Background
Methods
Literature search
Data extraction
Data analysis
Results
Search strategy incl. | Detailed description of | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ref # | Medline and CLIB | Unpublished studies | Allocation concealment | Blinding | Excluded patients | Excluded studies | Recommends the experimental drug without reservations | Quality score | |
Industry support
| 1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 4 | ||||
2 | ✔ | ✔ | 2 | ||||||
3 | ✔ | 2 | |||||||
4 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 3 | |||||
5 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 4 | |||||
6 | ✔ | 2 | |||||||
7 | ✔ | 1 | |||||||
8 | ✔ | ✔ | 2 | ||||||
9 | ✔ | ✔ | 3 | ||||||
10 | ✔ | 6 | |||||||
Non-profit or no support
| 11 | ✔ | 2 | ||||||
12 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 3 | |||||
13 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 3 | ||||
14 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 6 | ||||
15 | ✔ | ✔ | 3 | ||||||
16 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 4 | |||||
17 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 7 | ||||
18 | ✔ | ✔ | 5 | ||||||
19 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 6 | ||||
20 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 3 | |||||
21 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 7 | |||
22 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 7 | ||
23 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 7 | ||
24 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 6 | |||
25 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 7 | |||
26 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 7 | ||
27 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 6 | ||
28 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 6 | |||||
Support not declared
| 29 | ✔ | ✔ | 5 | |||||
30 | 3 | ||||||||
31 | 2 | ||||||||
32 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 5 | |||
33 | ✔ | ✔ | 3 | ||||||
34 | ✔ | ✔ | 3 | ||||||
35 | ✔ | 2 | |||||||
36 | 1 | ||||||||
37 | ✔ | 3 | |||||||
38 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 3 | ||||
39 | ✔ | ✔ | 2 |
Methodological quality
Questions | Supported by industry | Non-profit support or no support | P value* | Undeclared support |
---|---|---|---|---|
(N = 10) | (N = 18) | (N = 11) | ||
1. Were the search methods used to find evidence on the primary question stated? | 6 | 18 | 0.02 | 6 |
2. Was the search for evidence reasonably comprehensive? | 4 | 17 | <0.01 | 6 |
3. Were the criteria used for deciding which studies to include reported? | 5 | 17 | 0.03 | 10 |
4. Was bias in the selection of studies avoided? | 1 | 12 | 0.01 | 3 |
5. Were the criteria used for assessing the validity of the included studies reported? | 3 | 15 | 0.02 | 5 |
6. Was the validity of all studies referred to in the text assessed using appropriate criteria? | 1 | 10 | 0.04 | 1 |
7. Were the methods used to combine the findings of the relevant studies reported? | 9 | 17 | 1.00 | 10 |
8. Were the findings of the relevant studies combined appropriately? | 7 | 16 | 0.46 | 8 |
9. Were the conclusions made by the author(s) supported by the data reported? | 9 | 15 | 1.00 | 9 |
Overall quality (1–7) (median score) | 2.5 | 6 | <0.01 | 3 |