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Table 1 Reasons for awaiting classification (abstracts)

From: Include or not to include conference abstracts in systematic reviews? Lessons learned from a large Cochrane network meta-analysis including 585 trials

Inclusion (PICO) criteria

Insufficient/missing information

All abstracts awaiting classification (n = 77)

Abstracts before 2008 (n = 43)

Abstracts since 2008 (n = 34)

Standardization of anaesthesia

55 (71%)

27 (63%)

28 (82%)

Age of participants

43 (56%)

26 (60%)

17 (50%)

Outcome details

36 (47%)

20 (47%)

16 (47%)

Time point of administration

11 (14%)

2 (5%)

9 (26%)

Study design (e.g. randomization)

6 (8%)

5 (12%)

1 (3%)

Number of insufficient/missing inclusion criteria per abstract

-

-

-

 1

27 (35%)

15 (35%)

12 (35%)

 2

27 (35%)

17 (40%)

10 (29%)

 3

18 (23%)

10 (23%)

8 (24%)

 4

5 (6%)

1 (2%)

4 (12%)