Table 1 Characteristics of the randomized controlled trials

Yücel et al. [17] /2004/Germany

AC versus CSC

62 (29–80)/61 (21–80)^ǂ

0/118

0/105

6 (2–36)/6 (2–19)^†

6/118

38/105

Walz et al. [18] /2010/USA

AC versus Chlo/SS

59.1 ± 15.6/60.1 ± 15.2

65/419

71/398

6.7 ± 4.8/6.8 ± 4.7

12/419

21/398

van Vliet et al. [19] /2011/The Netherlands

Chlo/SS versus CSC

67 ± 8/68 ± 7

Not reported

9 ± 7/10 ± 7

6/48

10/46

Thornton et al. [20] /1996/UK

AC versus OVS

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

56/91

68/85

Theaker et al. [21] /2002/UK

Chlo/SS versus CSC

62.5

12/101

12/131

7.4/7.2

40/101

55/131

Tennenberg et al. [22] /1997/USA

Chlo/SS versus CSC

59.2 ± 1.1/57.9 ± 1.1

5/137

9/145

5.1 ± 0.2

5.3 ± 0.2

Not reported

Sheng et al. [23] /2000/China

Chlo/SS versus CSC

64 ± 18/61 ± 18

1/113

2/122

9.1 ± 5.5

8.2 ± 4.6

9/113

25/122

Moss et al. [24] /2000/UK

AC versus CSC

59/61

Not reported

3.79/4.25

21/106

38/98

Ostendorf et al. [25] /2005/Germany

Chlo/SS versus CSC

51/53*

3/90

7/94

12 (1–74)/10 (1–29)^†

11/90

31/94

Osma et al. [26] /2006/Turkey

Chlo/SS versus CSC

49.4 ± 19.1/47.8 ± 17.5

4/64

1/69

11.7 ± 5.8

8.9 ± 4.6

14/64

14/69

Maki et al. [27] /1997/USA

CSC versus Chlo/SS

47 ± 18/49 ± 18

9/86

2/72

6.04 ± 3.41

5.96 ± 2.79

21/86

10/72

Logghe et al. [28] /2006/UK

OVS versus CSC

61/65

4/122

4/124

7 (3–21)/7 (2–18)^†

71/122

91/124

León [29] /1997/Belgium

Chlo/SS versus CSC

51 ± 15.5/50 ± 15

17/338

15/342

20 + 12/20 + 13

Not reported

Khare et al. [30] /2004/Spain

AC versus CSC

6/187

11/180

10.3/10.4*

Not reported

Kalfon et al. [31] /2007/France

OVS versus CSC

61 ± 15/61 ± 17

8/320

8/297

10 (1–90)/10 (1–117)^†

47/320

36/297

Jaeger et al. [32] /2005/Germany

Chlo/SS versus CSC

49/45*

1/51

8/55

14.3 ± 8.2/16.6 ± 9.7

5/51

59/55

Hagaua et al. [33] /2009/Romania

CSC versus OVS

55 ± 17/56 ± 20

4/131

8/141

9.7 ± 4.3/8.2 ± 4.1

30/131

38/14

Corral et al. [34] /2003/Spain

OVS versus CSC

56 ± 18/58 ± 18

1/80

4/65

14 ± 7/12 ± 7

29/80

41/65

Carrasco et al. [35] /2004/USA

Chlo/SS versus CSC

57 ± 16.9/55 ± 18.6

3/128

4/132

9.5/9*

13/128

29/132

Camargo et al. [36] /2009/Brazil

Chlo/SS versus CSC

73 (55–80)/74 (56–82)^†

8/51

6/58

14 (7.5–21)/12 (8–19)^†

15/51

20/58

Bun-Christian et al. [37] /2004/USA

Chlo/SS versus CSC

59.2 ± 17.8/58 ± 18.0

3/188

5/175

10.5 ± 8.9/12 ± 11.7

7/188

23/175

Bach et al. [38] /1999/Germany

OVS versus CSC

Not reported

2/34

2/33

Not reported

18/34

19/33

Bach et al. [39] /1996/Germany

AC versus CSC

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

3/10

4/10

Antonelli et al. [40] /2012/Italy

OVS versus CSC

64.8 ± 16.6/62.9 ± 17.3

6/135

7/137

13 ± 24/15 ± 37

44/135

41/137

Moretti et al. [41] /2005/USA

OVS versus CSC

1/262

0/252

6.2/5.7*

24.4%/

24.5%

Rupp et al. [42] /2005/USA

CSC versus Chlo/SS

61 ± 15.5/60 ± 16.4

3/393

1/384

5.13 (0.1–31.8)/142 (2–32.9)^†

59/393

32/384

Rickard et al. [43] /2016/Australia

Chlo/SS versus CSC

55.06 ± 18.66/49.78 ± 19.79

1/203

0/201

5.11 ± 1.1/5.26 ± 1.23

10/189 19/186

Richards et al. [44] /2003/Australia

Chlo/SS versus CSC

58.3 ± 18.7/56.2 ± 20.3

2/237

6/223

8.4 ± 3.5/7.8 ± 3.2

14/237

30/223

Ranucci et al. [45] /2003/Italy

CSC versus OVS

65 ± 15.3/63.5 ± 15.2

12/277

9/268

9 ± 6.9/9.1 ± 7

Raad et al. [46] /1997/USA

CSC versus AC

56 (17–88)/58 (19–87)^†

7/136

5/130

6 (1–21)/6 (1–28)^†

36/136

11/130

Fraenkel et al. [47] /2006/Australia

AC versus OVS

53.2 ± 20.1/53.4 ± 19.5

4/280

5/294

6.23 ± 3.83/6.25 ± 3.9

25/280

43/294

Collin [48] /1998/USA

Chlo/SS versus CSC

46.4/47.2*

1/58

4/61

9.0 ± 6.1/7.3 ± 5.0

2/58

25/61

Dünser et al. [49] /2005/Australia

OVS versus Chlo/SS versus CSC

63 ± 16/62 ± 16/60 ± 16

Not reported

9.3 ± 4/9.7 ± 4/10.7 ± 4.2

27/160

12/165

19/160