2.3. Statistical Analysis. Data from all studies were pooled
in a meta-analysis to determine the overall effect size with
95% confidence interval. Studies that employed other procedures/medications
in addition to herbal compress in the
intervention arm or used different measures were excluded
from meta-analyses. Pooled effects were calculated and stratified
according to indications of herbal compress and its
comparators. In addition to the pooled effects of individual
comparators (such as NSAIDs, knee exercise, and hot compress)
a collection of all comparators was formulated for each
treatment indication and called a “combined comparator.”
The combined comparator analyses were undertaken to
examine the overall impact of herbal compress for each
outcome regardless of comparative treatments. To avoid
duplication of studies with more than one comparator arms,
only one comparator was selected from each study to be
included in a combined comparators analysis. The following
are order of preferences used to choose the best comparator
for each indication: (a) OA: NSAIDs (nonsteroidal antiinflammatory
drugs), knee exercise, and hot compress [29]
and (b) myofascial pain: NSAIDs and hot compress [30].
Mean changes of the outcome variables for each treatment
arm were calculated by subtracting the baseline mean with
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine