Table 3 Comparisons of treatment effects: a network meta-analysis

  Glucosamine

195

−1.75

0.034*

−3.32, −0.17

  NSAIDs

292

−1.74

0.047*

−3.44, −0.03

  Diacerein

209

−1.78

0.024*

−3.24, −0.32

  Placebo

187

0

-

-

  Diacerein vs. glucosamine

-

−0.03

0.964

−1.58, 1.52

  NSAIDs vs. glucosamine

-

0.01

0.988

−1.52, 1.54

  Diacerein vs. NSAIDs

-

−0.04

0.893

−0.72, 0.64

  Glucosamine

73

17.70

0.367

−35.46, 70.87

  NSAIDs

79

−7.03

0.334

−26.51, 12.45

  Diacerein

164

−6.2

0.597

−39.69, 27.29

  Placebo

159

0

-

-

  Diacerein vs. glucosamine

-

−23.90

0.218

−72.85, 25.06

  NSAIDs vs. glucosamine

-

−24.74

0.180

−69.91, 20.44

  Diacerein vs. NSAIDs

-

0.84

0.899

−18.52, 20.20

  Glucosamine

408

1.47

0.139

−0.74, 3.68

  NSAIDs

164

−0.38

0.612

−2.31, 1.55

  Diacerein

397

−0.75

0.521

−3.75, 2.24

  Placebo

491

0

-

-

  Diacerein vs. glucosamine

-

−2.22

0.078

−4.84, 0.39

  NSAIDs vs. glucosamine

-

−1.85

0.065

−3.88, 0.18

  Diacerein vs. NSAIDs

-

−0.376

0.643

−2.46, 1.71

  Glucosamine

408

−2.42

0.534

−11.18, 6.33

  NSAIDs

503

1.53

0.463

−3.13, 6.20

  Diacerein

189

1.89

0.392

−3.02, 6.81

  Placebo

407

0

-

-

  Diacerein vs. glucosamine

-

4.32

0.436

−8.03, 16.67

  NSAIDs vs. glucosamine

-

3.96

0.438

−7.43, 15.34

  Diacerein vs. NSAIDs

-

0.36

0.913

−7.16, 7.89

  Glucosamine

390

−0.15

0.480

−0.66, 0.36

  NSAIDs

397

−0.77

0.207

−2.14, 0.60

  Diacerein

196

−0.89

0.097

−2.01, 0.23

  Placebo

499

0

-

-

  Diacerein vs. glucosamine

-

−0.74

0.193

2.00, −0.52

  NSAIDs vs. glucosamine

-

0.62

0.205

−1.71, 0.47

  Diacerein vs. NSAIDs

-

−0.12

0.788

−1.20, 0.96

  Glucosamine

214

−1.12

0.063

−2.36, 0.12

  Diacerein

75

0.03

0.970

−2.13, 2.18

  Placebo

192

0

-

-

  Diacerein vs. glucosamine

-

1.15

0.331

−4.32, 2.01

  Glucosamine

357

−0.08

0.363

−0.31, 0.14

  Diacerein

246

0.12

0.207

−0.10, 0.34

  Placebo

597

0

-

-

  Diacerein vs. glucosamine

-

−0.20

0.001*

−0.27, −0.14

Adverse event

N

RR

P value

95% CI

  Glucosamine

1,474

1.07

0.398

0.92, 1.23

  NSAIDs

814

2.20

<0.001*

1.56, 3.11

  Diacerein

381

1.91

<0.001*

1.36, 2.69

  Placebo

1,634

1

-

-

  Diacerein vs. glucosamine

-

1.80

0.001*

1.27, 2.55

  NSAIDs vs. glucosamine

-

2.07

<0.001*

1.47, 2.91

  Diacerein vs. NSAIDs

-

0.87

0.416

0.62, 1.22

  Glucosamine

1,850

0.84

0.103

0.68, 1.04

  NSAIDs

899

1.33

0.038*

1.02, 1.77

  Diacerein

1,345

1.44

<0.001*

1.24, 1.68

  Placebo

1,917

1

-

-

  Diacerein vs. glucosamine

-

1.72

<0.001*

1.34, 2.22

  NSAIDs vs. glucosamine

-

1.60

0.004*

1.16, 2.19

  Diacerein vs. NSAIDs

-

1.08

0.576

0.98, 1.50