Effects of exercise on depressive symptoms in adults with arthritis and other rheumatic disease: a systematic review of meta-analyses

Table 3 NNT, number whose depressive symptoms could benefit from exercise, and percentile improvement

Reference	NNT (95% CI)	Number Benefitting (95% CI) (millions)^a	U₃Index (95% CI)^b(Percentile Improvement)
Busch et al. (2006)[30]	6 (4, 13)	0.83 (1.25, 0.38)	22.9 (9.1, 33.9)
Hauser et al. (2010)[37]	9 (6, 23)	0.56 (0.83, 0.22)	12.6 (4.8, 20.2)

Notes: NNT, number needed to-treat; 95% CI, 95% confidence intervals; ^a, gross estimate of the number of US people with fibromyalgia who could improve their depressive symptoms if they started and maintained a regular exercise program. Based on an estimated 5 million US people with fibromyalgia[4] and assuming that none exercise regularly; ^b, Cohen’s U₃ Index[38].

ISSN: 1471-2474