Risk of bias within included studies.

<p>Effect of (<b>A</b>) random allocation to treatment groups, (<b>B</b>) blinded induction of ischaemia and, (<b>C</b>) blinded assessment of outcome on improvement in neurobiological score. The shaded gray bar represents the 95% confidence limits of the global estimate. The vertical error bars represent the 95% confidence intervals for the individual estimates. The width of each bar reflects the log of the number of animals contributing to that comparison.</p

Model specific parameters of regional hypothermia experiments.

<p>Effect of (<b>A</b>) animal species, (<b>B</b>) anaesthetic, and (<b>C</b>) induction of injury used, on the effect size observed within experiments utilising regional hypothermia. The shaded gray bar represents the 95% confidence limits of the global estimate. The vertical error bars represent the 95% confidence intervals for the individual estimates. The width of each bar reflects the log of the number of animals contributing to that comparison. Each stratification accounts for a significant proportion of the heterogeneity observed between studies.</p

Publication bias.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Eggar regression showing publication bias within the included studies. (<b>B</b>) Funnel plot showing the regional data in black and the systemic data in grey. No additional studies were suggested by trim and fill analysis.</p

Outcome specific parameters of regional hypothermia experiments.

<p>Effect of (<b>A</b>) neurobehavioural scale and, (<b>B</b>) time of assessment on the reported effect size of experiments employing regional hypothermia. The shaded gray bar represents the 95% confidence limits of the global estimate. The vertical error bars represent the 95% confidence intervals for the individual estimates. The width of each bar reflects the log of the number of animals contributing to that comparison. Each stratification accounts for a significant proportion of the heterogeneity observed between studies.</p

Treatment specific parameters of regional hypothermia experiments.

<p>Effect of (<b>A</b>) temperature range of hypothermia induction, (<b>B</b>) time of hypothermia administration, (<b>C</b>) duration of hypothermia and, (<b>D</b>) experimental cotreatment on the effect size reported within experiments employing regional hypothermia. The shaded gray bar represents the 95% confidence limits of the global estimate. The vertical error bars represent the 95% confidence intervals for the individual estimates. The width of each bar reflects the log of the number of animals contributing to that comparison. Each stratification accounts for a significant proportion of the heterogeneity observed between studies.</p

Heterogeneity within systemic hypothermia experiments.

<p>Effect of neurobehavioural scale used on effect size reported for experiments employing systemic hypothermia. The shaded gray bar represents the 95% confidence limits of the global estimate. The vertical error bars represent the 95% confidence intervals for the individual estimates. The width of each bar reflects the log of the number of animals contributing to that comparison. Each stratification accounts for a significant proportion of the heterogeneity observed between studies.</p

Effect sizes of included publications.

<p>Scatter plot demonstrating the distribution of effect sizes (% improvement in neurobiological score) within the included publications (n = 16). Individual experiments that employed a regional cooling approach (n = 11) vs. a systemic cooling approach (n = 14) have been identified and plotted as separate subgroups. The shaded gray bar represents the 95% confidence limits of the global estimate. The vertical error bars represent the 95% confidence intervals for the individual estimates. The width of each bar reflects the log of the number of animals contributing to that comparison.</p

Search strategy outline.

<p>Flowchart demonstrating the search strategy used to identify articles for systematic review and meta-analysis of therapeutic hypothermia in animal spinal cord injury models.</p

Study characteristics accounting for heterogeneity of motor score—Randomised and blinded subset.

<p>Study characteristics accounting for heterogeneity of motor score—Randomised and blinded subset.</p

Assessment of publication bias shown with (A) Funnel plot and (B) Egger regression.

<p>Assessment of publication bias shown with (A) Funnel plot and (B) Egger regression.</p