Intramedullary nailing versus plating for distal tibia fractures without articular involvement: a meta-analysis

Table 3 The GRADE evidence quality for complications

Complications	Number of studies	Study design	Risk Ratio [95 % CI]	P	P for heterogeneity	Quality
Deep infection	4 [2,10,35,38]	RCT	0.79 [0.27, 2.29]	0.67	0.72	Moderate^a
Deep infection	4 [9,12,28,29]	Retrospective	0.44 [0.14, 1.41]	0.17	0.43	Moderate^b
Delayed wound healing and superficial infection	4 [2,10,33,38]	RCT	0.41 [0.11, 1.61]	0.20	0.13	Moderate^a
Delayed wound healing and superficial infection	14 [12,14-19,21,24-28,31,32]	Retrospective	0.34 [0.21, 0.57]	<0.0001	0.61	Moderate^b
Delayed union	4 [2,10,35,38]	RCT	1.46 [0.70, 3.03]	0.31	0.37	Moderate^a
Delayed union	8 [9,12,13,17,19,28-30]	Retrospective	0.99 [0.62, 1.59]	0.98	0.72	Low
Removal of metal work	3 [2,33,35]	RCT	0.89 [0.62, 1.27]	0.51	0.39	Moderate^a
Removal of metal work	6 [9,12,13,17,23,27]	Retrospective	0.89 [0.36, 2.17]	0.79	0.08	Low
Secondary procedures	4 [2,33,35,38]	RCT	0.92 [0.62, 1.37]	0.69	0.13	Moderate^a
Secondary procedures	6 [9,12,13,17,23,27]	Retrospective	0.78 [0.33, 1.80]	0.55	0.02	Low
Malunion	4 [2,10,35,38]	RCT	1.52 [0.81, 2.85]	0.20	0.64	Moderate^a
	14 [9,11-14,16,18,20,22,24,26,28,29,31,32]	Retrospective	4.79 [2.86, 8.01]	<0.00001	1.00	Moderate^c
Knee pain	2 [35,38]	RCT	5.39 [0.13, 229.08]	0.38	0.009	Low^a,d
	6 [11,13-15,28,29]	Retrospective	4.01 [1.71, 9.40]	0.001	0.14	Moderate^c

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