3.1 Characteristics of included studies
Figure 1 shows the PRISMA flow chart for our literature search.
The search process of four medical databases resulted in the retrieval
of 156 unique records after removal of duplicates. After we performed
the screening of titles and abstracts, 11 full-text studies were
rigorously screened against the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Finally, we found three studies to be eligible for this systematic
review and meta-analysis, reporting a total of four independent RCTs
with 1165 patients with bacterial vaginosis (614 and 551 patients
received astodrimer gel and placebo, respectively). Table 1depicts a summary of the baseline characteristics of included studies
and the clinico-demographic information of research subjects.