Comparison 1. Anticoagulant vs control in acute presumed ischaemic stroke.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1.1 Dead or dependent at end of follow‐up (if > 1 month)	12	22428	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.98 [0.92, 1.03]
1.2 Death from all causes during treatment period	22	22602	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.99 [0.90, 1.09]
1.3 Death from all causes at final follow‐up (if > 1 month)	15	23079	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.05 [0.98, 1.12]
1.4 Deep vein thrombosis during treatment period	10	916	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.21 [0.15, 0.29]
1.5 Recurrent ischaemic or unknown stroke during treatment period	12	21665	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.75 [0.65, 0.88]
1.6 Symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage during treatment period	20	23221	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.47 [1.90, 3.21]
1.7 Any recurrent stroke or symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage during treatment period or follow‐up (> 1 month)	12	21665	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.97 [0.84, 1.11]
1.8 Symptomatic pulmonary embolism during treatment period	14	22544	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.60 [0.44, 0.81]
1.9 Major extracranial haemorrhage during treatment period	18	22255	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.99 [2.24, 3.99]
1.10 Subgroup analysis by type of anticoagulant agent used: effect on death or dependency	12	22428	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.98 [0.92, 1.03]
1.10.1 Unfractionated heparin (subcutaneous) versus control	1	19435	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.00 [0.94, 1.06]
1.10.2 Low‐molecular‐weight heparin versus control	6	1328	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.74 [0.59, 0.93]
1.10.3 Heparinoid (subcutaneous) versus control	1	57	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.81 [0.29, 2.29]
1.10.4 Heparinoid (intravenous) versus control	2	1329	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.88 [0.69, 1.12]
1.10.5 Direct thrombin inhibitor versus control (intravenous)	3	279	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.90 [0.55, 1.48]
1.11 Subgroup analysis by anticoagulant dose: effect on death or dependency	11	22339	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.98 [0.93, 1.03]
1.11.1 Adjusted full‐dose intravenous anticoagulant	4	1522	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.88 [0.70, 1.11]
1.11.2 Medium fixed‐dose anticoagulant	4	10361	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.98 [0.91, 1.06]
1.11.3 Low fixed‐dose anticoagulant	7	10456	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.99 [0.91, 1.07]
1.12 Sensitivity analysis: dead or dependent at end of follow‐up (if > 1 month) in trials with adequate concealment of treatment allocation	6	21286	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.98 [0.92, 1.03]
1.13 Sensitivity analysis: dead or dependent at end of follow‐up (if > 1 month) for patients within 48 hours of stroke onset	11	22298	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.94 [0.89, 1.00]
1.14 Sensitivity analysis: dead or dependent at end of follow‐up (if > 1 month) excluding IST3 trial	11	2993	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.81 [0.69, 0.95]
1.15 Sensitivity analysis: dead or dependent at end of follow‐up (if > 1 month) excluding trial with assessment of primary outcome after only 1 month	11	22371	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.98 [0.92, 1.03]
1.16 Sensitivity analysis: deep vein thrombosis during treatment period restricted to trials where concealment of allocation was secure	3	282	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.33 [0.16, 0.71]
1.17 Sensitivity analysis: deep vein thrombosis during treatment period restricted to trials where radiographic assessment was blinded	6	499	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.44 [0.27, 0.72]