Table 1 Example of search strategy for MEDLINE in Ovid

1

exp Liver Cirrhosis/

2

((hepatic or liver) and (fibrosis or cirrhosis or cirrhotic)).ti,ab.

3

1 or 2

4

randomized controlled trial.pt.

5

controlled clinical trial.pt.

6

random*.mp.

7

placebo.ab.

8

trial.ab.

9

groups.ab.

10

drug therapy.fs.

11

4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10

12

(humans not animals).sh.

13

11 and 12

14

exp Probiotics/

15

exp Lactobacillus/

16

exp Bifidobacterium/

17

exp Lactococcus/

18

exp Bacillus/

19

exp Enterococcus/

20

exp Saccharomyces/

21

(probiotic* or lactobacill* or lactococc* or bacillus or (enterococcus faec*) or saccharomyc* or VSL* or yog?urt or (bifidus or bifidobacter*)).mp.

22

14 or 15 or 16 or 17 or 18 or 19 or 20 or 21

23

exp Prebiotics/

24

exp Oligosaccharides/

25

exp Inulin/

26

exp Lactulose/

27

exp Fructose/

28

(prebiotic* or fructan* or fructo* or oligofructose or oligosaccharide or inulin or lactulose of lactitol).mp.

29

23 or 24 or 25 or 26 or 27 or 28

30

exp Fecal Microbiota Transplantation/

31

(((feces or fecal or faecal or faeces or stool or microbio* or microflora) adj3 (transplant* or transfuse* or transfer* or therap* or treat* or implant* or instillation or donor*)) or FMT).mp.

32

((bacteria or bacterio*) adj2 (transplant* or transfuse* or transfer* or therap* or treat* or implant* or instillation or donor*)).mp.

33

30 or 31 or 32

34

exp Gastrointestinal Microbiome/

35

exp Microbiota/

36

((feces or fecal or faecal or faeces or gut or intestinal or gastrointestinal) and (microbio* or microflora))

37

34 or 35 or 36

38

exp Synbiotics/

39

synbiotic*.mp.

40

38 or 39

41

22 or 29 or 33 or 37 or 40

42

3 and 41

43

42 and 13