Table 4

Meta-analysis based on questionnaire items

Questionnaires	Items	Effect size and 95% CI					Test of null (two-tailed)
Questionnaires	Items	Point estimate	SE	Variance	Lower limit	Upper limit	Z value	P value
EORTC QLQ-C30	Physical functioning	77.33	1.55	2.41	74.29	80.37	49.86	0.00
	Role functioning	70.80	2.25	5.07	66.39	75.21	31.44	0.00
	Emotional functioning	70.54	1.14	1.30	68.31	72.77	61.87	0.00
	Cognitive functioning	77.42	1.35	1.83	74.76	80.07	57.20	0.00
	Social functioning	76.19	1.82	3.32	72.62	79.76	41.84	0.00
	Fatigue	34.22	3.40	11.59	27.54	40.89	10.05	0.00
	Pain	25.63	1.32	1.75	23.04	28.22	19.40	0.00
	Dyspnoea	19.71	1.47	2.18	16.82	22.60	13.36	0.00
	Insomnia	31.24	1.87	3.51	27.56	34.91	16.66	0.00
	Appetite loss	20.97	1.95	3.79	17.15	24.78	10.77	0.00
	Constipation	19.90	1.99	3.96	16.00	23.80	10.00	0.00
	Diarrhoea	12.82	1.72	2.95	9.45	16.19	7.46	0.00
	Financial problems	30.56	3.47	12.02	23.76	37.35	8.81	0.00
QLQ-BR23	Body image	59.14	9.46	89.44	40.60	77.68	6.25	0.00
	Sexual performance	29.62	4.35	18.94	21.09	38.14	6.81	0.00
	Sexual satisfaction	47.31	2.42	5.86	42.57	52.05	19.55	0.00
	Future prospects	44.40	2.94	8.66	38.63	50.17	15.09	0.00
	Adverse reactions to treatment	21.60	2.76	7.65	16.18	27.02	7.81	0.00
	Breast-related symptoms	16.90	3.28	10.76	10.47	23.33	5.15	0.00
	Arm-related symptoms	18.48	4.06	16.47	10.53	26.44	4.55	0.00
	Hair loss	41.04	5.33	28.41	30.60	51.49	7.70	0.00
SF-36	Physical functioning	63.42	5.54	30.71	52.56	74.28	11.44	0.00
	Role limitations due to physical health	67.79	8.71	75.93	50.71	84.87	7.78	0.00
	Role limitations due to emotional problems	69.17	10.21	104.23	49.16	89.18	6.78	0.00
	Energy/fatigue	45.49	21.32	454.42	3.71	87.27	2.13	0.03
	Emotional well-being (mental health)	54.56	7.83	61.26	39.22	69.90	6.97	0.00
	Social functioning	73.96	9.53	90.89	55.27	92.65	7.76	0.00
	Pain	57.85	15.62	243.98	27.24	88.47	3.70	0.00
FACT-B	Physical well-being	19.06	0.70	0.48	17.70	20.43	27.43	0.00
	Social well-being	19.90	0.93	0.87	18.07	21.73	21.34	0.00
	Emotional well-being	18.59	0.64	0.41	15.33	19.85	25.78	0.00
	Functional well-being	18.02	0.88	0.78	16.29	19.75	20.43	0.00
	Breast cancer	20.42	0.77	0.59	19.92	24.92	30.58	0.00