Page 91 Fig 3. Forest plot presenting the meta-analysis results for the main outcome of the systematic review (bracket failure). Explanation: The forest plot can be divided in regions: (1) the list of included studies, together with their raw data (here on the left side), (2) the graphical representation of each study’s results, together with the overall summary (here in the middle), and (3) the calculated effect size (here the odds patio [OR] and the 95% confidence interval [95% CI]) and the assigned weight for each study and for the overall summary. For each of the included studies (gray boxes with dots), if its 95% CI (black horizontal line) crosses the vertical no-effect line, then P value > 0.05 for this study. The overall summary (meta-analysis result) is given as a hollow blue diamond under the included studies, which includes both the pooled effect estimate (pooled OR) and the 95% CI. If the diamond crosses the vertical no-effect line, then P value > 0.05 for the pooled meta-analysis estimate. The blue horizontal lines of the diamond indicate the 95% predictive interval (95% PI) for the pooled estimate, not the 95% CI. The forest plot is integral to the transparent reporting of meta-analyses, as it presents the magnitude of the treatment effect for each study, which treatment group is favored, the homogeneity among the included studies, and the overall pooled estimate.
Page 91 Fig 3. Forest plot presenting the meta-analysis results for the main outcome of the systematic review (bracket failure). Explanation: The forest plot can be divided in regions: (1) the list of included studies, together with their raw data (here on the left side), (2) the graphical representation of each study’s results, together with the overall summary (here in the middle), and (3) the calculated effect size (here the odds patio [OR] and the 95% confidence interval [95% CI]) and the assigned weight for each study and for the overall summary. For each of the included studies (gray boxes with dots), if its 95% CI (black horizontal line) crosses the vertical no-effect line, then P value > 0.05 for this study. The overall summary (meta-analysis result) is given as a hollow blue diamond under the included studies, which includes both the pooled effect estimate (pooled OR) and the 95% CI. If the diamond crosses the vertical no-effect line, then P value > 0.05 for the pooled meta-analysis estimate. The blue horizontal lines of the diamond indicate the 95% predictive interval (95% PI) for the pooled estimate, not the 95% CI. The forest plot is integral to the transparent reporting of meta-analyses, as it presents the magnitude of the treatment effect for each study, which treatment group is favored, the homogeneity among the included studies, and the overall pooled estimate.
YMOD_PRISMA_Explanation_and_Elaboration.docx