Table 3 Limitations related to study design reported by authors
Characteristic | Studies |
|---|---|
N = 132 | |
n (%) | |
Limitations related to study design | |
Reported | 93 (70) |
High RoB | 61 (48) |
Heterogeneity | 70 (56) |
Population | 50 (40) |
Intervention | 15 (12) |
Outcome | 11 (9) |
Publication bias | 6 (5) |
Small study effects | 5 (4) |
Not reported | 39 (30) |
Concerns regarding the synthesis of OSs with RCTs | |
Reported | 32 (24) |
Risk of bias | 13 (10) |
Inclusion of OSs and their interpretation | 9 (7) |
Small number of available RCTs | 7 (5) |
Risk of confounding | 4 (3) |
Extraction of effect estimate | 2 (2) |
Just caution on interpretation | 5 (4) |
Not reported | 100 (81) |