Fig. 3

a Summary Risk of bias assessment for Disease Activity. Note: ROB domains include; (1) Bias arising from the randomization process; (2) Bias due to deviations from intended interventions; (3) Bias due to missing outcome data; (4) Bias in measurement of the outcome; and (5) Bias in selection of the reported result. b Risk of bias assessment for Disease Activity. Note: With disease activity as the outcome of interest: 55% studies showed low risk of bias, 36% showed some concerns and 9% had high risk of bias arising from the randomisation process, due to insufficient information about blinding in the randomisation process. In “deviations from intended interventions”, 82% studies displayed low risk of bias, and only 18% had some concerns, indicating that few studies appeared to deviate from their protocol or methods.73% included studies demonstrated low risk, 9% had some concerns and 18% had high risk of bias due to missing outcome data, as some studies were feasibility studies, with small sample sizes. For the “bias in measurement of the outcome” domain, 55% studies demonstrated low risk and the remaining 45% displayed some concerns. This domain was mostly low risk due to the disease activity measures being valid and partially objective in nature. For “bias in selection of the reported result”, 18% studies showed low risk, with 55% showing some concerns and 27% with high risk of bias, due to missing data at some pre-specified timepoints