Table 4 Efficacy and heterogeneity

All doses of anti-TNFα drugs vs. control (4618 vs. 2261)

ACR20

2709/4618

941/2261

1.8 (1.4–2.3)

6 (5–7)

157.7*

92

ACR50

1879/4618

519/2261

2.5 (1.8–3.4)

6 (5–6)

109.8*

89

ACR70

1106/4618

2.8 (1.9–4.1)

8 (7–9)

52.4*

77

Recommended doses of anti-TNFα drugs vs. control (2874 vs. 2260)

ACR20

1808/2874

949/2261

1.8 (1.4–2.3)

5 (5–6)

149.5*

92

ACR50

1247/2874

519/2261

2.4 (1.7–3.4)

5 (5–6)

102.9*

88

ACR70

733/2874

270/2261

2.7 (1.8–4.1)

7 (7–9)

49.2*

76

High-doses of anti-TNFα drugs vs. control (1169 vs. 921)

ACR20

697/1169

293/921

2.5 (1.5–4.2)

4 (4–5)

57.2*

93

ACR50

469/1169

149/921

3.4 (2.0–5.8)

5 (4–5)

30.5*

87

ACR70

295/1169

85/921

3.9 (2.0–7.6)

7 (6–8)

16.6*

76

Low-doses of anti-TNFα drugs vs. control (251 vs. 252)

ACR20

108/251

39/252

2.9 (1.7–5.1)

4 (3–6)

4.9

59

ACR50

60/251

18/252

3.2 (2.0–5.3)

6 (5–10)

1.5

0

ACR70

23/251

6/252

3.5 (1.4–8.6)

15 (10–38)

1.2

0

Anti-TNFα drugs vs. control in patients with No insufficient response to MTX (1964 vs. 1010)

ACR20

1346/1964

641/1010

1.1 (0.9–1.3)

NS

2.4

9

ACR50

1013/1964

408/1010

1.3 (1.1–1.5)

9 (7–13)

8.8

55

ACR70

669/1964

227/1010

1.5 (1.3–1.7)

12 (9–19)

7.0

43

Anti-TNFα drugs vs. control in patients with insufficient response to MTX (2654 vs. 1251)

ACR20

1427/2654

308/1251

2.3 (2.0–2.7)

4 (3–5)

28.2*

75

ACR50

866/2654

113/1251

3.6 (2.9–4.4)

5 (4–5)

7.2

3

ACR70

437/2654

43/1251

4.4 (3.2–6.0)

7 (6–8)

4.2

0

Anti-TNFα drugs at recommended doses plus MTX vs. MTX alone in patients with insufficient response to MTX (779 vs. 743)

ACR20

444/779

167/743

2.6 (2.1–3.3)

3 (3–4)

4.3

7

ACR50

274/779

65/743

4.1 (2.6–6.6)

4 (4–5)

4.6

13

ACR70

132/779

30/743

4.1 (2.4–7.1)

8 (7–11)

2.5

0

Anti-TNFα drugs versus placebo at recommended doses (191 vs. 190)

ACR20

98/191

30/190

3.4 (1.6–7.3)

3 (3–4)

3.8*

74

ACR50

56/191

13/190

4.4 (1.5–12.5)

5 (4–7)

2.9

66

ACR70

25/191

3/190

8.1 (2.5–26.4)

9 (7–16)

0.1

0

Anti-TNFα drugs at recommended doses plus MTX versus MTX alone in patients with no previous resistance to MTX (882 vs. 793)

ACR20

631/882

500/793

1.2 (1.1–1.2)

10 (7–16)

0.4

0

ACR50

504/882

315/793

1.6 (1.4–1.7)

6 (5–8)

1.1

0

ACR70

352/882

180/793

1.8 (1.5–2.1)

6 (5–8)

3.9

23

Anti-TNFα drugs versus MTX at recommended doses (704 vs. 702)

ACR20

466/704

474/702

1.0 (0.9–1.1)

NS

6.9*

71

ACR50

320/704

309/702

1.0 (0.9–1.2)

NS

3.6

45

ACR70

177/704

162/702

1.1 (0.9–1.3)

NS

2.2

11