Table 2.

Subgroup analyses according to trial and participant characteristics.

Subgroup	No	Net bpm change	P -heterogeneity	I 2 (%)
		(95% CI)
Sex
Male	4	−2.70 (−4.35, −1.05)	0.276	22.4
Female	2	2.59 (0.83, 4.34)	0.384	0
Male and female	10	−0.36 (−1.67, 0.95)	0.000	83.6
Mean age, year
<45	9	0.40 (−0.70, 1.50)	0.000	82.1
≥45	7	−1.57 (−3.07, −0.06)	0.000	79.2
Study duration
<6 weeks	6	0.61 (−1.31, 2.52)	0.000	90.4
≥6 weeks	10	−0.53 (−1.53, 0.47)	0.003	63.7
Health status
Generally healthy	11	−0.71 (−1.90, 0.47)	0.000	72.5
Disease status	5	0.26 (−1.07, 1.60)	0.000	90.1
Baseline HR, bpm
<75 bpm	12	0.28 (−0.69, 1.26)	0.000	76.3
≥75 bpm	4	−2.94 (−5.06, −0.82)	0.000	87.6
Form of probiotics
Capsule or sachet	10	0.10 (−1.15, 0.96)	0.000	88.0
Milk or yogurt or juice	6	−0.72 (−2.35, 0.91)	0.748	0
Probiotics dose
<1010 CFU	5	2.03 (0.45, 3.60)	0.001	79.6
≥1010 CFU	8	−1.17 (−2.34, −0.00)	0.012	61.3
Number of strains of probiotics
Single-strain	10	0.83 (−0.41, 2.08)	0.000	70.4
Multiple-strain	6	−1.43 (−2.69, −0.17)	0.000	87.9