Intraoperative Use of Topical Retropharyngeal Steroids for Dysphagia after Anterior Cervical Fusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Baseline characteristics of studies included in the systematic review.

Study (year)	Experimental data			Control data
	Patients	Mean age (yr)	Male (%)	Patients	Mean age (yr)	Male (%)	Outcomes recorded	Follow-up (month)
Dahapute 2020 [15]	25	50.4	76	25	50.4	76	PSTS, VAS, NDI	12
Ryan 2021 [16]	37	59	41	36	57	50	Bazaz, EAT-10	3
Kim 2021 [17]	56	58.1	48.2	53	58.4	54.7	EAT-10, SWAL-QOL, VAS, NDI	1
Haws 2018 [12]	55	49.4	56.4	49	50.6	61.2	PSTS, SWAL-QOL, VAS	3
Jekins 2018 [18]	29	55.6	51.7	21	54	52.3	Bazaz, EAT-10, VAS neck pain, NDI	12
Edwards 2016 [19]	27	54	41	23	54.5	39	Modified Dysphagia Scoring System	1
Lee 2011 [11]	25	54.3	72	25	50.9	56	PSTS, VAS, NDI	22
Seddighi 2017 [20]	38	49.3	47.3	38	50.2	42.1	Bazaz, PSTS, VAS	6
Grasso 2019 [21]	35	46.1	51.4	35	45.5	48.5	Bazaz, VAS	12