5.4. Analysis.

Comparison 5: Topical salicylic acid versus placebo, Outcome 4: Change in lesion counts ‐ inflamed (counts or %)

Change in lesion counts ‐ inflamed (counts or %)
Study	Subgroup	Salicylic acid	Placebo	P value
Eady 1996	Number reduction ‐ short, medium and long term (12 weeks after start of treatment)	Unclear, not reported	Unclear, not reported	no difference; no difference; < 0.022
Shalita 1981	percent reduction ‐ short term	29.5%	20%	not report and the author did not state whether this difference is significant
Shalita 1981	percent reduction ‐ medium term	44.6%	23%	not report and the author did not state whether this difference is significant
Shalita 1981	percent reduction ‐ long term: 12 weeks after start of treatment	54%	29%	not report and the author did not state whether this difference is significant