Table 1 Characteristics of the meta-analyses (MAs) included (n = 76)
MA characteristics | |
|---|---|
Year of publication, median (IQR) | 2016 (2012–2018) |
Medical fields, n (%) | |
Psychiatry/addictology | 29 (38.2) |
Pneumology | 10 (13.2) |
Ear nose and throat | 5 (6.6) |
Cardiology | 4 (5.3) |
Dermatology | 4 (5.3) |
Pediatrics | 4 (5.3) |
Infectious diseases | 3 (3.9) |
Others | 17 (22.4) |
Intervention in experimental group, n (%) | |
Pharmacological | 33 (43.4) |
Non-pharmacological | 43 (56.6) |
Intervention in control group, n (%) | |
Active comparator | 15 (19.7) |
Placebo | 15 (19.7) |
No added intervention (i.e., usual care) | 34 (44.7) |
Sham comparator | 1 (1.3) |
Other | 11 (14.6) |
Outcome objectivity, n (%) | |
All-cause mortality | 2 (2.6) |
Objectively assessed | 10 (13.2) |
Objectively assessed but influenced by clinician or patient | 31 (40.8) |
Subjectively assessed | 32 (42.1) |
Unclear | 1 (1.3) |
Number of trials, median (IQR) (range) | |
Included | 5 (3.8–10) (3 to 32) |
PC-RCTs | 2 (1–3) (1 to 17) |
ST-RCTs | 3 (1.8–6) (1 to 30) |