The main characteristics of the included studies
Figure 1 shows the process of including studies. A total of 29 systematic reviews/meta-analyses were included(1-3, 5-13, 21-37). Table 1 shows characteristics of all the studies in descending order of citations. The number of citations of these studies varies from 63 to 0, with a total citation of 338. The study with most citations (n=63) was about DED treatment and was published in Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics in 2009(27). The second most cited study was about DED treatment, published in Ocular Surface in 2013(1). The third most cited study was about topical cyclosporine in the treatment of DED, it was published in Cornea in 2014(6). The page numbers for the included studies were from 6 to 24, with a medium of 8 pages.
Table 1 Main characteristic of the 29 meta-analyses/systematic reviews
Ranking
|
Study title
|
Citations
|
1
|
Efficacy of different dry eye treatments with artificial tears or ocular lubricants: a systematic review(27)
|
63
|
2
|
Dry Eye Disease Treatment: A Systematic Review of Published Trials and a Critical Appraisal of Therapeutic Strategies(1)
|
39
|
3
|
Topical Cyclosporine A in the Treatment of Dry Eye: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis(6)
|
30
|
4
|
Efficacy and Safety of Topical 0.05% Cyclosporine Eye Drops in the Treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis(24)
|
25
|
5
|
Associations between signs and symptoms of dry eye disease: a systematic review(8)
|
24
|
5
|
Lipid-Containing Lubricants for Dry Eye: A Systematic Review(30)
|
24
|
7
|
Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids Therapy for Dry Eye Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies(9)
|
20
|
8
|
Economic and Humanistic Burden of Dry Eye Disease in Europe, North America, and Asia: A Systematic Literature Review(11)
|
18
|
9
|
Systematic review of randomised clinical trials on topical ciclosporin A for the treatment of dry eye disease(37)
|
16
|
10
|
Acupuncture for treating dry eye: a systematic review(5)
|
14
|
11
|
Novel hydroxypropyl-guar gellable lubricant eye drops for treatment of dry eye(32)
|
11
|
12
|
Efficacy of polyunsaturated fatty acids for dry eye syndrome: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials(7)
|
10
|
13
|
Efficacy and Safety of Topical Diquafosol Ophthalmic Solution for Treatment of Dry Eye: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials(25)
|
8
|
13
|
Fluorescein-Tear Breakup Time as an Assessment of Efficacy of Tear Replacement Therapy in Dry Eye Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis(2)
|
8
|
13
|
Prevalence of dry eye disease in visual display terminal workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis(33)
|
8
|
16
|
Acupuncture Therapy Is More Effective Than Artificial Tears for Dry Eye Syndrome: Evidence Based on a Meta-Analysis(22)
|
7
|
17
|
Depression and anxiety in dry eye disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis(10)
|
4
|
18
|
Metabolic syndrome risk factors and dry eye syndrome: a Meta-analysis(31)
|
2
|
18
|
Smoking and the risk of dry eye: a Meta-analysis(13)
|
2
|
18
|
Sodium hyaluronate's effect on xerophthalmia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials(35)
|
2
|
21
|
Alcohol consumption and dry eye syndrome: a Meta-analysis(23)
|
1
|
21
|
Efficacy of Carboxymethylcellulose and Hyaluronate in Dry Eye Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis(26)
|
1
|
21
|
The Effect of Hormone Replacement Therapy on Dry Eye Syndrome Evaluated with Schirmer Test and Break-Up Time(12)
|
1
|
24
|
Acupuncture for dry eye syndrome: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials(21)
|
0
|
24
|
Efficacy of nutritional supplementation with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in dry eye syndrome: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials(28)
|
0
|
24
|
Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Dry Eye Symptom in Mainland China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis(3)
|
0
|
24
|
Sodium Hyaluronate in the Treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis(34)
|
0
|
24
|
The efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of dry eye symptom: a meta-analysis(29)
|
0
|
24
|
The systematic review of Comorbidities with dry eye syndromes(36)
|
0
|
Distribution of published journals
All studies were published in 21 journals (Table 2). The journal with the largest number of the systematic reviews/meta-analyses was Ocular Surface (n =4), followed by International Journal of Ophthalmology (n =3). The journal with the highest impact factor was Nutrition Reviews, with an impact factor of 5.291 in 2016. Four journals do not have an impact factor in 2016, including Clinical Ophthalmology, International Journal of Advanced Biotechnology and Research, Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science, and Korean Journal of Family Medicine.
Table 2 Journals for 29 systematic reviews/meta-analyses
Journal
|
Number of Studies
|
IF(2016)
|
Acta Ophthalmologica
|
2
|
3.157
|
Advances In Therapy
|
1
|
2.709
|
BMJ Open
|
1
|
2.369
|
British Journal of Ophthalmology
|
1
|
3.806
|
Clinical Ophthalmology
|
1
|
None
|
Cornea
|
2
|
2.01
|
Current Medical Research and Opinion
|
1
|
2.757
|
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
|
1
|
1.74
|
Eye
|
1
|
2.275
|
International Journal of Advanced Biotechnology and Research
|
1
|
None
|
International Journal of Clinical And Experimental Medicine
|
1
|
1.069
|
International Journal of Ophthalmology
|
3
|
1.177
|
Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science
|
1
|
None
|
Journal of Ophthalmology
|
2
|
1.712
|
Korean Journal of Family Medicine
|
1
|
None
|
Medical Science Monitor
|
1
|
1.585
|
Nutrition Reviews
|
1
|
5.291
|
Ocular Surface
|
4
|
4.383
|
Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics
|
1
|
2.302
|
Optometry and Vision Science
|
1
|
1.409
|
Scientific Reports
|
1
|
4.259
|
Distribution of published years
Year distribution of the 29 studies is listed in Table 3. These studies were published from 2009 to 2017. The year with most studies was 2016 (n= 8), followed by 2014 (n= 6). The year with most citations was 2009 (n=63), followed by 2013 (n=39).
Table 3 Published year of 29 systematic reviews/meta-analyses
Year
|
Number of studies
|
Total citation
|
Average citation
|
2009
|
1
|
63
|
63
|
2010
|
1
|
11
|
11
|
2011
|
1
|
14
|
14
|
2012
|
1
|
24
|
24
|
2013
|
1
|
39
|
39
|
2014
|
6
|
84
|
14
|
2015
|
5
|
65
|
13
|
2016
|
8
|
37
|
5
|
2017
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
Distribution of countries
The systematic reviews/meta-analyses were from 10 countries (Brazil, China, France, Iran, Italy, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, and the USA). The country published most studies was China (n=15), followed by USA (n=3), Scotland (n=2), Singapore (n=2), and South Korea (n=2). The country with the most citations was China (n=112), followed by Brazil (n=39). The country with the most average citations was Brazil (n=39), followed by Scotland (n=35) (Table 4).
Table 4 Countries origin of 29 systematic reviews/meta-analyses
Country
|
Number of studies
|
Total citation
|
Average
|
Brazil
|
1
|
39
|
39
|
China
|
15
|
112
|
7
|
France
|
1
|
8
|
8
|
Iran
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
Italy
|
1
|
16
|
16
|
Scotland
|
2
|
71
|
35
|
Singapore
|
2
|
24
|
12
|
South Korea
|
2
|
15
|
7
|
Spain
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
USA
|
3
|
53
|
17
|
Distribution of authors and Institutions
For the 29 studies, only two authors have published more than 1 study as the first author, including Michael J. Doughty from Glasgow Caledonian University, and Kelvin H. Wan from Chinese University in Hong Kong. Only 3 authors have published more than 1 study as contact author, including Michael J. Doughty from Glasgow Caledonian University, Alvin L. Young Chinese University Hong Kong, and Tong, Tong Louis Hak Tien from Singapore Eye Research Institution. Base on the contact authors, a total of 6 institutions published at least 2 studies, including Zhejiang University (n=2), Tianjin Medical University (n=2), Chinese University Hong Kong (n=2), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (n=2) from China, Glasgow Caledonian University (n=2) from Scotland, and Singapore Eye Research Institution (n=2) from Singapore.