Role of vitamin K2 in preventing the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after curative treatment: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Table 3 Summary of methodological assesment

	Mizuta et al.	Yoshida et al.	Yojishi et al.	Kakizaki et al.	Hotta et al.
Randomization*	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Concealment to Treatment Allocation	No^@	Yes	Yes	No^@	Unclear
Avoidance of co-interventions	Yes	Yes^#	Yes^%	Yes	Yes
Similarity of groups at baseline	No⁺	Yes^&	Yes	Yes	Yes
Eligibility Criteria	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blinding methods	No	Yes Invesitgator, study sponsor and patients	Yes	No	Unclear
Intention to Treat Analysis	Yes	Unclear	Unlcear	Unlcear	Unclear

*From Randomization, we mean whether the randomization methods have been described in methods as all these are RCT’s.
^@We presume that the treatment allocation was not concealed as the control groups did not receive placebo.
#Use of glycirrhizic acid for the treatment of chronic hepatitis was not considered as an intervention.
&Only the difference in AST levels was statistically significant.
+The difference in the PIVKA 2 levels in baseline groups was statistically significant.
^%We do not consider use of ACE-Inhibitors as a co-intervention as we have excluded those patients from the analysis.

ISSN: 1471-230X