Comparison 1. rofecoxib versus placebo 8 weeks.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Withdrawals ‐all	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.1 5mg	1	326	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.69 [0.43, 1.10]
1.2 25mg	1	339	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.69 [0.44, 1.09]
1.3 50mg	1	329	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.73 [0.47, 1.15]
2 Withdrawals‐due to lack of efficacy	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
2.1 5mg	1	326	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.71 [0.39, 1.28]
2.2 25mg	1	339	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.45 [0.23, 0.89]
2.3 50mg	1	329	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.48 [0.24, 0.94]
3 Withdrawals‐due to all adverse events	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
3.1 5mg	1	326	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.06 [0.31, 3.60]
3.2 25mg	1	339	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.57 [0.52, 4.71]
3.3 50mg	1	329	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.09 [0.73, 5.97]
4 Withdrawals ‐ due to GI	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
4.1 5mg	1	326	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	5.31 [0.26, 109.84]
4.2 25mg	1	339	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	6.88 [0.36, 132.14]
4.3 50mg	1	329	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5 Adverse events‐Hypertension	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
5.1 5mg	1	326	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.21 [0.01, 4.39]
5.2 25mg	1	339	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.46 [0.48, 12.49]
5.3 50mg	1	329	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.61 [0.51, 13.25]
6 Adverse events ‐Lower extremity oedema	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
6.1 5mg	1	326	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.06 [0.15, 7.46]
6.2 25mg	1	339	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.96 [0.36, 10.58]
6.3 50mg	1	329	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.09 [0.39, 11.24]
7 Efficacy ‐ACR 20 responders	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
7.1 5mg	1	326	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.03 [0.76, 1.38]
7.2 25mg	1	339	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.39 [1.07, 1.80]
7.3 50mg	1	329	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.55 [1.20, 1.99]
8 Efficacy ‐ACR 20 responders: methotrexate users	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
8.1 5mg	1	88	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.08 [0.61, 1.91]
8.2 25mg	1	104	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.31 [0.80, 2.13]
8.3 50mg	1	100	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.53 [0.96, 2.44]
9 Efficacy ‐ACR 20 responders: methotrexate nonusers	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
9.1 5mg	1	237	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.06 [0.73, 1.54]
9.2 25mg	1	232	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.41 [1.00, 1.99]
9.3 50mg	1	228	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.58 [1.13, 2.20]