Table 3 Results of meta-analyses with and without unpublished studies
| Ā | Number of studies | Number of participants | Pooled estimate (95% CI) Summary measure | % change in effect size/CI width | Difference in estimates | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Review | With unpublished | Without unpublished | % lost | With unpublished | Without unpublished | % lost | With unpublished | Without unpublished | Ā | Ā |
Acute respiratory infections | ||||||||||
āCorticosteroids for acute bacterial meningitis (CD004405) | 25 | 24 | 4.0 | 4121 | 4036 | 2.1 | 0.90 (0.80, 1.01) RR | 0.90 (0.80, 1.01) | 0/0 | Negligible |
āVitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold (CD000980) | 29 | 27 | 6.9 | 11306 | 11244 | 0.5 | 0.95 (0.92, 0.98) RR | 0.95 (0.93, 0.98) | 0/16.7 | Negligible |
āNeuraminidase inhibitors for preventing and treating influenza in children (CD002744) | 2 | 1 | 50.0 | 585 | 346 | 40.9 | ā0.13 (ā0.21, ā0.05) RD | ā0.16 (ā0.26, ā0.05) | 23.1/31.3 | Large |
āBronchodilators for bronchiolitis (CD001266) | 24 | 22 | 8.3 | 1182 | 1113 | 5.8 | ā0.45 (ā0.96, 0.05) MD | ā0.29 (ā0.79, 0.21) | 35.6/1.0 | Large |
āNeuraminidase inhibitors for preventing and treating influenza (CD008965) | 5 | 0 | 100 | 3713 | 0 | 100 | ā21.29 (ā29.59, ā12.98) MD | NA | NA | - |
Infectious diseases | ||||||||||
āArtesunate versus quinine for treating severe malaria (CD005967) | 8 | 6 | 25.0 | 7429 | 7198 | 3.1 | 0.71 (0.62, 0.80) RR | 0.72 (0.64, 0.82) | 1.4/0.0 | Negligible |
āProbiotics for treating acute infectious diarrhoea (CD003048) | 35 | 34 | 2.9 | 4555 | 4461 | 2.1 | ā24.76 (ā33.61, ā15.91) MD | ā23.91 (ā32.78, ā15.03) | 3.4/3.5 | Negligible |
Developmental, psychosocial and learning problems | ||||||||||
āIron therapy for improving psychomotor development and cognitive function in children under the age of three with iron deficiency anaemia (CD001444) | 5 | 4 | 20.0 | 162 | 128 | 21.0 | ā1.25 (ā4.56, 2.06) MD | ā1.96 (ā5.17, 3.15) | 56.8/25.7 | Large |