Table 4 Quality appraisal scores for Quantitative Studies

Question/objective sufficiently described?

2

2

2

Study design evident and appropriate?

2

2

2

Method of subject/comparison group selection or source of information/input variables described and appropriate?

1

2

1

Subject (and comparison group, if applicable) characteristics sufficiently described?

2

2

2

If interventional and random allocation was possible, was it described?

N/A

2

N/A

If interventional and blinding of investigators was possible, was it reported?

N/A

1

N/A

If interventional and blinding of subjects was possible, was it reported?

N/A

2

N/A

Outcome and (if applicable) exposure measure(s) well defined and robust to measurement/misclassification bias? Means of assessment reported?

2

2

2

Sample size appropriate?

2

2

2

Analytic methods described/justified and appropriate?

2

2

2

Some estimate of variance is reported for the main results?

2

2

2

Controlled for confounding?

0

2

1

Results reported in sufficient detail?

2

2

2

Conclusions supported by the results?

2

2

2

Summary score

0.86

0.96

0.91