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Table 1 Critical appraisal guide for a Network Meta-Analysis[85]

From: Systematic review and network meta-analysis of interventions for fibromyalgia: a protocol

Critical appraisal criteria

Specific items

A. Are the results of the study valid?

 
 

Did the review explicitly address a sensible clinical question?

 

Was the search for relevant studies exhaustive?

 

Were there major biases in the primary studies?

B. What are the results?

 
 

What was the amount of evidence in the network?

 

Were the results similar from study to study?

 

Were the results consistent in direct and indirect comparisons?

 

What were the overall treatment effects and their uncertainty, and how did the treatments rank?

 

Were the results robust to sensitivity assumptions and potential biases?

C. How can I apply the results to patient care?

 
 

Were all patient-important outcomes considered?

 

Were all potential treatment options considered?

 

Are any postulated subgroup effects credible?

 

What is the overall quality and what are limitations of the evidence?