Pooled risk ratios and NNTH of gallstone-related complications with subgroups based on intervention
| Complications | Subgroup (number of studies) | RR (95% CI) | I2 (%) | Q | NNTH_adjusted (95% CI) | NNTH_unadjusted (95% CI) | References |
| Pain/biliary colic | Overall (n=12) | 0.38 (0.2 to 0.74) | 51.57 | 22.72 | 14.0 (10.9 to 33.4) | 12.5 (8.3 to 33.3) | |
| EC vs OM (n=5) | 0.39 (0.16 to 0.94) | 39.70 | 6.63 | 10.4 (7.6 to 105.97) | 12.5 (5.9 to 100.0) | 8 54 56–58 | |
| EC vs EM (n=2) | 0.35 (0.06 to 2.28) | 0 | 0.27 | 34.2 (17.4 to 23.7) | 33.33 (12.5 to 100.0) | 59 61 | |
| EC vs DC (n=5) | 0.33 (0.08 to 1.33) | 74.68 | 15.80 | 14.8 (10.8 to 30.0) | 14.0 (6.7 to very high) | 27 30 32 41 45 | |
| CBD stones | Overall (n=4) | 0.50 (0.14 to 1.78) | 0 | 0.40 | 81.4 (47.3 to 52.2) | 100.0 (33.3 to 100.0) | |
| EC vs OM (n=2) | 0.35 (0.06 to 2.15) | 0 | 0 | 39.2 (27.1 to 22.2) | 50.0 (25 to 100.0) | 8 57 | |
| EC vs EM (n=0) | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| EC vs DC (n=2) | 0.70 (0.12 to 4.23) | 0 | 0.12 | 203.3 (19.0 to 69.3) | 100.0 (33.3 to 50.0) | 27 45 | |
| Biliary pancreatitis | Overall (n=8) | 0.47 (0.22 to 1.03) | 0 | 3.90 | 44.9 (30.5 to 794) | >1000 (50 to 100.0) | |
| EC vs OM (n=3) | 1.48 (0.24 to 9.29) | 0 | 0.30 | -383.3 (22.2 to 242.1) | 100.0 (33.3 to 100.0) | 8 57 58 | |
| EC vs EM (n=2) | 0.58 (0.07 to 4.67) | 0 | 0.25 | 161.9 (18.5 to 73.1) | 100.0 (33.3 to 50.0) | 59 60 | |
| EC vs DC (n=3) | 0.34 (0.13 to 0.86) | 0 | 1.34 | 16.3 (12.3 to 76.7) | 17.0 (9.1 to 100.0) | 27 32 41 | |
| Cholangitis | Overall (n=6) | 0.52 (0.28 to 0.97) | 0 | 3.76 | 29.6 (19.8 to 474.4) | 100.0 (25.0 to 100.0) | |
| EC vs OM (n=4) | 0.79 (1.47 to 0.10) | 0 | 2.96 | 5.8 (4.2 to 9.4) | Could not calculated | 54–56 58 | |
| EC vs EM (n=2) | 1.00 (0.21 to 4.84) | 0 | 3.76 | Could not calculate | 60 61 | ||
| EC vs DC (n=0) | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Mortality/death | Overall (n=15) | 0.74 (0.48 to 1.15) | 0 | 6.81 | 118.3 (59.2 to 205.1) | >1000 (100 to 1 00 000) | |
| EC vs OM (n=4) | 0.80 (0.48 to 1.35) | 0 | 2.83 | 54.3 (20.9 to 31.0) | 100.0 (25.0 to 100.0) | 54 56–58 | |
| EC vs EM (n=2) | 0.75 (0.17 to 3.29) | 0 | 0.03 | 147.0 (16.0 to 44.3) | >1000 (33.3 to 50.0) | 60 61 | |
| EC vs DC (n=10) | 0.55 (0.20 to 1.50) | 0 | 3.56 | 186.9 (105.1 to 168.2) | >1000 (100.0 to 100.0) | 24 27 30 32–35 42 45 49 | |
| Total number of biliary complications | Overall (n=11) | 0.33 (0.2 to 0.55) | 68.24 | 31.48 | 5.7 (4.8 to 8.5) | 5.9 (4.3 to 9.1) | |
| EC vs OM (n=5) | 0.33 (0.19 to 0.56) | 38.13 | 6.47 | 5.2 (4.3 to 7.9) | 5.3 (3.7 to 10) | 8 55–58 | |
| EC vs EM (n=1) | 0.31 (0.09 to 1.07) | – | – | 7.2 (5.5 to 71.4) | 7.1 (3.7 to 100) | 61 | |
| EC vs DC (n=5) | 0.29 (0.1 to 0.85) | 83.75 | 24.62 | 6.6 (5.2 to 31.4) | 6 (3.8 to 16.7) | 27 30 32 41 45 | |
| Conversion to laparotomy | EC vs DC (n=19) | 0.98 (0.71 to 1.36) | 0 | 22.45 | 586.2 (32.6 to 40.4) | >1000 (50 to 50) | 25–28 30 32 34 36 37 41 43 44 46–48 50–53 |
CBD, common bile duct; DC, delayed cholecystectomy; EC, early cholecystectomy; EM, endoscopic management; NNTH, number needed to treat to harm; OM, observation management; RR, risk ratio.