Efficacy and Safety of Iguratimod for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Table 3

Summary of the findings for the main comparison: iguratimod compared to the other DMARDs (MTX and SASP) for rheumatoid arthritis.

Outcomes	Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI)		Relative effect (95% CI)	No. of participants (studies)	Quality of the evidence (GRADE)	Comments
	Assumed risk	Corresponding risk
	Other DMARDs (MTX and SASP)	Iguratimod
ACR20/24 weeks	581 per 1000	505 per 1000 (435 to 592)	RR 0.87 (0.75 to 1.02)	533 (2 studies)	⊕ ⊕ ⊕ ⊝moderate^1	Important
Tender joint count		The mean tender joint count in the intervention groups was −0.01 lower (−0.18 lower to 0.16 higher)		533 (2 studies)	⊕ ⊕ ⊕ ⊝moderate^1	Important
Swollen joint count		The mean swollen joint count in the intervention groups was −0.15 lower (−0.32 lower to 0.02 higher)		533 (2 studies)	⊕ ⊕ ⊕ ⊝moderate^1	Important
Assessment of rest pain		The mean assessment of rest pain in the intervention groups was −0.10 lower (−0.27 lower to 0.07 higher)		530 (2 studies)	⊕ ⊕ ⊕ ⊝moderate^1	Important
Physician global assessment of disease activity		The mean physician global assessment of disease activity in the intervention groups was −0.03 higher (−0.14 lower to 0.20 higher)		533 (2 studies)	⊕ ⊕ ⊕ ⊝moderate^1	Important
Patient global assessment of disease activity		The mean patient global assessment of disease activity in the intervention groups was −0.05 lower (−0.22 lower to 0.12 higher)		531 (2 studies)	⊕ ⊕ ⊕ ⊝moderate^1	Important
HAQ score		The mean HAQ score in the intervention groups was −0.09 higher (−0.08 lower to 0.26 higher)		533 (2 studies)	⊕ ⊕ ⊕ ⊝moderate^1	Important
CRP		The mean CRP in the intervention groups was −0.13 lower (−0.3 to 0.04 lower)		532 (2 studies)	⊕ ⊕ ⊕ ⊝moderate^1	Important
ESR		The mean ESR in the intervention groups was −0.05 lower (−0.22 lower to 0.12 higher)		523 (2 studies)	⊕ ⊕ ⊕ ⊝moderate^1	Important

∗The basis for the assumed risk (e.g., the median control group risk across studies) is provided in footnotes. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI). CI: confidence interval; RR: risk ratio; MTX: methotrexate; SASP: salazosulfapyridine.
GRADE working group grades of evidence.
High quality: further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect.
Moderate quality: further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate.
Low quality: further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.
Very low quality: we are very uncertain about the estimate.
¹Random sequence of one study cannot mention how to be generated in detail, and no intent-to-treat analysis was included.