Skip to main content

Table 2 Summary of results reported in a systematic review of reviews2

From: Methodology in conducting a systematic review of systematic reviews of healthcare interventions

Review

Tocolytic agent

Birth >48 hrs (95% CI)

Birth >7 days

(95% CI)

Birth >34 weeks

(95% CI)

Birth >37 weeks

(95% CI)

King 1988

Betamimetics compared with placebo or no treatment

12 trials

OR 0.59, (0.42-0.83)

Significant

-

-

8 trials

OR 0.71

(0.53-0.96)

Significant

Coomarasamy et al 2002

Atosiban V placebo (2 trials)

Atosiban V beta-agonist (4 trials)

2 trials

RR 1.13,

(1.02-1.26)

Significant

4 trials

RR 1.07

(0.98-1.17)

Not significant

-

3 trials

RR 1.25

(1.09-1.44)

Significant

-

-

Crowther et al 2002

Magnesium sulphate V placebo/no treatment or other tocolytic agent

11 trials

RR 0.85, (0.58-1.25)

Not significant

-

No difference reported

No difference reported

King et al 2003

Calcium channel blockers V any other tocolytic agent

-

RR 0.76, (0.60-0.97)

Significant

RR 0.83, (0.69-0.99)

Significant

RR 0.95, (0.83-1.09)

Not significant

Anotayanonth et al 2004

Betamimetics V Placebo

11 trials

RR 0.63, (0.53-0.75)

Significant

11 trials

RR 0.78, (0.68-0.90)

Significant

-

11 trials

RR 0.95, (0.88-1.03)

Not significant

King et al 2005

COX inhibitor V Placebo

COX inhibitor V any other tocolytic

2 trials

RR 0.20, CI 0.03-1.28

4 trials

RR 0.59, CI 0.34-1.02

2 trials

RR 0.41, CI 0.10-1.66

-

3 trials

RR 0.21, CI 0.07-0.62

3 trials

RR 0.53, CI 0.31-0.94

Whitworth & Quenby 2008

Oral betamimetic V placebo

-

-

-

RR 1.07,

(0.14-8.09)

Not significant

  1. 2 Reprinted from the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Volume 142, Smith V, Devane D, Begley CM, Clarke M, Higgins S. A systematic review and quality assessment of systematic reviews of randomised trials of interventions for preventing and treating preterm birth. 3-11, Copyright (2009), with permission from Elsevier.