Evidence of efficacy—pooled effect size (ES) and number needed to treat (NNT)
| Intervention | Studies | ESpain, spinal (95% CI) | ESpain, peripheral (95% CI) | ESfunction (95% CI) | NNT (95% CI) (ASAS 20) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category* | No | Duration (weeks) | |||||
| *See table 1 for definitions; †peripheral joint pain was reported in two etanercept studies and one infliximab study, n (total) = 3 | |||||||
| No, number of studies included in pooling data; ES, effect size of treatment compared with placebo unless otherwise stated; NNT, number needed to treat to obtain ASAS20 response; –, not available; NS, not significant; ASAS20, ankylosing spondylitis assessment definition of clinical response to treatment. | |||||||
| Physiotherapy | Ib | 1 | 16 | NS | – | 1.14 (0.55 to 1.73) | – |
| Home exercise | IIa | 1 | 8 | 1.99 (1.30 to 2.67) | – | 0.80 (0.23 to 1.38) | – |
| NSAIDs | Ib | 4 | 6 | 1.11 (0.96 to 1.26) | 0.62 (0.26 to 0.97) | 0.62 (0.47 to 0.76) | – |
| Coxibs | Ib | 3 | 6 | 1.05 (0.88 to 1.22) | – | 0.63 (0.47 to 0.80) | – |
| Sulfasalazine | Ia | 6 | 26–52 | NS | NS | NS | – |
| Methotrexate | Ib | 2 | 26–52 | NS | – | NS | – |
| Leflunomide | Ib | 1 | 24 | NS | – | NS | NS |
| Etanercept | Ib | 4 | 6–24 | 2.25 (1.92 to 2.59) | 0.56 (0.07 to 1.04)† | 2.11 (1.81 to 2.41) | 2.7 (2.2 to 3.4) |
| Infliximab | Ib | 2 | 12–24 | 0.90 (0.66 to 1.14) | 0.66 (0.17 to 1.14)† | 0.93 (0.69 to 1.17) | 2.3 (1.8 to 2.4) |
| TNFα inhibitors | Ib | 6 | 6–24 | 1.36 (1.16 to 1.55) | 0.61 (0.27 to 0.95)† | 1.39 (1.20 to 1.57) | 2.6 (2.2 to 3.0) |