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Table 4 Summary of finding

From: Association between antiretroviral therapy and dental caries in children and adolescents with HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Outcomes

№ of participants

(studies)

Follow-up

Certainty of the evidence

(GRADE)

Relative effect

(95% CI)

Anticipated absolute effects*

Risk Without HIV

Risk difference with HIV under therapy

Dental caries (cross-sectional studies)

2206

(6 non-randomised studies)

⨁◯◯◯

Very lowa,b,c

OR 2.04

(2.21 to 3.42)

555 per 1,000

163 more per 1,000

(46 more to 255 more)

Dental caries (case control studies)

33 cases 66 controls

(1 non-randomised study)

⨁◯◯◯

Very lowd,e

OR 3.15

(0.98 to 10.15)

697 per 1,000

182 more per 1,000

(4 fewer to 262 more)

Dental caries (cohort studies)

544

(1 non-randomised study)

⨁◯◯◯

Very lowe

OR 2.15

(1.48 to 3.12)

190 per 1,000

145 more per 1,000

(68 more to 233 more)

Dental caries (cross-sectional studies)

assessed with: DMFT index

1390

(4 non-randomised studies)

⨁◯◯◯

Very lowa,c,f,g

-

-

MD 0.6 points higher

(0.53 fewer to 1.72 higher)

Dental caries (case control studies)

assessed with: DMFT index

204

(2 non-randomised studies)

⨁◯◯◯

Very lowc,h

-

-

MD 0.85 points higher

(0.04 higher to 1.66 higher)

Dental caries (cross-sectional studies)

assessed with: dmft index

1502

(5 non-randomised studies)

⨁◯◯◯

Very lowc,g,i,j

-

-

MD 0.92 points higher

(0.09 fewer to 1.93 higher)

Dental caries (case control studies)

assessed with: dmft index

185

(2 non-randomised studies)

⨁◯◯◯

Very low,c,h

-

-

MD 1.53 points higher

(1.39 higher to 1.67 higher)

  1. GRADE Working Group grades of evidence
  2. High certainty: we are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect
  3. Moderate certainty: we are moderately confident in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different
  4. Low certainty: our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: the true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect
  5. Very low certainty: we have very little confidence in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect
  6. CI Confidence interval, MD Mean difference, OR Odds ratio
  7. Explanations
  8. aWe downgraded the certainty of evidence by one level because half of the studies reported a higher risk of bias
  9. bThere is significant heterogeneity, confirmed by observing the forest plot and supported by the statistical value (I2 = 71%, p = 0.004)
  10. cWe downgraded by one level due to indirect evidence, as most of the studies partially align with the research question
  11. dWe downgraded by one level due to imprecision, considering that the study included a small sample size
  12. eWe downgraded by one level due to indirect evidence, as the study partially aligns with the research question
  13. fThere is significant heterogeneity, confirmed by observing the forest plot and supported by the statistical value (I2 = 93%, p = 0.00001)
  14. gWe downgraded by one level due to imprecision, as the pooled effect crossed the no-effect value
  15. hThere is significant heterogeneity, confirmed by observing the forest plot and supported by the statistical value (I2 = 54%, p = 0.14)
  16. iWe downgraded the certainty of evidence by one level because two of the three studies reported a higher risk of bias
  17. jThere is significant heterogeneity, confirmed by observing the forest plot and supported by the statistical value (I2 = 96%, p = 0.00001)
  18. kWe downgraded by one level due to indirect evidence, as the studies partially align with the research question
  19. lWe downgraded by one level due to imprecision, considering that the studies included small sample sizes
  20. *The risk in the intervention group (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)
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BMC Oral Health

ISSN: 1472-6831

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