5.3. Analysis.
Comparison 5: Topical salicylic acid versus placebo, Outcome 3: Change in lesion counts (counts or %)
| Change in lesion counts (counts or %) | ||||
| Study | Subgroup | Salicylic acid | Placebo | P value |
| Eady 1996 | Number of whitehead reduction (short, medium and long term) | Unclear, not reported | Unclear, not reported | no difference; no difference; < 0.002 |
| Eady 1996 | Number of total counts reduction (short, medium and long term) | Unclear, not reported | Unclear, not reported | no difference; < 0.043; < 0.001 |
| Eady 1996 | Number of papules reduction (short, medium and long term) | Unclear, not reported | Unclear, not reported | no difference; no difference; 0.022 |
| Shalita 1981 | Percent reduction ‐total (long term: 12 weeks after start of treatment) | 38.4% | 24.6% | not report and the author did not state whether this difference is significant |
| Techapichetvanich 2011 | Percent reduction ‐ noninflamed (long term: 10 weeks after start of treatment) | 83.77% | 25.83% | 0.001 |
| Techapichetvanich 2011 | Percent reduction ‐ total counts (long term: 10 weeks after start of treatment) | 83.97% | 35.94% | 0.001 |