Quality assessment of included studies
| First Author (year) | Qiang (2015) | Yoshida (2015) | Kuo (2014) | Zhai (2014) | Sekine (2013) | Kondo (2011) | Nakajima (2009) | Sekine (2007) | Licker (2006) | Lo′pez-Encuentra (2005) | Sekine (2002) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is the hypothesis/aim/objective of the study clearly stated in the abstract, introduction, or methods section? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Are the characteristics of the participants included in the study described? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Were the cases collected in more than one centre? | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N |
| Are the eligibility criteria (inclusion and exclusion criteria) to enter the study explicit and appropriate? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Were participants recruited consecutively? | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
| Did participants enter the study at a similar point in the disease? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Was the intervention clearly described in the study? | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Were additional interventions (co-interventions) clearly reported in the study? | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Are the outcome measures clearly defined in the introduction or methods section? | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Were relevant outcomes appropriately measured with objective and/or subjective methods? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Were outcomes measured before and after intervention? | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Were the statistical tests used to assess the relevant outcomes appropriate? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Was the length of follow-up reported? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Was the loss to follow-up reported? | N | N | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Does the study provide estimates of the random variability in the data analysis of relevant outcomes? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Are adverse events reported? | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | Y |
| Are the conclusions of the study supported by results? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Are both competing interest and source of support for the study reported? | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N |
N, no; Y, yes.