TABLE 4.
Summary of findings table
| Patient or population: endodontic treatment Intervention: ibuprofen Comparison: other drugs/placebo Outcomes | Anticipated absolute effects* (95% CI) | Relative effect (95% CI) | № of participants (studies) | Quality of the evidence (GRADE) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risk with ibuprofen | Risk with other drugs | ||||
| Intensity of pain assessed with: pain scales at 6/8 hours (ibuprofen vs other drugs) | - | SMD -0.24 SD lower (-0.65 lower to 0.16 lower) | - | 232 (5 RCTs) | ⨁ ⨁ ◯ ◯ LOWa, c |
| Intensity of pain assessed with: pain scales at 24 hours (ibuprofen vs other drugs) | - | SMD -0.01 SD higher (-0.40 lower to 0.39 higher) | - | 232 (5 RCTs) | ⨁ ⨁ ◯ ◯ LOWa, c |
| Intensity of pain assessed with: pain scales at 6/8 hours (ibuprofen vs placebo) | - | SMD -0.72 SD lower (-1.53 lower to 0.09 higher) | - | 258 (6 RCTs) | ⨁ ⨁ ◯ ◯ VERY LOWa, b, c |
| Intensity of pain assessed with: pain scales at 24 hours (ibuprofen vs placebo) | - | SMD -0.35 SD lower (-0.96 lower to 0.26 higher) | - | 258 (6 RCTs) | ⨁ ⨁ ◯ ◯ VERY LOWa a, b |
| Intensity of pain assessed with: pain scales at 24 hours (ibuprofen vs placebo) (sensitivity analysis) | - | SMD -0.61 SD lower (-1.05 lower to -0.17 higher) | - | 232 (5 RCTs) | ⨁ ⨁ ◯ ◯ LOWa, c |
The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI). CI: Confidence interval, SMD: Standardized mean difference, GRADE: Working Group grades of evidence, High quality: We are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect, Moderate quality: We are moderately confident in the effect estimate: The true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different, Low quality: Our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: The true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect, Very low quality: We have very little confidence in the effect estimate: The true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect, a: Most RCT are at “unclear” risk of bias, b: Statistical heterogeneity, c: High 95% confidence interval, which does not exclude important harm or benefit