Supplementary Table 1.

Quality assessment of studies

Studies Selection Comparability Exposure Tot

(score) (score) (score) al

Adequate Represent Selectio Definiti Control for Ascertainme Same Non- scor

definition of ativeness n of on of important factor nt of method of respons e

patient case of patients controls control or additional exposure ascertainme e rate

case factor (blinding) nt for

participants

Rezk et 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 8

al.

(2015)

Peddared 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 6

dygari et

al.

(2014)

Tong et 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 8

al.

(2013)

Tuttolom 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 6

ondo et

al.

(2012)

Tong et 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 7

al.

(2011)

Gao et 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 0 6

al.
(2009)
Worrall 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 8

et al.

(2007)

Wei et 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 8

al.
(2005)
Lee et al. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 7

(2004)

Seripa et 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 7

al.

(2003)

We assessed the methodological quality of included studies based on Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS)
for quality of case-control studies. A star system of the NOS (range, 0–9 stars) has been developed for the
evaluation. Out of a maximum 9 stars, two studies had a quality score of 6, three studies had a star of 7,
and three study had a quality star of 8.