A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Efficacy, Cost-Effectiveness, and Safety of Selected Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Neck and Low-Back Pain
Table 1
Risk of bias assessment of RCTs of all interventions for low-back pain and neck pain (total of 131 RCTs).
Quality components
studies
%
Adequate method of randomization
57
43.5%
Adequate method of allocation concealment
41
31.3%
Similarity at baseline regarding the most important prognostic indicators
89
67.9%
Appropriate patient blinding to the intervention
30
22.9%
Appropriate care provider blinding to the intervention
4
3.1%
Appropriate outcome assessor blinding to the intervention
66
50.4%
Similar or no cointerventions between-groups
40
30.5%
Acceptable compliance in all groups
53
40.5%
Described and acceptable drop-out rates
99
75.6%
Similarity of timing of the outcome assessment in all groups