Table 3 Quality of the included studies based on the CHEERS checklist

Cipriano LE et al., 2012 [44]

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

79%

Sanders GD et al., 2010 [46]

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

NA

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

83%

Dowdy DW et al., 2011 [45]

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

88%

Paltiel A D et al., 2005 [47]

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

83%

Walensky R P et al., 2005 [48, 49]

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

88%

Completed criteria

100%

20%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

80%

80%

0%

80%

100%

100%

80%

40%

60%

100%

80%

100%

100%

100%

100%