (26.2) | NA |
| No | 27 | 1049 (73.8) | NA |
| Socioeconomic status examined | |||
| Yes | 10 | 496 (34.9) | NA |
| No | 22 | 926 (65.1) | NA |
| Neonatal and/or perinatal problems reported | |||
| Yes | 9 | 483 (34.0) | NA |
| No | 23 | 939 (66.0) | NA |
Abbreviations: CM, conservatively managed; NA, not applicable.
a
Refers to the total number of studies and participants for which data were available.
b
Some studies reported data for multiple groups.
c
Refers to CM, presurgery, and postsurgery combined.
d
Data on sex were available for 824 participants.