Table 3.

Critical appraisal of the included studies—cohort studies.

Cohort Studies	[45]	[27]	[34]	[41]	[46]
Two groups similar and recruited from the same population	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Exposures measured similarly to assign people to both exposed and unexposed groups	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Exposure measured in a valid and reliable way	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Objective criteria for measurement of the condition	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Confounding factors identified	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Strategies for dealing with confounders	Unclear	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Participants free of the outcome at the start of the study	Yes	Yes	No	Unclear	Unclear
Outcomes measured in a valid and reliable way	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
The follow up time reported and sufficient to be long enough for outcomes to occur	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Complete follow-up or presentation of the reasons for the loss of follow-up	Yes	Yes	Yes	Unclear	Unclear
Strategies to address incomplete follow up utilized	Yes	Yes	Yes	Unclear	Unclear
Appropriate statistical analysis	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes