Generally, previously published studies have tended to focus on only one or two active comparators per study.
For each of these values, only one of the comparators will produce a positive outcome (see truth table in Figure 23).
Five studies involved placebo comparators only, one a monoclonal antibody alone, and one placebo and monoclonal antibody comparator groups.
Unfortunately, only one study chose CKD comparators for patients with AKI at each level of pre-AKI function, finding that the additional risk from AKI diminished in those already at high risk due to advanced baseline CKD.
It was not possible to use a low risk population as comparator because only one included study met the criteria for this definition.
We also identified a small comparator group of individuals within the same age and socio-economic grouping who had only one chronic condition to provide a comparator group.
Only one trial specified a theoretical approach underpinning the comparator control intervention.
The comparator cost for OPD appointments was based on the NEP which accounts for only one clinician's time, therefore this evaluation is likely to be under estimation of costs avoided.
However, only one study in the men-only meta-analysis had an 'active' comparator, and this compared supervised physical activity with unsupervised (and thus included an 'active' comparator of lower intensity that was not self-management support), and it seems unlikely this would have had a substantive impact on the findings.
There was only one serious thrombotic cardiovascular (CV) event during the active comparator-controlled period, which occurred in a patient receiving diclofenac.
The laboratory school protocol seems to be the ideal methodology for addressing outstanding questions; however, at the time of writing, only one laboratory school study had been performed in which Concerta® was not the comparator.
