Table 1.

Baseline characteristics of patients in the trials included in the meta-analysis

Study	Treatment regimen	Sample size	Age (mean ± SD, years)	Duration of pain (months)	Epidural approach	Jadad score
Manchikanti L [48]	1% lidocaine + 0.5 ml betamethasone	60	42.6 ± 11.2	103.8 ± 92.5	transforaminal	4
	1.5 ml 1% lidocaine + 0.5 ml sodium chloride solution	60	43.1 ± 11.8	98.4 ± 83.4
Cohen SP [49]	Steroids + bupivacaine	28	42.46 ± 12.65	2.61 ± 1.82	Not report	4
	Saline + bupivacaine	30	42.27 ± 10.73	2.82 ± 1.7
Manchikanti L [50]	Local anesthetic + non-particulate betamethasone	35	42.4 ± 10.0	111.1 ± 79.8	Interlaminar	4
	Local anesthetic only	35	41.5 ± 13.4	131.3 ± 102.7
Manchikanti L [51]	Local anesthetic + non-particulate betamethasone	30	53.9 ± 11.4	138.1 ± 89.4	Interlaminar	4
	Local anesthetic only	30	49.8 ± 14.7	121.0 ± 81.5
Manchikanti L [52]	9 ml, 0.5% idocaine + 1 ml steroid	60	43 ± 14.5	81.3 ± 81.7	Caudal	4
	10 ml local anesthetic + 0.5% idocaine	60	38.7 ± 14.1	93.4 ± 86.9
Manchikanti L [53]	Local anesthetic + steroids	60	41.2 ± 11.9	104.2 ± 106.5	Interlaminar	4
	Local anesthetic alone	60	42.7 ± 11.4	129 ± 90.9
Manchikanti L [54]	5 ml, 0.5% idocaine + 1 ml non-particulate betamethasone	60	40.6 ± 12.5	133.2 ± 108.5	Interlaminar	4
	6 ml, 0.5% idocaine	60	49 ± 14.1	135 ± 120.3
Sayegh FE [55]	12 ml, 2% xylocaine + 1 ml betamethasone	93	50.75 ± 15.52	53.1 ± 33.5	Caudal	4
	12 ml, 2% xylocaine + 8 ml water for injection	90	47.56 ± 16.42	51.4 ± 30.4
Manchikanti L [56]	1 ml steroid + 9 ml, 0.5% idocaine	60	43 ± 14.5	81.3 ± 81.7	Caudal	4
	local anesthetic + 10 ml, 0.5% idocaine	60	48.7 ± 14.1	93.4 ± 86.9
Manchikanti L [57]	9 ml, 0.5% idocaine + 1 ml non-particulate betamethasone	70	48 ± 12.3	160.7 ± 113.3	Caudal	4
	10 ml 0.5% idocaine	70	52.4 ± 141.	152.1 ± 106.9