SDC table 4. Subgroup Analyses for the Primary Outcome
Comparison Studies, No. Participants, No. Relative Risk (95%
CI)
Interaction Testing P Value
Early or late CIN during follow-up .01a
Persistent disease (<6 mo) 12 1,579 1.04 (0.81-1.35)
Recurrent disease (>6 mo) 7 1,929 2.07 (1.26-3.40)b
Type of study .08
Clinical trial 6 718 2.03 (1.06-3.88)b
Cohort study 13 2,890 1.35 (1.00-1.81)
Sampling strategy .11
Based on diagnosis of CIN only 16 3,169 1.59 (1.16-2.18)b
Based on diagnosis of CIN and either positive margins in the cone biopsy or hysterectomy during follow-up
3 339 0.82 (0.48-1.39)
Unsatisfactory colposcopy .65
In >50% of patients 5 499 1.64 (0.77-3.48)
In <50% of patients 7 1,108 1.31 (0.71-2.12)
Unsatisfactory colposcopy at baseline .03a
More patients with unsatisfactory colposcopy in LEEP group 3 400 0.98 (0.59-1.63)
More patients with unsatisfactory colposcopy in CKC group 6 826 2.05 (1.37-3.08)b
High-grade dysplasia (CIN grade 1 and 2) at baseline .23
More high-grade dysplasia in LEEP group 7 801 1.04 (0.65-1.66)
More high-grade dysplasia in CKC group 9 1,314 1.45 (1.10-1.92)b
Abbreviations: CIN, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia; CKC, cold-knife conization; LEEP, loop electrosurgical excision procedure.
a
Statistically significant relative risk estimate for the subgroup, favorable for CKC.
b