Ref (type)	Population	Outcome, Interventions	Results and statistical analysis	Effect size	Favours
Pain
RCT	189 people, gout for <48 hours, who had previously responded to NSAIDs, 93% male, mean age 52 years In review	Pain rating (measured on Likert Scale: 0 = no pain to 4 = extreme pain) days 2–5 with indometacin (50 mg 3-times daily) with etoricoxib (120 mg/day) Absolute results not reported	Difference: –0.08 95% CI –0.29 to +0.13 Equivalence satisfied (see Further information on studies)		Not significant
RCT	150 men, gout for <24 hours, mean age 49 years In review	Pain rating (measured on Likert Scale: 0 = no pain to 4 = extreme pain) days 2–5 with indometacin (50 mg 3-times daily) with etoricoxib (120 mg/day) Absolute results not reported	Difference: +0.11 95% CI –0.14 to +0.35 Equivalence satisfied (see Further information on studies)		Not significant
RCT	61 people, aged 18–75 years In review	Mean pain scores assessed on a scale 0 to 5 (higher scores indicating worse pain) day 2 2.6 with etodolac (300 mg twice-daily) 2.8 with naproxen (500 mg twice-daily)	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
RCT	61 people, aged 18–75 years In review	Mean pain scores assessed on a scale 0 to 5 (higher scores indicating worse pain) day 4 1.8 with etodolac (300 mg twice-daily) 2.0 with naproxen (500 mg twice-daily)	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
RCT	61 people, aged 18–75 years In review	Mean pain scores assessed on a scale 0 to 5 (higher scores indicating worse pain) day 7 1.4 with etodolac (300 mg twice-daily) 1.4 with naproxen (500 mg twice-daily)	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
RCT	60 people, aged 18 to 75 years In review	Pain (as assessed on a 5-point rating scale: 1 = no pain to 5 = very severe pain) days 1–7 with etodolac (300 mg twice-daily) with naproxen (500 mg twice-daily) Absolute results reported graphically	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
RCT	59 people, gout for <48 hours, aged 35 to 88 years In review	Mean pain scores (as assessed on a 4-point scale: 0 = no pain to 3 = severe pain) day 2 0.9 with indometacin (up to 225 mg for 1 day in divided doses, followed by 50 mg 3-times daily) 1.1 with ketoprofen (450 mg in divided doses for 1 day, followed by 100 mg 3-times daily)	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
RCT	59 people, gout for <48 hours, aged 35 to 88 years In review	Mean pain scores (as assessed on a 4-point scale: 0 = no pain to 3 = severe pain) day 5 0.8 with indometacin (up to 225 mg for 1 day in divided doses, followed by 50 mg 3-times daily) 1.3 with ketoprofen (450 mg in divided doses for 1 day, followed by 100 mg 3-times daily)	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
RCT	59 people, gout for <48 hours, aged 35 to 88 years In review	Mean pain scores (as assessed on a 4-point scale: 0 = no pain to 3 = severe pain) day 8 0.3 with indometacin (up to 225 mg for 1 day in divided doses, followed by 50 mg 3-times daily) 0.4 with ketoprofen (450 mg in divided doses for 1 day, followed by 100 mg 3-times daily)	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
RCT	29 people In review	Proportion of people with improved pain 2 days 11/12 (92%) with indometacin (50 mg 4-times daily for 4 days, followed by 25 mg 4-times daily for 5 days) 11/12 (92%) with flurbiprofen (100 mg 4-times daily for 1 day, followed by 50 mg 4-times daily for 5 days)	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
RCT	178 adults, acute gout for <48 hours	Mean pain reduction (measured on Likert Scale: 0 = no pain to 4 = extreme pain days 2 to 5 –1.99 with etoricoxib (120 mg/day for 5 days) –2.02 with indometacin (75 mg twice-daily for 5 days)	Mean difference 0.03 95% CI –0.19 to 0.25 P = 0.57		Not significant
RCT 4-armed trial	400 adults, acute gouty arthritis for 48 hours or less	Mean pain reduction (measured on Likert Scale: 0 = no pain to 4 = extreme pain) day 2 –1.14 with celecoxib (50 mg twice-daily) –1.62 with indometacin (50 mg 3-times daily)	Mean difference 0.57 95% CI 0.29 to 0.84 P <0.0001	Effect size not calculated	indometacin
RCT 4-armed trial	400 adults with acute gouty arthritis for 48 hours or less	Mean pain reduction (measured on Likert Scale: 0 = no pain to 4 = extreme pain) day 2 –1.23 with celecoxib (400 mg followed by 200 mg later on day 1, and then 200 mg twice-daily for 7 days) –1.62 with indometacin (50 mg 3-times daily)	Mean difference 0.33 95% CI 0.05 to 0.60 P = 0.0196	Effect size not calculated	indometacin
RCT 4-armed trial	400 adults with acute gouty arthritis for 48 hours or less	Mean pain reduction (measured on Likert Scale: 0 = no pain to 4 = extreme pain) day 2 –1.51 with celecoxib (800 mg followed by 400 mg later on day 1, and then 400 mg twice-daily for 7 days) –1.62 with indometacin (50 mg 3-times daily)	Mean difference 0.11 95% CI –0.17 to +0.39 P = 0.44		Not significant
Tenderness
RCT	178 adults, acute gout for <48 hours	Mean joint tenderness reduction (measured on a 4 point scale: 0 = no tenderness to 3 = patient complains of pain, winces, and withdraws) days 2 to 5 –1.99 with etoricoxib –2.03 with indometacin	P = 0.73		Not significant
RCT 4-armed trial	400 adults with acute gouty arthritis for 48 hours or less	Mean joint tenderness reduction (measured on a 4-point scale: 0 = no tenderness to 4 = patient complains of pain, winces, and withdraws) 1.74 with celecoxib (50 mg twice-daily) 1.64 with indometacin (50 mg 3-times daily)	P value not reported
RCT 4-armed trial	400 adults with acute gouty arthritis for 48 hours or less	Mean joint tenderness reduction (measured on a 4 point scale: 0 = no tenderness to 4 = patient complains of pain, winces, and withdraws) 1.66 with celecoxib 400 mg (followed by 200 mg later on day 1, and then 200 mg twice-daily for 7 days) 1.64 with indometacin (50 mg 3-times daily)	P value not reported
RCT 4-armed trial	400 adults with acute gouty arthritis for 48 hours or less	Mean joint tenderness reduction (measured on a 4-point scale: 0 = no tenderness to 4 = patient complains of pain, winces, and withdraws) 1.94 with celecoxib 800 mg (followed by 400 mg later on day 1, and then 400 mg twice-daily for 7 days) 1.64 with indometacin (50 mg 3-times daily)	P value not reported
Joint swelling
RCT	178 adults, acute gout for <48 hours	Mean joint swelling reduction (measured on a 4-point scale: 0 = no swelling to 3 = bulging beyond joint margins) days 2–5 –1.92 with etoricoxib –1.90 with indometacin	Mean difference 0.02 P = 0.74		Not significant
RCT 4-armed trial	400 adults with acute gouty arthritis for 48 hours or less	Mean joint swelling reduction (measured on a 4-point scale: 0 = no swelling to 3 = bulging beyond joint margins) 1.55 with celecoxib (50 mg twice-daily) 1.58 with indometacin (50 mg 3-times daily)	P value not reported
RCT 4-armed trial	400 adults with acute gouty arthritis for 48 hours or less	Mean joint swelling reduction (measured on a 4-point scale: 0 = no swelling to 3 = bulging beyond joint margins) 1.63 with celecoxib (400 mg followed by 200 mg later on day 1, and then 200 mg twice-daily) 1.58 with indometacin (50 mg 3-times daily)	P value not reported
RCT 4-armed trial	400 adults with acute gouty arthritis for ≤48 hours	Mean joint swelling reduction (measured on a 4-point scale: 0 = no swelling to 3 = bulging beyond joint margins) 1.78 with celecoxib (800 mg followed by 400 mg later on day 1, and then 400 mg twice-daily) 1.58 with indometacin (50 mg 3-times daily)	P value not reported