Appendix 1. CENTRAL search strategy

#1 MeSH descriptor Macular Edema
#2 MeSH descriptor Edema
#3 MeSH descriptor Macula Lutea
#4 macula* near/3 oedema
#5 macula* near/3 edema
#6 CME or CMO
#7 (#1 OR #2 OR #3 OR #4 OR #5 OR #6)
#8 MeSH descriptor Retinal Vein Occlusion
#9 MeSH descriptor Retinal Vein
#10 retina* near/3 (vein* or occlu* or obstruct* or clos* or stricture* or steno* or block* or embolism*)
#11 BRVO or RVO
#12 branch retinal vein occlusion
#13 (#7 OR #8 OR #9 OR #10 OR #11 OR #12)
#14 MeSH descriptor Angiogenesis Inhibitors
#15 MeSH descriptor Angiogenesis Inducing Agents
#16 MeSH descriptor Endothelial Growth Factors
#17 MeSH descriptor Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
#18 macugen* or pegaptanib* or lucentis* or rhufab* or ranibizumab* or bevacizumab* or avastin
#19 anti near/2 VEGF*
#20 endothelial near/2 growth near/2 factor*
#21 (#14 OR #15 OR #16 OR #17 OR #18 OR #19 OR #20)
#22 (#7 AND #13 AND #21)

Appendix 2. MEDLINE (OVID) search strategy

1. randomized controlled trial.pt.
2. (randomized or randomised).ab,ti.
3. placebo.ab,ti.
4. dt.fs.
5. randomly.ab,ti.
6. trial.ab,ti.
7. groups.ab,ti.
8. or/1‐7
9. exp animals/
10. exp humans/
11. 9 not (9 and 10)
12. 8 not 11
13. exp macular edema/
14. exp edema/
15. exp macula lutea/
16. (macula$ adj3 oedema).tw.
17. (macula$ adj3 edema).tw.
18. (CME or CMO).tw.
19. or/13‐18
20. exp retinal vein occlusion/
21. exp retinal vein/
22. ((vein$ or occlu$ or obstruct$ or clos$ or stricture$ or steno$ or block$ or embolism$) adj3 retina$).tw.
23. branch retinal vein occlusion.tw.
24. (BRVO or RVO).tw.
25. or/20‐24
26. exp angiogenesis inhibitors/
27. exp angiogenesis inducing agents/
28. exp endothelial growth factors/
29. exp vascular endothelial growth factors/
30. (macugen$ or pegaptanib$ or lucentis$ or rhufab$ or ranibizumab$ or bevacizumab$ or avastin).tw.
31. (anti adj2 VEGF$).tw.
32. (endothelial adj2 growth adj2 factor$).tw.
33. or/26‐32
34. 19 and 25 and 33
35. 12 and 34

The search filter for trials at the beginning of the MEDLINE strategy is from the published paper by Glanville et al (Glanville 2006).

Appendix 3. EMBASE (OVID) search strategy

1. exp randomized controlled trial/
2. exp randomization/
3. exp double blind procedure/
4. exp single blind procedure/
5. random$.tw.
6. or/1‐5
7. (animal or animal experiment).sh.
8. human.sh.
9. 7 and 8
10. 7 not 9
11. 6 not 10
12. exp clinical trial/
13. (clin$ adj3 trial$).tw.
14. ((singl$ or doubl$ or trebl$ or tripl$) adj3 (blind$ or mask$)).tw.
15. exp placebo/
16. placebo$.tw.
17. random$.tw.
18. exp experimental design/
19. exp crossover procedure/
20. exp control group/
21. exp latin square design/
22. or/12‐21
23. 22 not 10
24. 23 not 11
25. exp comparative study/
26. exp evaluation/
27. exp prospective study/
28. (control$ or propspectiv$ or volunteer$).tw.
29. or/25‐28
30. 29 not 10
31. 30 not (11 or 23)
32. 11 or 24 or 31
33. exp retina macula cystoid edema/
34. exp eye edema/
35. exp retina macula lutea/
36. (macula$ adj3 oedema).tw.
37. (macula$ adj3 edema).tw.
38. (CME or CMO).tw.
39. or/33‐38
40. exp retinal vein occlusion/
41. exp retina vein/
42. ((vein$ or occlu$ or obstruct$ or clos$ or stricture$ or steno$ or block$ or embolism$) adj3 retina$).tw.
43. branch retinal vein occlusion.tw.
44. (BRVO or RVO).tw.
45. or/40‐44
46. exp angiogenesis/
47. exp angiogenesis inhibitors/
48. exp angiogenic factor/
49. exp endothelial cell growth factor/
50. exp vasculotropin/
51. (macugen$ or pegaptanib$ or lucentis$ or rhufab$ or ranibizumab$ or bevacizumab$ or avastin).tw.
52. (anti adj2 VEGF$).tw.
53. (endothelial adj2 growth adj2 factor$).tw.
54. or/46‐53
55. 39 and 45 and 54
56. 32 and 55

Appendix 4. LILACS search strategy

macular oedema or macular edema and vein$ or occlu$ or obstruct$ or clos$ or stricture$ or steno$ or block$ or embolism$ or BRVO and angiogenesis or endothelial growth factor or macugen or pegaptanib or lucentis or rhufab or ranibizumab or bevacizumab or avastin

Appendix 5. metaRegister of Controlled Trials search strategy

(angiogenesis or endothelial growth factor) AND macula oedema

Appendix 6. ClinicalTrials.gov search strategy

(Angiogenesis or Endothelial Growth Factor) AND (Macula Oedema)