Table 1. Criteria for quality assessment.
Quality checklist
Selection
1. Assignment for treatment – any criteria reported? (If yes, 1-star)
2. How representative was the ‘reference’ group (MI) in comparison to the ‘alternative’ group (MS); (If yes, 1 star, no star if the patients were selected or selection of group was not described)
Comparability
Comparability variables: (1) age; (2) gender; (3) renal function; (4) extracardiac arteriopathy; (5) poor mobility; (6) previous cardiac surgery; (7) chronic lung disease; (8) active endocarditis; (9) urgency; (10) DM; (11) NYHA; (12) CCS IV; (13) LV function; (14) recent coronary syndrome; (15) pulmonary hypertension; (16) urgency; (17) BSA; (18) tumor type (histology / location); (19) tumor size.
3. Groups comparable for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (If yes, 1-star was assigned for each of these. No star was assigned if the groups differed)
4. Groups comparable for 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 (If yes, 1-star was
assigned for each of these. No star was assigned if the two groups differed).
Outcome assessment
6. Clearly defined outcome of interest (If yes, 1-star).
7. Follow-up (1-star if described).
BSA=Body surface area. CCS= Canadian Cardiovascular Society. IDDM=insulin dependent diabetes mellitus; MI= minimally invasive. MS=median sternotomy. NYHA=New York Heart Association. Comparability are based on the EuroSCORE II risk-factors and tumor type (histology/location) and size.