Comparison 4. Postoperative pain intensity at 12 hours: perineural dexamethasone versus placebo.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Postoperative pain intensity at12 hours	5	257	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.08 [‐2.63, ‐1.52]
2 Postoperative pain intensity at 12 hours: medium‐ versus long‐acting local anaesthetic subgroups	5	257	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.08 [‐2.63, ‐1.53]
2.1 Long‐acting local anaesthesia	4	234	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.21 [‐2.77, ‐1.66]
2.2 Medium‐acting local anaesthesia	1	23	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.22 [‐2.38, ‐0.06]
3 Postoperative pain intensity at 12 hours: additive versus no additive subgroups	5	257	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.08 [‐2.63, ‐1.52]
3.1 Additives	1	23	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.20 [‐2.36, ‐0.04]
3.2 No additives	4	234	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.21 [‐2.77, ‐1.66]
4 Postoperative pain intensity at 12 hours: high‐ versus low‐dose dexamethasone subgroups	5	257	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.08 [‐2.63, ‐1.52]
4.1 High‐dose dexamethasone	3	177	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.17 [‐3.29, ‐1.06]
4.2 Low‐dose dexamethasone	2	80	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.99 [‐2.75, ‐1.22]
5 Postoperative pain intensity at 12 hours: high/unclear versus low risk of bias subgroups	5	257	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.08 [‐2.63, ‐1.52]
5.1 High/unclear versus low risk of bias	3	103	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.81 [‐2.53, ‐1.09]
5.2 Low risk of bias	2	154	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.61 [‐3.88, ‐1.34]