Table 3 Findings on risk of flaws per outcome (as derived from MEVORECH)
From: Body mass index and dental caries in young people: a systematic review
Domains | High risk Number of studies, (%) | Low risk Number of studies, (%) | Unclear risk Number of studies, (%) | Not applicable Number of studies, (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Exposure definition | 4 (4.8) | 80 (95.2) | 0 | 0 |
Assessment of exposure | 10 (11.9) | 73 (86.9) | 1(1.2) | 0 |
Assessment of outcome | 17(20.2) | 66(78.6) | 1(1.2) | 0 |
Reliability of exposure estimates | 1(1.2) | 5(6.0) | 78(92.9) | 0 |
Reliability of outcome estimates | 5(6.0) | 37(44) | 42(50) | 0 |
Confounder assessment | 71(84.5) | 2(2.4) | 11(13.1) | 0 |
Sampling bias | 57(67.9) | 25(29.8) | 2(2.4) | 0 |
Research specific bias | 42(50.0) | 38(45.2) | 4(4.8) | 0 |
Exclusion bias | 2(2.4) | 26(31) | 56(66.7) | 0 |
Attrition bias | 2(2.4) | 4(4.8) | 3(3.6) | 75(89.3) |
Funding | 4(4.8) | 10(11.9) | 70(83.3) | 0 |
Conflict of interest | 0 | 30(35.7) | 54(64.3) | 0 |
Blinding | 0 | 8(9.5) | 76(90.5) | 0 |
Selective reporting of results | 33(39.3) | 48(57.1) | 3(3.6) | 0 |