Table 2

Quality assessment of included studies

SampleConduct of studyFollow-upAnalysisInterpretationTotal (x/40)Overall rating
Study1. Aims clearly stared2. Sample size justified3. Age of participant defined4. Measurements at start clearly stated?5. Measurements likely to be valid and reliable?6. Risk factors recorded clearly?7. Was the intervention before follow-up defined?8. Setting of the study clear?9. Is mode of assessment described?10. Did untoward events occur during the study?11. Was there a follow-up?12. Was follow-up necessary?13. Are losses to follow-up defined?14. Was basic data adequately described?15. Do numbers add up?16. Did analysis allow for passage of time?17. Was statistical significance assessed?18. Were the main findings interpreted adequately?19. Were null/negative findings interpreted?20. Are important effects overlooked?
1Bell et al 52 YesYesYesYesYesNoYes?YesNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo3587.5
2Bock et al 53 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo3690
3Bruyndonckx et al 36 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo3690
4Bustos et al 54 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesNoNo3075
5Calcaterra et al 55 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYes?No3177.5
6Dobe et al e46 ?NoYes??NoYes??NoNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYes?No2665
7Farpour-Lambert, et al 56 YesYesYesYesYesNoYes?YesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo3792.5
8Ford et al 48 57 YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes?YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes?3587.5
9Gajewska et al 37 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYes?No3177.5
10Garanty-Bogacka et al 58 YesNoYesYesYes???Yes?No?NoYes?YesYesYes?No2665
11Grønbæk et al 59
Kazankov et al 60 		Yes?YesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo3792.5
12Hvidt et al 61 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes?3485
13Kirk et al 47 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYes?NoYes?YesYesYesYesYes??2972.5
14Klijn et al 62 YesNoYesYesYesNoYes?YesNoNoYesNoNoYesYesYesYesNoNo2767.5
15Lazzer et al 63 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesNoNo3280
16Meyer et al 64 YesNoYesYesYesNoNoYesYesNoNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesNo3075
17Miraglia et al 65 YesNoNoYesYesNoYes?YesNoNoYesNo?YesYesYes?YesYes2562.5
18Morell-Azanza et al 66
Rendo-Urteaga et al 67 		YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesNoNo3280
19Murer et al 68
Aeberli et al 69 		YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo3892
20Murdolo et al 70 YesNoYesYesYesNoNoNoYesNoYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesNoNo2870
21Ning et al 71
Bean et al 72 		YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNo3485
22Pacifico et al 73 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesNo?3177.5
23Racil et al 32 YesNoYesYesYesNoYes?YesNoNo?NoYesYesYesYesYesYes?2972.5
24Racil et al 33 YesNo?YesYesNoYes?YesNoNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesNoNo2870
25Reinehr et al 38 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesNo?2972.5
26Reinehr et al 74 75 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesNo3280
27Rohrer et al 76 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYes?No3382.5
28Rolland-Cachera et al 77 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYes?YesYesYesYesNoNo3382.5
29Roth et al 78 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesNoYesNoNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesNoNo2870
30Savoye et al 79 YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNo3485
31Savoye et al 80 81 YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNo3690
32Savoye et al 82 YesYesYesYesYesNoYes?YesNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo3587.5
33Schiel et al 83 YesNo?YesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYes?YesNo?Yes2972.5
34Seabra et al 34 YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNo3485
35Truby et al 84 YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo3895
36van der Baan-Slootweg et al 85 YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNo3690
37Visuthranukul et al 86 YesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo3895
38Vitola et al 87 YesNoYesYesYesNo??YesNoNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesNoNo2870
39Wickham et al 88
Evans et al 89 		YesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYes?YesYesYesYesNoYes?3075

  • For Q6. Were risk factors clearly recorded? We said ‘no’ rather than ‘unclear’ to all the studies that did not record risk factors.

  • For Q10. Did untoward events occur during the study? We said ‘no’ rather than unclear if not mentioned.

  • Rating: not satisfactory 1%–50%; moderate quality=51%–80%; high quality=81%.

  • ?, unclear.