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Table 8 STROBE Statement—Checklist of items that should be included in reports of case-control studies

From: Association of serum uric acid levels with COVID-19 severity

 

Item No

Recommendation

Page No

Title and abstract

1

(a) Indicate the study’s design with a commonly used term in the title or the abstract

1

(b) Provide in the abstract an informative and balanced summary of what was done and what was found

5–7

Introduction

 Background/rationale

2

Explain the scientific background and rationale for the investigation being reported

8–9

 Objectives

3

State specific objectives, including any prespecified hypotheses

9–10

Methods

 Study design

4

Present key elements of study design early in the paper

10–12

 Setting

5

Describe the setting, locations, and relevant dates, including periods of recruitment, exposure, follow-up, and data collection

10–12

 Participants

6

(a) Give the eligibility criteria, and the sources and methods of case ascertainment and control selection. Give the rationale for the choice of cases and controls

10–11

(b) For matched studies, give matching criteria and the number of controls per case

10–11

 Variables

7

Clearly define all outcomes, exposures, predictors, potential confounders, and effect modifiers. Give diagnostic criteria, if applicable

10–12

 Data sources/ measurement

8*

For each variable of interest, give sources of data and details of methods of assessment (measurement). Describe comparability of assessment methods if there is more than one group

10–12

 Bias

9

Describe any efforts to address potential sources of bias

10–12

 Study size

10

Explain how the study size was arrived at

10–11

 Quantitative variables

11

Explain how quantitative variables were handled in the analyses. If applicable, describe which groupings were chosen and why

11–12

 Statistical methods

12

(a) Describe all statistical methods, including those used to control for confounding

12–13

(b) Describe any methods used to examine subgroups and interactions

12–13

(c) Explain how missing data were addressed

10

(d) If applicable, explain how matching of cases and controls was addressed

10–11

(e) Describe any sensitivity analyses

12–13

Results

 Participants

13*

(a) Report numbers of individuals at each stage of study—eg numbers potentially eligible, examined for eligibility, confirmed eligible, included in the study, completing follow-up, and analysed

13–14

(b) Give reasons for non-participation at each stage

–

(c) Consider use of a flow diagram

14

 Descriptive data

14*

(a) Give characteristics of study participants (eg demographic, clinical, social) and information on exposures and potential confounders

13–14

(b) Indicate number of participants with missing data for each variable of interest

–

 Outcome data

15*

Report numbers in each exposure category, or summary measures of exposure

14–17

 Main results

16

(a) Give unadjusted estimates and, if applicable, confounder-adjusted estimates and their precision (eg, 95% confidence interval). Make clear which confounders were adjusted for and why they were included

14–17

(b) Report category boundaries when continuous variables were categorized

14–17

(c) If relevant, consider translating estimates of relative risk into absolute risk for a meaningful time period

14–17

 Other analyses

17

Report other analyses done—eg analyses of subgroups and interactions, and sensitivity analyses

–

Discussion

 Key results

18

Summarise key results with reference to study objectives

18–21

 Limitations

19

Discuss limitations of the study, taking into account sources of potential bias or imprecision. Discuss both direction and magnitude of any potential bias

22–23

 Interpretation

20

Give a cautious overall interpretation of results considering objectives, limitations, multiplicity of analyses, results from similar studies, and other relevant evidence

21–22

 Generalisability

21

Discuss the generalisability (external validity) of the study results

21–22

Other information

 Funding

22

Give the source of funding and the role of the funders for the present study and, if applicable, for the original study on which the present article is based

23