Comparative effectiveness of pharmacological interventions for hand osteoarthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised trials
Authors' conclusion
Oral NSAIDs and glucocorticoids are apparently effective pharmacological interventions in hand OA. Intra-articular therapies and topical NSAIDs were not superior to placebo.
Study context
- Population
- Randomised trials of pharmacological interventions for people with hand osteoarthritis (OA)
- Participants
- 7,609 participants72 trials
- Comparison
- Pharmacological interventions for hand OA vs placebo and each other
- Outcome
- Pain (SMD)
Methodological detailsBayesian random effects models, pairwise meta-analysis, pre-specified protocol
- Bayesian random effects models
- Pairwise meta-analysis
- Pre-specified protocol
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Pain, network meta-analysis (NMA) effect size (SMD) vs placebo
SMD (95% CrI)
Oral NSAIDsvs PlaceboCrI
−0.18(−0.36 to 0.02)
Oral GCsvs PlaceboCrI
−0.54(−0.83 to −0.24)
Intra-articular hyaluronatevs PlaceboCrI
0.22(−0.08 to 0.51)
Intra-articular GCsvs PlaceboCrI
0.25(0.00–0.51)
HCQvs PlaceboCrI
−0.01(−0.19 to 0.18)
Topical NSAIDsvs PlaceboCrI
−0.14(−0.33 to 0.08)
Oral NSAIDsvs Oral GCsOral NSAIDs inferior to oral GCs; CrI
0.36(0.01–0.72)
Further pooled results
Pain, stratified for thumb and finger OA (subgroups)
- No intervention was superior to placebo
Original publication
Comparative effectiveness of pharmacological interventions for hand osteoarthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised trials. RMD Open. Published 21 September 2023. doi:10.
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