Items | Summary statistics across studies (n = 69), n (%) | Summary statistics for RCTs (n = 38), n (%) | Summary statistics for non-RCTs (n = 31), n (%) |
---|---|---|---|
Publication types (n = 69) | |||
 Registry record or protocol | 8 (11.6%) | 6 (15.8%) | 2 (6.5%) |
 Conference abstract | 8 (11.6%) | 1 (2.6%) | 7 (22.6%) |
 Journal paper | 52 (75.4%) | 31 (81.6%) | 21 (67.7%) |
 Preprint | 1 (1.4%) | 0 | 1 (3.2%) |
Countries (n = 69) | |||
 Australia | 2 (2.9%) | 2 (5.3%) | 0 |
 Chile | 1 (1.4%) | 1 (2.6%) | 0 |
 Denmark | 3 (4.3%) | 3 (7.9%) | 0 |
 France | 1 (1.4%) | 0 | 1 (3.2%) |
 Italy | 6 (8.7%) | 6 (15.8%) | 0 |
 Netherlands | 2 (2.9%) | 2 (5.3%) | 0 |
 New Zealand | 2 (2.9%) | 2 (5.3%) | 0 |
 Norway | 1 (1.4%) | 1 (2.6%) | 0 |
 Singapore | 1 (1.4%) | 0 | 1 (3.2%) |
 Spain | 8 (11.6%) | 2 (5.3%) | 6 (19.4%) |
 Turkey | 1 (1.4%) | 1 (2.6%) | 0 |
 UK | 22 (31.9%) | 13 (34.2%) | 9 (29%) |
 Uruguay | 1 (1.4%) | 0 | 1 (3.2%) |
 US | 15 (21.7%) | 5 (13.1%) | 10 (32.3%) |
 Unspecified | 3 (4.3%) | 0 | 3 (9.7%) |
Primary conditions (n = 69) | |||
 General unspecified acute medical conditions | 24 (34.8%) | 11 (28.9%) | 13 (41.9%) |
 Acute decompensation of chronic heart failure | 3 (4.3%) | 3 (7.9%) | 0 |
 Acute respiratory conditions such as pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) acute exacerbations, neuromuscular disease patients with severe respiratory tract infection | 17 (24.6%) | 11 (28.9%) | 6 (19.4%) |
 Cystic fibrosis or pulmonary exacerbations | 3 (4.3%) | 0 | 3 (9.7%) |
 Specific acute conditions such as acute calculous cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, acute uncomplicated diverticulitis, or exacerbations of chronic conditions such as stroke, cancer patients who need acute care | 10 (14.5%) | 6 (15.8%) | 4 (12.9%) |
 Surgical patients such as hip and knee replacement, fractured neck of femur, inguinal hernia or varicose veins, coronary artery bypass grafting | 5 (7.2%) | 2 (5.3%) | 3 (9.7%) |
 Hospitalised moderately ill children, preterm infants | 2 (2.9%) | 1 (2.6%) | 1 (3.2%) |
 Older people including those of frailty or prior dependence and those with cognitive impairment who are in need of acute hospital care | 4 (5.8%) | 4 (10.5%) | 0 |
Unspecified | 1 (1.4%) | 0 | 1 (3.2%) |
Sample sizes (n = 60) | |||
 Summaries | Total = 38,363 participants; Median 115.5 (range 21 to 22,610) | Total = 6413 participants in 32 studies; Median 111, (range 21 to 1055) | 31,950 in 28 studies; Median 142 (range 30 to 22,610) |
 The number of participants in interventions | 10,229 participants | 2817 participants in 29 studies | 7412 in 29 studies |
 The number of participants in control | 27,824 participants | 2501 participants in 29 studies | 25,323 in 28 studies |
Average age in years (n = 44) | Median 70.3 (range 2.1 to 83.3) | Median 70 in 22 studies (range 2.1 to 83.3) | Median 74 in 22 studies (range 12.6 to 81.7) |
Sex (n = 46) | |||
 Male | 15,891 participants | 2256 in 27 studies | 13,635 in 19 studies |
 Female | 19,275 participants | 2804 in 27 studies | 16,471 in 19 studies |
Inpatients level care at home interventions | 63 interventions | 33 interventions | 30 interventions |
 Unspecified | 12 (19.0%) | 4 (12.1%) | 8 (26.7%) |
 Early discharge | 22 (34.9%) | 15 (45.5%) | 7 (23.3%) |
 Avoidance of hospital admission | 25 (39.7%) | 13 (39.4%) | 12 (40%) |
 Avoidance of hospital admission and early discharge | 4 (6.3%) | 1 (3.0%) | 3 (10%) |
Intervention groups | 63 interventions | 33 interventions | 30 interventions |
 General inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- or community-based professionals, with high-intensity technology involvement | 7 (11.1%) | 3 (9.1%) | 4 (13.3%) |
 General inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- or community-based professionals, with low-intensity technology involvement | 16 (25.4%) | 11 (33.3%) | 5 (16.6%) |
 General inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- and community-based professionals, with high-intensity technology involvement | 2 (3.2%) | 1 (3.0%) | 1 (3.3%) |
 General inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- and community-based professionals, with low-intensity technology involvement | 1 (1.6%) | 1 (3.0%) | 0 |
 Extended multidisciplinary inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- or community-based professionals, with high-intensity technology involvement | 2 (3.2%) | 2 (6.1%) | 0 |
 Extended multidisciplinary inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- or community-based professionals, with low-intensity technology involvement | 4 (6.3%) | 2 (6.1%) | 2 (6.7%) |
 Extended multidisciplinary inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- and community-based professionals, with low-intensity technology involvement | 9 (14.3%) | 5 (15.2%) | 4 (13.3%) |
 Interventions that have no detail of technology, workforce, or care pathway, or the three components | 22 (34.9%) | 8 (24.2%) | 14 (46.7%) |
Follow up (n = 49) | Median 3 months (range 7 days to 12 months) | Across 32 studies: Median 3 months (range 7 days to 12 months) | Across 17 studies: Median 3 months (range 1 month to 12 months) |
Overall risk of bias (n = 69) | |||
 Cochrane risk of bias |  |  |  |
 Low |  | 1 (2.6%) | NA |
 Unclear |  | 25 (65.8%) | NA |
 High |  | 4 (10.5%) | NA |
 Not applicable for trial registries or protocols |  | 8 (21.1%) |  |
ROBINS-I | |||
 Low |  | NA | 0 |
 Moderate |  | NA | 3 (9.7%) |
 Serious |  | NA | 5 (16.1%) |
 Critical |  | NA | 14 (45.2%) |
 No information |  | NA | 9 (29%) |