Effect sizes of overall WOMAC and other outcome measures
| Outcome improved | No | ES | 95% CI | χ2heter (df) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *p⩽0.05; **p⩽0.01; No, number of comparisons; ES, effect size; CI, confidence interval; χ2heter (df), χ2 for heterogeneity (degree of freedom). | ||||
| Paracetamol v placebo | ||||
| WOMAC | 2 | 0.14 | −0.06 to 0.34 | 1.20 (1) |
| Pain | 2 | 0.21 | 0.02 to 0.41* | 0.24 (1) |
| NSAIDs v placebo | ||||
| WOMAC | 2 | 0.34 | 0.14 to 0.54** | 0.04 (1) |
| Pain | 2 | 0.34 | 0.14 to 0.54** | 0.53 (1) |
| NSAIDs v paracetamol | ||||
| WOMAC | 4 | 0.30 | 0.17 to 0.44** | 5.43 (3) |
| Pain | 11 | 0.20 | 0.10 to 0.30** | 7.68 (10) |
| Stiffness | 5 | 0.34 | 0.19 to 0.50** | 5.51 (4) |
| Function | 6 | 0.22 | 0.08 to 0.35** | 7.37 (5) |