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. 2014 Nov 26;2014(11):CD007403. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007403.pub3

Zahmatkash 2011.

Methods RCT, DB, parallel groups
Duration 6 weeks
Assessment weekly
Participants Osteoarthritis of the knee
N = 92
M = 2, F = 90
Mean age 52 years (SD 12.4)
Interventions Salicylate (unspecified), n = 46
Herbal (cinnamon, ginger, mastic, sesame oil) ointment, n = 46
2 g ("a knuckle") of ointment massaged over knee for 1 minute, x 3 daily, for 6 weeks
Outcomes PI: 100 mm VAS
Morning stiffness: 100 mm VAS
Nightly pains: 100 mm VAS
Walking pain in previous 24 h assessed each week
Use of rescue medication (paracetamol, sedatives)
Notes Oxford Quality Score: R1 DB1 W1. Total = 3/5
Participants had to have "stability in taking medication within last two weeks", but it is unclear whether this medication was continued during the study
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Unclear risk Method used to generate random sequence not described. Used block randomisation.
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Method not described
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk Method not described
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk Withdrawals < 10% (apparently lost to follow‐up). No indication of compliance or tolerability
Size High risk < 50 participants per treatment arm

DB: double‐blind; F: female; LOCF: last observation carried forward; M: male; N: total number in study; n: number in treatment arm; PI: pain intensity; PR: pain relief; R: randomised; RCT: randomised controlled trial; W: withdrawals