Table 1 A comparison of the topics covered in the three assessment tools

Planning / protocol

X

X

2

Patient etc involvement

X

1

Researchers’ competence

X

1

Review question

X

X

X

3

Inclusion criteria

X

X

X

3

Literature search

X

X

X

3

Screening

X

1

Description of excluded studies

X

X

2

Description of included studies

X

1

Methodological assessment of included studies

X

X

X

3

Data extraction

X

1

Synthesis

X

X

X

3

Findings

X

X

X

3

Dissemination bias

X

1

Reflexivity

X

X

X

3

Conflict of interest

X

X

2

Confidence in findings

X

X

2

Other

X

1

Total

8

15

13