Radiotherapy compared with no radiotherapy for glioma: long‐term side effects

Patient or population: people with glioma surviving at last two years

Settings: tertiary care

Intervention: radiotherapy

Comparison: no radiotherapy

Outcomes

Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI)

Relative effect
(95% CI)

No of Participants
(studies)

Quality of the evidence
(GRADE)

Comments

Assumed risk

Corresponding risk

No radiotherapy

Radiotherapy

Cognitive impairment at ≥ 2 years

[value] per 1000

[value] per 1000
([value] to [value])

RR [value] ([value] to [value])

[value]
([value])

[Delete as
appropriate]

⊕⊝⊝⊝
very low

⊕⊕⊝⊝
low

⊕⊕⊕⊝
moderate

⊕⊕⊕⊕
high

QoL score at ≥ 2 years

The mean [outcome] ranged across control groups from
[value][measure]

The mean [outcome] in the intervention groups was
[value] [lower/higher]
[(value to value lower/higher)]

[value]
([value])

[Delete as
appropriate]

⊕⊝⊝⊝
very low

⊕⊕⊝⊝
low

⊕⊕⊕⊝
moderate

⊕⊕⊕⊕
high

Functional impairment at ≥ 2 years

[value] per 1000

[value] per 1000
([value] to [value])

RR [value] ([value] to [value])

[value]
([value])

[Delete as
appropriate]

⊕⊝⊝⊝
very low

⊕⊕⊝⊝
low

⊕⊕⊕⊝
moderate

⊕⊕⊕⊕
high

Endocrine dysfunction at ≥ 2 years

[value] per 1000

[value] per 1000
([value] to [value])

RR [value] ([value] to [value])

[value]
([value])

[Delete as
appropriate]

⊕⊝⊝⊝
very low

⊕⊕⊝⊝
low

⊕⊕⊕⊝
moderate

⊕⊕⊕⊕
high

Depression at ≥ 2 years

[value] per 1000

[value] per 1000
([value] to [value])

RR [value] ([value] to [value])

[value]
([value])

[Delete as
appropriate]

⊕⊝⊝⊝
very low

⊕⊕⊝⊝
low

⊕⊕⊕⊝
moderate

⊕⊕⊕⊕
high

Fatigue at ≥ 2 years

[value] per 1000

[value] per 1000
([value] to [value])

RR [value] ([value] to [value])

[value]
([value])

[Delete as
appropriate]

⊕⊝⊝⊝
very low

⊕⊕⊝⊝
low

⊕⊕⊕⊝
moderate

⊕⊕⊕⊕
high

*The basis for the assumed risk (e.g. the median control group risk across studies) is provided in footnotes. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).
CI: confidence interval; RR: risk ratio; [other abbreviations, e.g. OR, etc.]

GRADE Working Group grades of evidence
High quality: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect.
Moderate quality: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate.
Low quality: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.
Very low quality: We are very uncertain about the estimate.