Contrast-enhanced ultrasound versus conventional ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients with a non-dilated collecting system: results of a pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials

Table 3 Comparison of the patients baseline characteristics

Baseline characteristic	No. of studies	CEUS-guided PCNL versus US-guided PCNL	p value
Age WMD (95% CI)	4	− 1.87 (− 4.12 to 0.39)	0.1
BMI WMD (95% CI)	4	− 0.54 (− 1.11 to 0.03)	0.06
Gender (male) OR (95% CI)	4	1.39 (0.87 to 2.22)	0.16
Left side OR (95% CI)	4	1.02 (0.66 to 1.58)	0.91
Stone size WMD (95% CI)	4	0.08 (− 0.12 to 0.27)	0.45

CEUS: contrast-enhanced ultrasound; US: ultrasound; NA: not available; PCNL: percutaneous nephrolithotomy; BMI: body mass index; WMD: weight mean difference; OR: odds ratio; CI: confidence interval

ISSN: 1471-2490