Table 1 Quality index of included studies (Ferro &Speechley, 2009, amended from Downs & Black, 1998)
| Â | Hypothesis clearly described | Main outcomes clearly described | Characteristics of patients described | Main findings clearly described | Estimates of random variability | Actual probability values used | Response rate clearly described | Patients -represent population | Patients prepared- represent population | Staff, place and facilities | Data dredging | Statistical tests appropriate | Outcome measures valid/reliable | Adjustment for confounding | Sample size or power calculation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anderluh et al. (2009) [35] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
Bewell-Weiss & Carter (2010) [36] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
Davis & Claridge (1998) [37] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
Davis & Kaptein (2006) [38] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
Davis et al. (1998) [2] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
Davis et al. (1995) [39] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
Holtkamp et al. (2004) [40] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
Naylor et al. (2011) [41] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
Penas-Lledo et al. (2002) [31] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
Shroff et al. (2006) [42] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 |