Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 12 Randomized Controlled Trials Evaluating the Efficacy of Invasive Radiofrequency Treatment for Knee Pain and Function
Table 3
Subgroup analyses of the WMD of VAS scores between RF group and control group at different time points (one week, one month, and three months).
Subgroups
No. of studies
WMD and 95% CI
Z-value
Heterogeneity
I2(%)
One week after treatment
Location
Asia
5
-2.02 (-3.15, -0.89)
3.49
<0.01
92.2
<0.01
Europe
1
-0.65 (-1.22,-0.08)
2.25
0.03
–
–
Blindness
Yes
2
-0.64 (-1.14,-0.14)
2.52
<0.01
0.0
0.95
No
4
-2.34 (-3.47,–1.22)
4.09
0.01
91.3
<0.01
RF mode
Pulsed
2
-0.80 (-1.26,-0.34)
3.42
<0.01
0.0
0.36
Radiofrequency ablation
4
-2.25 (-3.43,-1.08)
3.77
<0.01
90.9
<0.01
Concomitant therapy
Yes
3
-2.77 (-3.71,-1.84)
5.83
<0.01
83.9
<0.01
No
3
-0.77 (-1.19,-0.35)
3.59
<0.01
0.0
0.63
Site of radiofrequency
Genicular nerve
3
-1.80 (-2.81, -0.78)
3.47
<0.01
74.8
0.02
Intra-articular
3
-1.77 (-3.82, 0.27)
1.70
0.09
97.5
<0.01
Sex ratio (female vs. male)
< 2
2
-1.48 (-3.12, 0.17)
1.76
0.08
92.5
<0.01
≥ 2
4
-1.92 (-3.42, -0.43)
2.52
0.01
94.0
<0.01
One month after treatment
Location
America
1
-0.90(-1.62, -0.18)
2.46
0.01
-
Asia
8
-1.42 (-2.10, -0. 73)
4.06
<0.01
89.8
<0.01
Europe
1
-1.86 (-2.87,-0. 85)
3.60
<0.01
-
–
Blindness
Yes
4
-1.43 (-3. 27, 0.42)
1.51
0.13
93.6
<0.01
No
6
-1.50 (-1.91,–1.08)
7.02
<0.01
67.2
<0.01
RF mode
Cooled
1
-0.90 (-1.62, -0.18)
2.46
0.01
-
-
Pulsed
5
-0.97 (-1.86,-0.08)
2.13
0.03
84.9
<0.01
Radiofrequency ablation
4
-2.08 (-2.90,-1.25)
4.74
<0.01
80.1
<0.01
Concomitant therapy
Yes
3
-1.72 (-2.24,-1.21)
6.56
<0.01
48.3
0.15
No
7
-1.34 (-2.20,-0.47)
3.04
<0.01
88.0
<0.01
Site of radiofrequency
Genicular nerve
5
-1.83 (-2.57, -1.09)
4.82
<0.01
83.0
<0.01
Intra-articular
5
-0.97 (-1.86, -0.08)
2.13
0.03
84.9
<0.01
Sex ratio (female vs. male)
< 2
6
-0.93 (-1.63, -0.23)
2.62
0.01
80.9
<0.01
≥ 2
4
-2.13 (-2.95, -1.31)
5.07
<0.01
78.0
<0.01
Three months after treatment
Location
America
1
-2.40 (-3.07, -1.73)
7.02
<0.01
-
Asia
6
-1.17 (-2.39, 0.05)
1.88
0.06
92.2
<0.01
Europe
1
-1.28 (-2.23,-0. 33)
2.65
<0.01
-
–
Blindness
Yes
4
-0.69 (-2.82,-1.44)
0.63
0.53
94.2
<0.01
No
5
-1.88 (-2.39,-1.37)
7.17
<0.01
53.0
0.08
RF mode
Cooled
1
-2.40 (-3.07, -1.73)
7.02
<0.01
-
-
Pulsed
4
-0.00 (-1.42,-1.42)
0.00
0.99
88.7
<0.01
Radiofrequency ablation
4
-2.23 (-2.80,-1.67)
7.77
<0.01
39.1
0.18
Concomitant therapy
Yes
3
-2.01 (-2. 45,-1.57)
8.99
<0.01
0.0
0.99
No
6
-0.98 (-2.45, 0.50)
1.30
0.19
93.3
<0.01
Site of radiofrequency
Genicular nerve
4
-2.36 (-2.92, -1.80)
8.24
<0.01
35.9
0.20
Intra-articular
5
-0.43 (-1.84, 0.98)
0.59
0.55
92.5
<0.01
Sex ratio (female vs. male)
< 2
5
-0.76 (-2.30, 0.78)
0.96
0.34
93.9
<0.01
≥ 2
4
-2.00 (-2.97, -1.04)
4.07
<0.01
76.3
<0.01
WMD: weighted mean difference; CI: confidence interval. value for Z test; value for Q test.
