Study Design

Tool

Scoring

RCTs

Individually-randomized, parallel-group and cluster-randomized trials

Cochrane risk of bias tool (revised version)

Low Risk: If the first three questions are answered with “yes”, and no important concerns related to the last three domains are identified

Moderate Risk: If the case is assessed in 2 domains with “unclear” or “no”,

High Risk: If the case is assessed in 3 domains with “unclear” or “no”, then

RCTs in physiotherapy

PEDro scale

• Low risk = 6-10.
• Moderate risk = 4-5.
• High Risk = ≤ 3.

Each satisfied item (except the first item) contributes 1 point to the total

RCTs

Van Tulder Scale

Jadad Scale

• Low Risk = at least of 5/11
• High Risk = < 5

• Low Risk = 3 or more
• High Risk = least than 3

Non-randomised clinical Intervention (quasi- experimental)

Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies - of Interventions (ROBINS-I)

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

Methodological index for non-randomized studies (MINORS)

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

JBI Checklist for quasi-experimental studies

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

Cohort study (prospective cohort study, retrospective cohort study, and ambidirectional cohort study)

Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS)

Low Risk: 3 or 4 stars in selection domain AND 1 or 2 stars in comparability domain AND 2 or 3 stars in outcome/exposure domain

Moderate Risk: 2 stars in selection domain AND 1 or 2 stars in comparability domain AND 2 or 3 stars in outcome/exposure domain

High Risk: 0 or 1 star in selection domain

CASP Cohort study checklist

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

Case-control study

Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for case-control studies

Low Risk: 3 or 4 stars in selection domain AND 1 or 2 stars in comparability domain AND 2 or 3 stars in outcome/exposure domain

Moderate Risk: 2 stars in selection domain AND 1 or 2 stars in comparability domain AND 2 or 3 stars in outcome/exposure domain

High Risk: 0 or 1 star in selection domain OR 0 stars in comparability domain OR 0 or 1 stars in outcome/exposure domain

CASP case-control study checklist

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

Cross-sectional study (analytical or descriptive)

JBI checklist for cross-sectional studies

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

Case series and case reports

JBI checklist for case reports

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

Diagnostic study

CASP diagnostic study checklist

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

JBI checklist for diagnostic studies

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

Health economic evaluation

JBI critical appraisal checklist for economic evaluations

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

CASP economic evaluation checklist

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

Qualitative study

CASP qualitative research checklist

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

JBI critical appraisal checklist for qualitative research

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

 Prediction studies

CASP clinical prediction rule checklist

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

Clinical practice guidelines

Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE)  II instrument

No numerical grading- judgement of assessor

Author(s) (yr)

Random Sequence
Generation

Allocation
Concealment

Blinding
(participants
 and personnel)

Blinding
(outcome
assessor)

Addressed incomplete
outcome data

Free of Selective
Reporting

Free of Other sources
of bias

High/Moderate/

Low Risk

Anguish and Sandrey. (2018) (58)

Y

Y

N

N

Y

Y

U

Low

Burcal et al. (2017) (55)

Y

Y

N

N

N

Y

N

Moderate

Cloak et al. (2010) (61)

U

N

N

N

U

Y

N

High

Cruz-Diaz et al. (2015) (62)

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Low

Hall et al. (2015) (59)

U

N

U

N

Y

N

U

High

Hall et al. (2018) (56)

U

N

N

N

Y

N

N

High

Linens et al. (2016) (57)

U

U

U

N

U

Y

U

High

Melam et al. (2018) (63)

U

U

N

U

U

Y

N

High

Sierra-Guzmán et al. (2018) (64)

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

U

Low

Smith et al. (2018) (60)

Y

N

N

N

Y

Y

N

Moderate

Y = yes, N = no, U = unclear

Author(s) (yr)

Randomization

Allocation concealment

Similar baseline
characteristics

Patient blinding

Investigator
 blinding

Outcome assessor
 blinding

Co-intervention
avoided

Compliance
acceptable

Dropout rate
addressed

Intention to treat analysis

End-point
(similar outcome timing)

Total

Anguish and Sandrey (2018)

Y

Y

U

N

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

7

Burcal et al. (2017)

Y

Y

Y

N

N

N

Y

U

U

U

Y

5

Cloak et al. (2010)

U

N

Y

N

N

N

Y

U

U

U

Y

3

Cruz-Diaz et al. (2015)

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Y

N

Y

Y

U

Y

7

Hall et al. (2015)

U

N

Y

U

N

N

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

5

Hall et al. (2018)

U

N

U

N

N

N

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

4

Linens et al. (2016)

U

U

Y

U

U

N

Y

Y

U

N

Y

4

Melam et al. (2018)

U

U

Y

U

U

U

Y

U

U

N

Y

3

Sierra-Guzmán et al. (2018)

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

U

Y

N

Y

8

Smith et al. (2018)

Y

N

Y

N

N

N

Y

U

Y

N

Y

5

Y = yes, N = no, U = unsure; Bold values signify total van Tulder Scale scores ≥ 5.