Our objective was to characterize studies addressing management of OA-related pain with respect to the breadth of interventions, trial duration and size, outcome measures, and funding sources.
The study, called the Postmenopausal Estrogen / Progestin Interventions trial, has resulted in the most comprehensive assessment to date of the risks and benefits of hormone therapy.
Data were abstracted using standardized forms to include trial characteristics (design and duration), interventions, trial quality, patient characteristics, and outcome measures.
This could reflect limitations of the specific tested interventions, trial design, or the amyloid cascade hypothesis, and has promoted interest in alternative treatment strategies.
Also, differences in study populations, interventions, trial design, and outcomes definitions introduce potential confounding and bias to the analysis, where baseline differences in trial populations may have affected the outcomes.
Details on study characteristics were extracted, including design; selection criteria; compared interventions; trial duration; number of randomised and intention-to-treat (ITT) patients; and allowance of gastro-protective agents, aspirin, and rescue medication use.
