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Table 2 Methodological quality of studies based on the McMaster Critical Appraisal Tool [19]

From: The effectiveness of land based exercise compared to decompressive surgery in the management of lumbar spinal-canal stenosis: a systematic review

 

Item

Score

Authors

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Raw

%

Level II

                 

   Goren et al. 2010

✓

✓

RCT

✓

x

?

?

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

12

85.7

   Koc et al.2009

✓

✓

CT

✓

x

?

?

✓

✓

?

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

10

71.4

   Malmivaara et al. 2007

✓

✓

CT

✓

✓

?

?

✓

x

x

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

10

71.4

   Pua et al. 2007

✓

✓

CT

✓

✓

?

?

✓

✓

?

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

11

78.6

   Thome et al. 2005

✓

✓

CT

✓

x

?

✓

✓

✓

x

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

11

78.6

   Weinstein et al. 2008

✓

✓

RCT

✓

✓

?

?

✓

x

x

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

10

71.4

   Whitman et al. 2006

✓

✓

CT

✓

✓

?

?

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

12

85.7

Level III-1

                 

   Sahin et al.2009

✓

✓

C

✓

x

?

?

✓

✓

x

✓

✓

✓

x

✓

9

64.3

Level III-2

                 

   Athiviraham & Yen 2007

✓

✓

C

✓

✓

?

?

✓

✓

?

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

11

78.6

   Sobottke et al. 2010

✓

✓

C

✓

x

?

?

✓

x

?

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

9

64.3

Level III-3

                 

   Cavusoglu et al. 2007

✓

✓

AB

✓

x

?

?

✓

n/a

x

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

9

69.2

   Chopko & Caraway 2010

✓

✓

AB

✓

x

?

?

✓

n/a

?

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

9

69.2

   Yasar et al. 2009

✓

✓

AB

✓

x

?

?

✓

n/a

x

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

9

69.2

  1. ✓ = yes; x = no; ? = not addressed; n/a = not applicable; AB = before and after; RCT = randomised controlled trial; CT = randomised clinical trial; C = prospective cohort
  2. McMaster Items: 1. study purpose clearly stated; 2. background literature reviewed; 3. research design; 4. sample described in detail; 5. sample size justified; 6. outcome measure reliability reported; 7. outcome measure validity reported; 8. intervention described; 9. contamination avoided; 10. co-intervention avoided; 11. results reported in terms of statistical significance; 12. analysis methods appropriate; 13. clinical significance reported; 14. drop-outs reported; 15. conclusions appropriate.
  3. Level of evidence based on NHMRC Designation of Levels of Evidence [20].