Table 1

Characteristics of randomised controlled trials included in the meta-analysis

Author	Trial design	Intervention	Duration	Mean age (y)	Sex (% female)	Mean BMI (kg/m²)	No of subjects		QS	Exercise group BPS		Control group BPS
Author	Trial design	Intervention	Duration	Mean age (y)	Sex (% female)	Mean BMI (kg/m²)	Exercise group	Control group	QS	Mean	SE	Mean	SE
*Data disaggregated for site of osteoarthritis (hip or knee) provided by author.
BMI, body mass index; BPS, percentage of baseline pain score relative to maximum pain score on scale; DB, double blinded; NB, non-blinded; NR, not reported; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; p, parallel; QS, quality score (maximum score = 5)⁵; ROM, range of movement exercise; SB, single blinded; SE, standard error; y, years.
Aerobic
Bautch, 1997³²	NB-P	Low intensity walking, ROM, education	12 weeks	69.0	NR	NR	15	15	1	34.9	5.3	14.6	4.3
Kovar, 1992³³	NB-P	Supervised walking, education	8 weeks	69.0	83.3	29.5	47	45	3	51.5	2.9	48.7	3.5
Talbot, 2003³⁴	NB-P	Home based pedometer driven walking	24 weeks	70.1	76.5	31.8	17	17	3	36.8	4.4	26.8	4.9
Strengthening
Baker, 2001³⁶	SB-P	Home based strength training	4 months	68.5	78.3	31.5	23	23	2	41.4	4.0	41.8	4.2
Fransen, 2001³⁷	NB-P	Individualised/group physical therapy	8 weeks	66.7	72.8	29.4	83	43	3	NR	NR	NR	NR
Hopman-Rock, 2000³⁸*	SB-P	Resistance exercises, health education	8 months	65.2	86.6	26.7	45	37	2	44.2	3.8	44.6	3.9
O’Reilly, 1999³⁹	NB-P	Home based quadriceps strengthening, lifestyle advice	6 months	62.0	66.1	NR	113	78	3	32.3	1.7	33.8	1.7
Petrella, 2000⁴⁰	DB-P	Home based resistance, ROM, NSAID	8 weeks	73.7	57.5	NR	91	88	3	29.2	NR	32.6	NR
Quilty, 2003⁴¹	SB-P	Quadriceps strengthening, patellar taping	12 months	66.7	NR	30.1	44	43	2	51.0	4.5	53.4	3.9
Thomas, 2002⁴²	SB-P	Home based strengthening, ROM	2 years	61.9	63.9	28.0	467	316	2	35.8	NR	36.7	NR
Topp, 2002⁴³	NB-P	Dynamic resistance, isometric resistance	16 weeks	63.3	72.5	NR	35	35	1	62.0	2.7	53.8	2.7
Topp, 2002⁴³	NB-P	Dynamic resistance, isometric resistance	16 weeks	63.3	72.5	NR	32	35	1	67.8	5.1	53.8	2.7
Van Baar, 1998⁴⁴*	SB-P	Exercise therapy, education	12 weeks	68.0	84.0	28.7	54	59	3	48.1	3.9	48.7	3.7
Aerobic v strengthening
Ettinger, 1997³⁵	SB-P	Aerobic walking	18 months	68.7	70.3	NR	144	149	2	NR	NR	NR	NR
Ettinger, 1997³⁵	SB-P	Resistance training	18 months	68.7	70.3	NR	146	149	2	NR	NR	NR	NR