Appendix 9: Quality of evidence according to GRADE (outcome: ASES score).

Prognostic factors / N shoulders / N
studies / N
cohorts / Univariate
analysis / Multivariate analysis / Grade factors / Overall quality of evidence
+ / 0 / - / + / 0 / - / Phase / Limitations / Inconsistency / Indirectness / Imprecision / Publication bias / Effect size / Dose effect
ACJ procedures / 596 / 6 / 5 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / X / V / V / X / V / X / X / +
Acromion morphology / 78 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / V / X / X / X / X / +
Age / 1068 / 10 / 9 / 8 / 4 / 2 / X / V / V / X / V / X / X / ++
Aggravation of symptoms / 255 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 1 / 1 / X / V / V / X / X / X / X / +
AHD / 226 / 2 / 2 / 1 / 2 / 1 / X / V / X / X / X / X / X / +
Acromial index / 93 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / V / X / X / X / X / +
AROM / 285 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 1 / 1 / X / V / X / X / X / X / X / +
ASES baseline / 259 / 2 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / V / X / X / X / X / +
Biceps procedures / 815 / 8 / 7 / 5 / 5 / 2 / X / V / V / X / V / X / X / ++
BMD / 108 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / +
BMI / 149 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / V / X / X / X / X / +
Comorbidities / 108 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / +
Tendon delamination / 78 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / V / X / X / X / X / +
Diabetes / 108 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / +
Dominance / 441 / 4 / 4 / 4 / 2 / 1 / X / V / V / X / V / X / X / +
Fatty Infiltration / 732 / 7 / 7 / 4 / 2 / 4 / 1 / 2 / X / X / V / X / V / X / X / ++
Footprint coverage / 85 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / +
Gender (female) / 821 / 7 / 7 / 5 / 1 / 3 / 1 / X / V / V / X / V / X / X / +
Muscle atrophy / 38 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / V / X / X / X / X / +
Narcotics / 233 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 1 / V / V / V / X / X / X / X / +
NSAIDs / 233 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 1 / V / V / V / X / X / X / X / +
No. of anchors / 127 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / V / X / V / X / X / X / X / +
No. of tendons involved / 233 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 2 / 1 / V / X / V / X / X / X / X / +
Onset (traumatic) / 318 / 2 / 2 / 1 / 2 / 1 / X / V / V / X / X / X / X / +
Pain / 341 / 3 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 1 / V / V / V / X / X / X / X / +
PROM / 108 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / +
Pseudoparalysis / 285 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 1 / 1 / X / V / X / X / X / X / X / +
SLAP tears / 311 / 3 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 1 / V / V / V / X / X / X / X / +
Smoking / 426 / 3 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / V / X / X / X / X / +
Sportsactivity level / 285 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 1 / 1 / X / V / X / X / X / X / X / +
Surgical technique (O/A) / 72 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / V / X / X / X / X / +
Surgical technique (SR/DR) / 608 / 6 / 5 / 4 / 3 / 1 / X / V / V / X / V / X / X / +
Tear size / 902 / 9 / 9 / 4 / 3 / 5 / 2 / X / V / V / X / V / X / X / ++
Tendon quality / 233 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 2 / 1 / V / V / V / X / X / X / X / +
Tendon retraction / 576 / 5 / 5 / 4 / 1 / 3 / 1 / X / V / V / X / V / X / X / +
Timing / 582 / 5 / 5 / 3 / 1 / 4 / 2 / X / V / V / X / V / X / X / ++
Type of anchors / 177 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / V / X / X / X / X / +
Type of work / 285 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 1 / 1 / X / V / X / X / X / X / X / +
Work comp / 141 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / X / X / V / X / X / V / X / +

Abbreviations: X = serious limitations; V = no serious limitations; A= arthroscopy; O=open; BMD= bone mineral density; BMI= body mass index; Work comp=workers compensation claim; NSAIDs= non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; AROM= active range of motion; PROM= passive range of motion; ASES= American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder assessment form; ACJ= acromioclavicular joint; AHD= acromiohumeral distance; SR= single row; DR= double row. Overall quality of evidence: +, very low; ++, low; +++, moderate; ++++, high.