Table 5Comparison 1. Trials specifically comparing uterine closure method (single versus double layer closure)

Quality assessmentNumber of womenEffectQualityImportance
Number of studiesDesignRisk of biasInconsistencyIndirectnessImprecisionOther considerationsSingle-layer uterine closure (intervention)Double-layer uterine closure (control)Relative (95% CI)Absolute
Blood transfusion
3 (Brocklehurst 2010, CORONIS, Hauth/Chapman)Randomised trialsVery serious1No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessSerious2None

139/6579

(2.1%)

149/6592

(2.3%)

RR 0.94 (0.74 to 1.18)1 fewer per 1000 (from 6 fewer to 4 more)VERY LOWCRITICAL
Further operative proceduresa
1 (CORONIS)Randomised trialsVery serious3No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessSerious2None

74/4639

(1.6%)

87/4647

(1.9%)

RR 0.85 (0.63 to 1.16)3 fewer per 1000 (from 7 fewer to 3 more)VERY LOWCRITICAL
Further operative procedures on wound
1 (CORONIS)Randomised trialsVery serious3No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessVery serious4None

30/4639

(0.65%)

38/4647

(0.82%)

POR 0.79 (0.49 to 1.27)2 fewer per 1000 (from 4 fewer to 2 more)VERY LOWCRITICAL
Uterine rupture in subsequent pregnancy
1 (CORONIS)Randomised trialsVery serious3No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessVery serious4None

1/1610

(0.06%)

2/1624

(0.12%)

POR 0.52 (0.05 to 4.98)1 fewer per 1000 (from 1 fewer to 5 more)VERY LOWCRITICAL
Uterine scar dehiscence in subsequent pregnancy
2 (CORONIS, Hauth/Chapman)Randomised trialsVery serious5No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessVery serious4None

5/1679

(0.3%)

2/1699

(0.12%)

POR 2.40 (0.55 to 10.58)2 more per 1000 (from 1 fewer to 11 more)VERY LOWCRITICAL
Antibiotics for wound infection or wound sepsis
5 (Brocklehurst 2010, El-Gharib 2013, Yasmin 2011, CORONIS, Sood 2005)Randomised trialsVery serious6No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessNo serious imprecisionNone

548/6329

(8.7%)

582/6384

(9.1%)

RR 0.95 (0.85 to 1.06)5 fewer per 1000 (from 14 fewer to 5 more)LOWIMPORTANT
Antibiotics for febrile morbidity
2 (Brocklehurst 2010, CORONIS)Randomised trialsVery serious3No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessVery serious4None

59/6122

(0.96%)

58/6143

(0.94%)

POR 1.02 (0.71 to 1.47)0 more per 1000 (from 3 fewer to 4 more)VERY LOWIMPORTANT
Antibiotics for endometritis
2 (CORONIS, Hauth/Chapman)Randomised trialsVery serious5No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessSerious7None

121/5096

(2.4%)

99/5096

(1.9%)

RR 1.21 (0.94 to 1.55)4 more per 1000 (from 1 fewer to 11 more)VERY LOWIMPORTANT
Morbidly adherent placenta in subsequent pregnancy
1 (CORONIS)Randomised trialsVery serious3No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessVery serious4None

0/1609

(0%)

2/1624

(0.12%)

POR 0.14 (0.01 to 2.18)1 fewer per 1000 (from 1 fewer to 1 more)VERY LOWIMPORTANT
Hysterectomy in 6 weeks postpartum in subsequent pregnancy
1 (CORONIS)Randomised trialsVery serious3No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessVery serious4None

1/1610

(0.06%)

1/1624

(0.06%)

POR 1.01 (0.06 to 16.13)0 more per 1000 (from 1 fewer to 9 more)VERY LOWIMPORTANT
C-sections in subsequent pregnancy
2 (CORONIS, Hauth/Chapman)Randomised trialsVery serious5No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessNo serious imprecisionNone

1343/1700

(79%)

1380/1721

(80.2%)

RR 0.98 (0.95 to 1.02)16 fewer per 1000 (from 40 fewer to 16 more)LOWIMPORTANT
a

Includes any operative procedures on caesarean wound, curettage, laparotomy, artery ligation, brace suture, and hysterectomy.

1

The quality of the evidence was downgraded by 2 levels for risk of bias as the outcome had high risk of performance bias, and attrition bias

2

The quality of the evidence was downgraded by 1 level for imprecision as the 95%CI crosses the lower boundary of the default MID threshold (0.80)

3

The quality of the evidence was downgraded by 2 levels for risk of bias as the outcome had high risk of performance bias, and detection bias

4

The quality of the evidence was downgraded by 2 levels for imprecision as the 95%CI crosses the upper and lower boundaries of the default MID thresholds (0.80 and 1.25)

5

The quality of the evidence was downgraded by 2 levels for risk of bias as the outcome had high risk of performance bias, detection bias, and attrition bias

6

The quality of the evidence was downgraded by 2 levels for risk of bias as the outcome had high risk of performance bias, detection bias, and selection bias

7

The quality of the evidence was downgraded by 1 level for imprecision as the 95%CI crosses the upper boundary of the default MID threshold (1.25)

From: Techniques to close the uterus at caesarean birth

Cover of Techniques to close the uterus at caesarean birth
Techniques to close the uterus at caesarean birth: Caesarean birth: Evidence review D.
NICE Guideline, No. 192.
National Guideline Alliance (UK).
Copyright © NICE 2021.

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