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. 2015 Jun 15;2015(6):CD007402. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007402.pub3

Sugioka 1984.

Methods R, DB, AC, parallel groups
Gel applied to affected area 3 to 4 times daily, without occlusion, for 14 days
Assessed at baseline, 7, 14 days
Participants Non‐traumatic diseases of muscle or tendon
N = 366 (340 analysed for efficacy)
M 115, F 202 (completers)
Age range 12 to 84 years (most 30 to 70)
Baseline pain on movement "none" or "mild" in about 1/3 of participants
Exclusions for protocol violations: 8 piroxicam, 18 indomethacin
Interventions Piroxicam gel 0.5%, 3 to 4 x 1 g daily, n = 183
Indomethacin gel 1%, 3 to 4 x 1 g daily, n = 183
No concomitant anti‐inflammatory or analgesic drug, including steroids, or initiation of physical therapy allowed
Outcomes PGE: 5‐point scale (responder = "better" or "much better")
Pain on movement: 4‐point scale (responder = "reduced" or "disappeared")
Notes Oxford Quality Score: R1, DB2, W1. Total = 4/5
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Unclear risk Not described
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Low risk Key code sealed and retained until end of study
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) 
 All outcomes Low risk "both packages were of the same appearance and indistinguishable", and investigators did not see contents
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 All outcomes Low risk All relevant participants included in analysis
Size Unclear risk 50 to 200 participants per treatment arm