Table 3.

Results

Outcome	N RCTs	N Patients	Effect estimate (95% CI)*
Curcuminoid vs. Placebo
Pain36–40	5	331	SMD −0.81 (−1.25, −0.37), I2= 71%
Function37,39,40	3	232	SMD −0.48 (−0.74, −0.22), I2= 0%
Use of Rescue Medication36–38	3	141	RR 0.65 (0.48, 1.05), I2= 74%
Serious Adverse Events37,38,40	3	237	Due to zero events, an effect estimate was not estimable.
Withdrawals due to Adverse Events36–38,40	4	288	RR 0.90 (0.21, 3.79), I2= 14%
Gastrointestinal Adverse Events36,37,40	3	247	RR 2.22 (0.94, 5.26), I2= 0%
Boswellia vs. Placebo
Pain41–44	4	216	SMD −2.04 (−2.81, −1.27), I2= 79%
Function41–44	4	216	SMD −1.52 (−2.24, −0.79), I2= 80%
Use of Rescue Medication	ND	ND	ND
Serious Adverse Events43,44	2	120	Due to zero events, an effect estimate was not estimable.
Withdrawals due to Adverse Events41–44	4	255	RR 0.75 (0.13, 4.20), I2= 0%
Gastrointestinal Adverse Events41,43,44	3	180	RR 0.93 (0.17, 5.10), I2= 0%
Curcuminoid vs. NSAID
Pain45,46	2	422	SMD −0.05 (−0.41, 0.31), I2= 60%
Function46	1	331	SMD −0.02 (−0.24, 0.19), I2= NA
Time to complete 100 meter walk (seconds)45	1	91	SMD −0.30 (−0.71, 0.11), I2= NA
Use of Rescue Medication46	1	367	RR 2.46 (0.48, 12.52), I2= NA
Serious Adverse Events45	1	100	Due to zero events, an effect estimate was not estimable.
Withdrawals due to Adverse Events45,46	2	474	RR 0.22 (0.05, 0.99), I2= 0%
Gastrointestinal Adverse Events45,46	2	467	RR 0.74 (0.60, 0.91), I2= 0%

^*Statistically significant effects are written in bold font. Negative standardized mean differences favor Treatment, and positive standardized mean differences favor Placebo. Risk ratios less than one favor Treatment, and risk ratios greater than one favor Placebo.

RCT= Randomized controlled trial; N= “number of…”; CI= Confidence Interval; SMD= Standardized Mean Difference; I²= measure of heterogeneity, with 100% being the maximum possible heterogeneity; NA= Not applicable; RR= Risk Ratio; ND= No data