Ref (type)	Population	Outcome, Interventions	Results and statistical analysis	Effect size	Favours
Pain
RCT	90 people with an acute arthritis suggestive of gout, 74 men, mean age 65 years In review	Mean rate of decrease in pain score (assessed on a 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale) 2 hours 6.4 mm/hour with indometacin 9.5 mm/hour with prednisolone	Mean difference +3.2 mm/hour 95% CI –0.78 mm/hour to +7.14 mm/hour P = 0.12 Equivalence satisfied (see Further information on studies)		Not significant
RCT	90 people with an acute arthritis suggestive of gout, 74 men, mean age 65 years In review	Mean rate of decrease in pain score (assessed on a 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale) days 1 to 14 0.3 mm/day with indometacin 0.7 mm/day with prednisolone	Mean difference 0.5 mm/day 95% CI 0.03 mm/day to 0.89 mm/day P = 0.04	Effect size not calculated	prednisolone
RCT	90 people with an acute arthritis suggestive of gout, 74 men, mean age 65 years In review	Mean rate of decrease in pain score (assessed on a 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale) 2 weeks with indometacin with prednisolone Absolute results not reported	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
RCT	120 people with acute gout confirmed by identification of monosodium urate crystals in synovial fluid from the affected joint; mean age 57 years, 89% men	Pain reduction (assessed on a 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale, higher values indicating greater pain) 90 hours 44.7 mm with prednisolone 46.0 mm with naproxen	Difference between groups +1.3 mm 95% CI –9.8 to +7.1 Equivalence satisfied (see Further information on studies)		Not significant
RCT	120 people with acute gout confirmed by identification of monosodium urate crystals in synovial fluid from the affected joint; mean age 57 years, 89% men	Mean pain reduction (assessed by 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale, higher numbers indicating greater pain) at each of 8 follow-up time points up to 90 hours –5.6 mm with prednisolone –5.8 mm with naproxen	Difference between groups +1.57 mm 95% CI –8.65 to +11.78 Equivalence not satisfied (see Further information on studies)		Not significant