Table 2

Summary of findings (SoF) table using GRADE methodology

Parenteral anticoagulation for prolonging survival of patients with cancer

Patient or population: Patients with cancer
Settings: Outpatient
Intervention: Parenteral anticoagulation

Outcomes
Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI)
Relative effect (95% CI)
No of Participants (studies)
Quality of the evidence (GRADE)
Comments







Assumed risk
Corresponding risk






Control
Parenteral anticoagulation





Survival
Low risk population
HR 0.77 (0.65 to 0.91)
1174 (5)
⊕⊕⊕O moderate4








500 per 1000
414 per 1000 (363 to 468)











Moderate risk population











1000 per 1000
1000 per 1000 (1000 to 1000)





DVT
Low risk population
RR 0.61 (0.08 to 4.91)
458 (2)
⊕OOO very low1,2








10 per 1000
6 per 1000 (1 to 49)











High risk population











40 per 1000
24 per 1000 (3 to 196)





Major bleeding
Low risk population
RR 1.50 (0.26 to 8.8)
814 (3)
⊕⊕OO low1,3








0 per 1000
0 per 1000 (0 to 0)











High risk population











100 per 1000
150 per 1000 (26 to 880)





Minor bleeding
Low risk population
RR 2.07 (0.78 to 5.51)
760 (3)
⊕⊕OO low1,3








0 per 1000
0 per 1000 (0 to 0)











High risk population











30 per 1000
62 per 1000 (23 to 165)





*The basis for the assumed risk (e.g. the median control group risk across studies) is provided in footnotes. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).

CI: Confidence interval; RR: Risk ratio; HR: Hazard ratio;

GRADE Working Group grades of evidence

High quality: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect.

Moderate quality: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate.

Low quality: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.

Very low quality: We are very uncertain about the estimate.

1 The 95% CI includes both negligible effect and appreciable benefit or appreciable harm

2 Out of 5 included studies, only 2 reported DVT

3 Out of 5 included studies, only 3 reported major bleeding

4Result statistically significant in only one subgroup.

Akl et al. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research 2008 27:4   doi:10.1186/1756-9966-27-4