Certainty of evidence (GRADE approach) of individual study outcomes
| Outcome (follow-up time point) | Study | Total N | Intervention | Control | Effect size (95% CI) | Certainty rating |
| Primary outcomes | ||||||
|
Meniscal injuries
(Long-term) | Snoeker et al 59 | 121 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | OR 0.85, (0.45 to 1.62) | Low* |
| Secondary outcomes | ||||||
| Health-related quality of life† (Long-term) | Frobell et al 55 | 120 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | SMD −0.14, (−0.50 to 0.21) | Low* |
| Self-reported return to activity‡ (Short-term) | Reijman et al 53 | 167 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | SMD −0.34, (−0.66 to −0.03) | Moderate§ |
|
Knee stability
(Medium-term) | Frobell et al 54 | 121 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | MD −1.70, (−2.65 to −0.75) | Moderate* |
|
knee stability
(Long-term) | Tsoukas et al 52 | 32 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | MD-3.00, (−3.27 to −2.73) | Low§ |
|
Patello-femoral cartilage thickness
(Medium-term) | Culvenor et al 60 | 120 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | MD 76.00, (10.63 to 141.37) | Moderate* |
|
Patello-femoral cartilage thickness
(Long-term) | Culvenor et al 60 | 120 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | MD 107.00, (17.33 to 196.67) | Moderate* |
|
Meniscal surgeries
(Long-term) | Snoeker et al 59 | 121 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | OR 0.88, (0.47 to 1.62) | Low* |
|
Cost-effectiveness
(Medium-term) | Eggerding et al 57 | 167 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | MD 0.04, (p=0.18), not cost-effective | Moderate§ |
|
Cost-effectiveness
(Long-term) | Kiadaliri et al 58 | 120 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | MD 0.13, (−0.03, 0.29) QALY, not cost-effective | Moderate* |
|
Leg-hop limb symmetry index
(Short-term) | Flosadottir et al 56 | 89 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | MD 1.10, (−2.98 to 5.18) | Low* |
|
Single leg-hop limb symmetry index
(Long-term) | Flosadottir et al 56 | 89 | Early reconstruction | Rehabilitation+optional reconstruction | MD 0.80, (−4.34 to 5.94) | Low* |
Negative standardised mean differences indicate the effect favoured the intervention.
*Certainty rated down for imprecision.
†Certainty rated down for risk of bias.
‡SF-36 (mental subscale) (Frobell et al).
§Lysholm Scale (Reijman et al).
NA, not applicable.