Table 5 Subgroup analyses based on stone size, stone location, ureteroscope, study design, follow-up time, MOSES technique, dusting technique, stone density and laser setting for outcomes between TFL and Ho: YAG

Stone size

stones with diameter > 1 and < 2 cm

1.25 [0.37, 4.21];

P = 0.72

-10.69 [-31.43, 10.04];

P = 0.31

-0.86 [-1.42, -0.30]

P = 0.003

-

-

Stone location

ureter

0.13 [0.02, 0.75];

P = 0.02

-6.52 [-11.85, -1.19];

P = 0.02

-1.90 [-4.55, 0.75];

P = 0.16

0.42 [0.24, 0.73]

P = 0.002

0.43 [0.23, 0.82]

P = 0.01

kidney

0.35 [0.27, 0.46];

P < 0.0001

-1.31 [-4.87, 2.26];

P = 0.47

0.25 [0.09, 0.40];

P = 0.002

2.10 [1.01, 4.38];

P = 0.05

1.85 [1.28, 2.68];

P = 0.001

ureter/kidney

0.70 [0.35, 1.41];

P = 0.32

-7.06 [-13.70, -0.42];

P = 0.04

-0.22 [-0.71, 0.27];

P = 0.38

0.42 [0.22, 0.78];

P = 0.007

1.06 [0.62, 1.81];

P = 0.82

Ureteroscope

semi-rigid ureteroscope

0.10 [0.01, 0.77];

P = 0.03

-3.30 [-8.73, 2.12];

P = 0.23

-1.90 [-4.55, 0.75]

P = 0.16

0.45 [0.25, 0.80];

P = 0.007

0.52 [0.26, 1.04];

P = 0.06

rigid ureteroscope

0.27 [0.01, 6.59];

P = 0.43

-17.70 [-22.55, -12.85];

P < 0.00001

-

0.21 [0.02, 1.77]

P = 0.15

0.14 [0.02, 1.10]

P = 0.06

flexible ureteroscope

0.35 [0.27, 0.46];

P < 0.00001

-5.07 [-13.42, 3.28];

P = 0.23

-0.11 [-0.73, 0.50];

P = 0.72

2.10 [1.01, 4.38];

P = 0.05

1.85 [1.28, 2.68];

P = 0.001

Study design

RCT

0.51 [0.16, 1.61];

P = 0.25

-5.82 [-10.60, -1.04]

P = 0.02

-1.23 [-2.76, 0.30]

P = 0.12

0.40 [0.24, 0.66];

P = 0.0003

0.70 [0.43, 1.14];

P = 0.15

non-RCT

0.48 [0.28, 0.81];

P = 0.006

-5.24 [-11.26, 0.78];

P = 0.09

0.05 [-0.31, 0.42];

P = 0.78

0.79 [0.23, 2.70]

P = 0.71

1.21 [0.62, 2.37];

P = 0.57

Follow-up time

 < 3 months

0.69 [0.29, 1.62];

P = 0.39

-3.52 [-9.31, 2.27];

P = 0.23

-1.29 [-3.34, 0.76];

P = 0.22

0.45 [0.25, 0.80];

P = 0.007

0.64 [0.36, 1.14];

P = 0.13

 ≥ 3 month

0.41 [0.22, 0.77];

P = 0.005

-4.06 [-9.26, 1.13];

P = 0.13

-0.14 [-0.67, 0.39];

P = 0.61

0.61 [0.21, 1.75];

P = 0.36

1.16 [0.66, 2.05];

P = 0.60

MOSES technique

with MOSES

0.70 [0.10, 4.76];

P = 0.72

-2.08 [-6.38, 2.22];

P = 0.34

0.07 [-0.31, 0.45];

P = 0.71

-

1.15 [0.59, 2.22];

P = 0.68

without MOSES

0.47 [0.29, 0.76];

P = 0.002

-5.90 [-9.58, -2.22];

P = 0.002

-0.86 [-1.82, 0.10];

P = 0.08

0.58 [0.27, 1.26];

P = 0.17

0.84 [0.43, 1.64];

P = 0.61

Dusting technique

with dusting

0.34 [0.26, 0.44];

P < 0.00001

-2.55 [-5.77, 0.67];

P = 0.12

0.21 [0.06, 0.35];

P = 0.005

0.83 [0.13, 5.36];

P = 0.84

1.68 [1.19, 2.36];

P = 0.003

without dusting

0.85 [0.59, 1.22];

P = 0.38

-7.19 [-7.81, -6.56];

P < 0.00001

-0.76 [-0.96, -0.56];

P < 0.00001

0.45 [0.28, 0.73];

P = 0.001

0.69 [0.45, 1.07];

P = 0.10

Stone density

 < 1000Hu

0.25 [0.10, 0.63]

P = 0.003

-8.00 [-15.46, -0.54]

P = 0.04

0.00 [-0.36, 0.36]

P = 1.00

0.31 [0.12, 0.80]

P = 0.02

0.88 [0.34, 2.26]

P = 0.78

 ≥ 1000Hu

0.57 [0.33, 0.97]

P = 0.04

-5.27 [-8.88, -1.66]

P = 0.004

-0.85 [-1.82, 0.12]

P = 0.09

0.68 [0.28, 1.68]

P = 0.40

0.94 [0.54, 1.65]

P = 0.84

Laser setting

low energies, high frequencies

0.50 [0.30, 0.83]

P = 0.008

-1.79 [-5.37, 1.79]

P = 0.33

0.15 [-0.35, 0.65]

P = 0.56

-

1.17 [0.52, 2.64]

P = 0.71

high energies, low frequencies

0.36 [0.10, 1.35]

P = 0.13

-6.73 [-11.47, -1.99]

P = 0.005

-1.11 [-2.53, 0.31]

P = 0.13

0.38 [0.24, 0.62]

P < 0.0001

0.61 [0.38, 0.97]

P = 0.04