Table 2 Subgroup analysis and quality of the evidence

LBT

6

-1.11 [-2.04, -0.17]

0.02

74

0.002

96 (6 studies)

⨁⨁◯◯ low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

Type of stimulation

 iTBS

1

-3.75 [-5.80, -1.71]

0.0003

N/A

N/A

13 (1 studies)

⨁⨁◯◯ low

Due to risk of bias and imprecision

 cTBS

5

-0.71 [-1.48, 0.06]

0.07

62

0.03

83 (5 studies)

⨁⨁◯◯ low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

Number of TBS pulses

 600 pulses

3

-2.08 [-4.50, 0.34]

0.09

86

0.0006

43 (3 studies)

⨁◯◯◯

very low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

 801 pulses

3

-0.54 [-1.26, 0.18]

0.14

39

0.2

53 (3 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

Follow-up

 short-term (≤ 1 month)

3

-1.02 [-1.98, -0.05]

0.04

64

0.06

57 (3 studies)

⨁⨁◯◯ low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

 long-term (> 1 month)

/

 SCT

6

-2.31 [-3.80, -0.81]

0.002

85

 < 0.00001

96 (6 studies)

⨁◯◯◯ very low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

Type of stimulation

 iTBS

1

-6.67 [-9.93, -3.41]

 < 0.0001

N/A

N/A

13 (1 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias and imprecision

 cTBS

5

-1.75 [-3.12, -0.39]

0.01

83

 < 0.0001

83 (5 studies)

⨁◯◯◯ very low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

Number of TBS pulses

 600 pulses

3

-3.32 [-7.28, 0.64]

0.1

91

 < 0.0001

43 (3 studies)

⨁◯◯◯ very low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

 801 pulses

3

-1.84 [-3.36, -0.33]

0.02

79

0.008

53 (3 studies)

⨁◯◯◯ very low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

Follow-up

 short-term (≤ 1 month)

3

-1.88 [-4.05, 0.29]

0.09

90

 < 0.0001

39

(2 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

 long-term (> 1 month)

/

 MAS

5

-0.44 [-0.77, -0.12]

0.007

0

0.81

104 (5 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

Type of stimulation

 iTBS

4

-0.40 [-0.75, -0.04]

0.03

0

0.77

91 (4 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

 cTBS

1

-0.70 [-1.52, 0.12]

0.09

N/A

N/A

13 (1 studies)

⨁◯◯◯ very low

Due to risk of bias and imprecision

Course of disease

 acute/subacute phase

3

-0.37 [-0.73, -0.01]

0.05

0

0.68

69 (3 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

 chronic phase

2

-0.73 [-1.45, -0.02]

0.05

0

0.87

35 (2 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

Targeted area

 Affected M1

2

-0.34 [-0.79, 0.11]

0.14

0

0.61

59 (2 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

 Ipsilesional CB

1

-0.48 [-1.04, 0.08]

0.09

N/A

N/A

32 (1 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 NHPT

5

-0.01 [-0.44, 0.43]

0.97

40

0.17

111 (5 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

Type of stimulation

 cTBS

3

-0.38 [-1.06, -0.30]

0.27

67

0.08

63 (3 studies)

⨁⨁◯◯ low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

 iTBS

2

0.25 [-0.32, 0.82]

0.38

0

0.94

48 (2 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

Course of disease

 acute/subacute phase

2

0.27 [-0.55, 1.10]

0.51

N/A

N/A

50 (2 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 chronic phase

3

-0.12 [-0.55, 1.10]

0.65

54

0.11

61 (3 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to inconsistency

Targeted area

 Unaffected M1

2

-0.03 [-0.06, -0.00]

0.04

N/A

N/A

51 (2 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 Affected M1

1

0.02 [-0.03, 0.07]

0.40

N/A

N/A

12 (1 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to imprecision

Follow-up

 short-term (≤ 1 month)

4

0.00 [-0.02, 0.02]

0.83

0

0.95

87 (4 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 long-term (> 1 month)

3

-0.00 [-0.03, 0.03]

0.81

0

0.48

55 (3 studies)

⨁◯◯◯ very low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

 FMA-UE

9

3.89 [0.60, 7.18]

0.02

88

 < 0.00001

181 (8 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

Type of stimulation

 iTBS

6

2.03 [0.78, 3.28]

0.001

0

0.88

126 (6 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

 priming iTBS

1

3.00 [1.01, 4.99]

0.003

N/A

N/A

28 (1 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 cTBS

1

4.80 [-6.48, 16.08]

0.4

N/A

N/A

27 (1 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 TBS

1

10.00 [8.43, 11.57]

 < 0.00001

N/A

N/A

40 (1studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

Course of disease

 acute/subacute phase

3

4.28 [-1.57, 10.12]

0.15

0

0.55

64 (3 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 chronic phase

5

2.26 [1.19, 3.34]

 < 0.0001

0

0.92

117 (5 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

Follow-up

 short-term (≤ 1 month)

4

1.93 [0.78, 3.08]

0.001

0

0.42

96 (4 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

 long-term (> 1 month)

2

10.41 [5.71, 15.12]

 < 0.0001

45

0.18

54 (2 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 ARAT

6

3.35 [2.78, 3.91]

 < 0.00001

35

0.17

131 (6 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

Type of stimulation

 iTBS

4

4.11 [3.32, 4.89]

 < 0.00001

0

0.98

91 (4 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 priming iTBS

1

2.56 [1.75, 3.37]

 < 0.00001

N/A

N/A

28 (1 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 cTBS

1

0.35 [-11.00, 11.70]

0.95

N/A

N/A

12 (1 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to imprecision

Course of disease

 acute/subacute phase

1

3.49 [-13.32, 20.30]

0.68

N/A

N/A

23 (1 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 chronic phase

5

3.35 [2.78, 3.91]

 < 0.00001

48

0.1

108 (5 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

Follow-up

 short-term (≤ 1 month)

2

0.95 [-8.95, 10.85]

0.85

0

0.92

30 (2 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 long-term (> 1 month)

2

0.15 [-10.01, 10.30]

0.98

0

0.88

30 (2 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 FMA-LE

4

0.44 [-0.76, 1.64]

0.47

2

0.38

120 (4 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

Number of TBS pulses

 600 pulses

3

1.39 [-0.94, 3.72]

0.24

8

0.34

100 (3 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 1200 pulses

1

0.10 [-1.29, 1.49]

0.89

N/A

N/A

20 (1 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

Course of disease

 acute/subacute phase

2

0.64 [-1.89, 3.18]

0.62

0

0.86

66 (2 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 chronic phase

2

0.38 [-0.97, 1.74]

0.58

66

0.08

54 (2 studies)

⨁⨁◯◯ low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

 BBS

3

2.61 [-0.74, 5.95]

0.13

73

0.02

84 (3 studies)

⨁⨁◯◯ low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency

Number of TBS pulses

 600 pulses

2

3.89 [-0.01, 7.78]

0.05

60

0.12

64 (2 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to inconsistency

 1200 pulses

1

0.60 [-1.68, 2.88]

0.61

N/A

N/A

20 (1 studies)

⨁⨁⨁◯ moderate

Due to risk of bias

Course of disease

 acute/subacute phase

1

1.58 [-2.56, 5.72]

0.45

N/A

N/A

30 (1 studies)

⨁⨁⨁⨁ high

 chronic phase

2

3.03 [-1.87, 7.93]

0.23

86

0.007

54 (2 studies)

⨁◯◯◯ very low

Due to risk of bias and inconsistency