Table 4.

Effects of paracetamol on pain and disability outcomes (presented on 0–10 scale)

Outcome		Comparison	Effect size (95% CI)	Paracetamol			Comparison
	Week			Mean	SD	N	Mean	SD	N
Pain
Stein [17]	1	Amitriptyline	0.0 (−1.3 to 1.3)	4.7a	2.2c	19	4.7a	1.8c	20
	2	Amitriptyline	1.1 (−0.1 to 2.3)	3.6a	1.8b	19	2.5a	1.9b	20
	3	Amitriptyline	1.2 (−0.1 to 2.5)	3.5a	2.0b	19	2.3a	2.1b	20
	4	Amitriptyline	1.5 (0.1 to 2.9)	3.4a	2.3b	19	1.9a	2.3b	20
	5	Amitriptyline	1.2 (0 to 2.4)	3.0	2.5	19	1.8	1.0	20
Hackett [8]	1	Electro-acupt	0.0 (−1.2 to 1.3)	2.3	2.0c	20	2.3	2.0c	20
	2	Electro-acupt	0.4 (−0.9 to 1.6)	2.2	2.0c	20	1.8	2.0c	20
	6	Electro-acupt	1.0 (−0.2 to 2.3)	1.4	2.0c	20	0.3	2.0c	20
Disability
Hackett [8]	1	Electro-acupt	−0.2 (n/c)	2.5	n/c	20	2.7	n/c	20
	2	Electro-acupt	−0.1 (n/c)	1.7	n/c	20	1.8	n/c	20
	6	Electro-acupt	1.4 (n/c)	1.6	n/c	20	0.2	n/c	20

Effect size difference of means (negative means paracetamol gives greater reduction), SD standard deviation, N number in group, 95% CI 95% confidence interval, Electro-acupt electroacupuncture, n/c not able to be calculated

^aEstimated value from a graph

^bCalculated SD from other data

^cEstimated SD