Characteristics of the included studies (n=24)
| First author [ref.] | Year | Country | Total and group sample size (n); age (years)# | Stroke phase | Stroke type; SDB type | Attrition rate (n/N (%)) | Missing data management | Funding; protocol registration |
| Aaronson [25] | 2016 | The Netherlands | T: 36 I: 20; 61.1±8.2 C: 16; 56.7±8.8 | 16.8 days after stroke | Ischaemic and haemorrhagic; OSA | I: 3/20 (15) C: 2/16 (12.5) T: 5/36 (13.9) | ITT analysis | No; yes |
| Bernasconi [88] | 2020 | Switzerland, Germany, Italy | T: 41 I: 19; 64.1±6.7 C: 22; 64.7±6.6 | 3 months after stroke | Ischaemic; CSA and OSA | I: 3/19 (15.8) C: 4/22 (18.2) T: 7/41 (17.1) | ITT analysis | Yes; yes |
| Bravata [23] | 2011 | USA | T: 55 I: 31; 70.6±9.4 C: 24; 71.6±13.3 | ≤72 h of stroke | Ischaemic; CSA and OSA | I: 9/31 (29) C: 3/24 (12.5) T: 12/55 (21.8) | ITT analysis | Yes; yes |
| Bravata [54] | 2010 | USA | T: 70 I: 31; 66.3±11.9 C: 24; 67.4±12.8 | Majority ≤48 h of stroke | TIA; CSA and OSA | I: 9/45 (20) C: 5/25 (20) T: 14/70 (20) | ITT analysis | Yes; yes |
| Brown [55] | 2013 | USA | T: 32 I: 15; 61±22.22 C: 17; 70±19.3 | ≤7 days of stroke | Ischaemic; CSA and OSA | I: 7/15 (46.7) C: 6/17 (35.3) T: 13/32 (40.6) | Unreported | Yes; yes |
| Cui [52] | 2017 | China | T: 145 I: 73; 66.2±5.6 C: 72; 68.4±13.9 | Unspecified | Ischaemic; OSA | Unreported | Unreported | Unreported; no |
| Dong [61] | 2017 | China | T: 80; 38–74 | Unspecified; acute phase | Ischaemic; OSA | Unreported | Per-protocol analysis | Yes; no |
| Gao [62] | 2013 | China | T: 78 I: 44; 67.93±7.28 C: 34; 67.68±6.54 | Unspecified; acute phase | Ischaemic; OSA | Unreported | Unreported | Unreported; no |
| Gupta [89] | 2018 | India | T: 70 I: 30; 24±80 C: 40; 33±82.5 | ≥6 weeks after stroke | Ischaemic and haemorrhagic; OSA | I: 4/34 (11.8) C: 0 | Crossed over from I to C | Yes; yes |
| Hsu [26] | 2006 | UK | T: 30 I: 15; 76±5.93 C: 15; 71.67±8.89 | Days 21–25 after stroke | No restriction; unclear | I: 5/15 33.3 C: 0 T: 5/30 (16.7) | ITT analysis | Yes; no |
| Kim [73] | 2019 | South Korea | T: 43 I: 20; 63.3±13.1 C: 20; 66.9±12.3 | 4.6±2.8 days after stroke onset | Ischaemic and haemorrhagic; CSA, OSA and mixed apnoea | I: 3/23 (13) C: 0 T: 3/43 (7) | Withdrawn patients excluded | Yes; yes |
| Li [63] | 2020 | China | T: 82 I: 39; 59.95±4.17 C: 43; 60.21±5.97 | Unspecified | Ischaemic; OSA | Unreported | Per-protocol analysis | Unreported; no |
| Liu [58] | 2014 | China | T: 71 I: 34; 62.05±8.30 C: 37; 61.89±8.09 | Unspecified | Ischaemic; OSA | Unreported | Unreported | Unreported; no |
| Ning [66] | 2019 | China | T: 80 I: 37; 69.37±5.67 C: 43; 68.37±5.15 | Unspecified; non-acute stroke | Ischaemic; OSA | Unreported | Unreported | Unreported; no |
| Parra [22] | 2015 | Spain | T: 140 I: 57; 63.7±9.1 C: 69; 65.5±9.1 | 4.6±2.8 days after stroke onset | Ischaemic; CSA and OSA | I: 14/71 (19.7) C: 0 T: 14/140 (10) | Per-protocol analysis | Yes; yes |
| Parra [60] | 2011 | Spain | T: 140 I: 57; 63.7±9.1 C: 69; 65.5±9.1 | 4.6±2.8 days after stroke onset | Ischaemic; CSA and OSA | I: 14/71 (19.7) C: 0 T: 14/140 (10) | Per-protocol analysis | Yes; yes |
| Ryan [24] | 2011 | Canada | T: 48 I: 22; 62.8±12.8 C: 22; 60.7±10.3 | Within 3 weeks of stroke onset | Ischaemic and haemorrhagic; OSA | I: 3/25 (12) C: 1/23 (4.3) T: 4/48 (8.3) | Withdrawn patients excluded | Yes; yes |
| Sandberg [90] | 2001 | Sweden | T: 63 I: 31; 78.1±6.4 C: 28; 76.8±7.9 | 2–4 weeks after stroke | Ischaemic and haemorrhagic; CSA and OSA | I: 2/33 (6.1) C: 2/30 (6.7) T: 4/63 (6.3) | Missing data were replaced with mean | Yes; no |
| Su [68] | 2011 | China | T: 60 I: 30; 56–76 C: 30; 58–73 | Unspecified; acute phase | Ischaemic; OSA | Unreported | Unreported | Unreported; no |
| Tu [64] | 2015 | China | T: 140 I: 70; 48.15±9.85 C: 70; 47.68±8.96 | Within 1 week of stroke | Ischaemic; OSA | Unreported | Unreported | Unreported; no |
| Wan [67] | 2018 | China | T: 49 I: 20; 63.32±11.79 C: 29; 57.48±10.40 | Unspecified; during hospitalisation | Unspecified; OSA | I: 5/25 (20) C: 0/29 T: 5/54 (9.3) | Withdrawn patients excluded | Yes; no |
| Wang [91] | 2015 | China | T: 86 I: 43; 64.5±9.7 C: 43; 64.2±8.6 | Unspecified; acute phase | Ischaemic; OSA | Unreported | Unreported | Unreported; no |
| Xu [65] | 2020 | China | T: 81 I: 41; 68.2±11.8 C: 40; 69.1±12.3 | Unspecified; non-acute stroke | Ischaemic; OSA | Unreported | Unreported | Unreported; no |
| Yuan [59] | 2016 | China | T: 107 I: 51; 65.2±14.6 C: 56; 64.4±13.9 | Unspecified | Unspecified; OSA | Unreported | Unreported | Unreported; no |
#: Age data are presented as mean±sd or range. SDB: sleep disordered breathing; T: total; I: intervention; C: control; OSA: obstructive sleep apnoea; ITT: intention-to-treat; CSA: central sleep apnoea; TIA: transient ischaemic attack.