Table 2 Summarized results of direct comparisons according to type of interventions

  Glu vs. Pla

3

83.4

89 vs. 89

−1.44 (−3.01, 0.12)

  Glu vs. NSAIDs

2

0

106 vs. 110

−0.90 (−1.67, −0.14)*

  Dia vs. Pla

2

0

103 vs. 98

−2.23 (−2.82, −1.64)*

  Dia vs. NSAIDs

2

0

181 vs. 182

0.15 (−0.29, 0.59)

  Glu vs. Pla

6

0

437 vs. 423

−2.49 (−4.14, −0.83)*

  Glu vs. Pla

2

79.8

73 vs. 76

5.67 (−11.26, 22.61)

Pain WOMAC score change

  Glu vs. Pla

10

66.3

1,069 vs. 1,056

−0.75 (−1.18, −0.32)*

  Glu vs. NSAIDs

2

85.5

425 vs. 423

−0.07 (−1.5, 1.36)

  Glu vs. Pla

4

81

408 vs. 418

0.06 (−1.33, 1.45)

  Glu vs. Pla

10

67.6

1,069 vs. 1,056

−0.58 (−1.98, 0.81)

  Glu vs. NSAIDs

2

77.1

425 vs. 423

−0.84 (−2.95, 4.63)

  Glu vs. Pla

4

90.5

408 vs. 418

−4.78 (−5.96, −3.59)*

  Dia vs. Pla

2

0

110 vs. 110

−7.72 (−18.83, 3.39)

  Dia vs. NSAIDs

2

92.9

189 vs. 185

−6.64 (−10.50, −2.78)*

  Glu vs. Pla

7

68.1

759 vs. 743

−0.02 (−0.06, 0.03)

  Glu vs. Pla

3

31.5

390 vs. 389

0.09 (−0.38, 0.56)

  Dia vs. Pla

2

1

110 vs. 110

−0.68 ( −1.20, −0.16)^*

  Glu vs. Pla

2

87.7

207 vs. 205

−1.03 (−1.34, −0.72) ^*

  Dia vs. Pla

2

0

340 vs. 337

0.002 (−0.704, 0.708)

  Glu vs. Pla

4

86.4

357 vs. 350

0.008 (−0.232, 0.248)

RR (95% CI)

  Glu vs. Pla

16

7.3

1,366 vs. 1,365

1.12 (1.02, 1.23)*

  Glu vs. NSAIDs

5

81.9

631 vs. 632

0.53 (0.24, 1.20)

  Dia vs. Pla

4

76.6

275 vs. 278

5.58 ( 2.14, 14.59)*

  Dia vs. NSAIDs

2

97.6

181 vs. 182

1.59 ( 0.47, 5.44)

  Glu vs. Pla

14

0

1,217 vs. 1,211

0.99 ( 0.82, 1.19)

  Glu vs. NSAIDs

5

74.3

631 vs. 632

0.51 ( 0.22, 1.20)

  Dia vs. Pla

6

94.9

937 vs. 701

2.00 ( 0.69, 5.74)

  Dia vs. NSAIDs

3

86.6

373 vs. 267

1.37 ( 0.89, 2.10)