Table 1 Characteristics of included studies

Oral

Kvien, 2008,

Norway [21]

Not defined

60.4;

83;

77 (93%)

-ACR; Clinical (>1 swollen joint, >1 tender joint) and radiological (KL score >2) diagnosis

-Hand

Prednisolone and dipyridamole vs placebo

1/day;

3mg prednisolone + 200mg dipyridamole -> 1-7 days

1/week;

3mg prednisolone + 400mg dipyridamole ->8-42 days;

6 weeks

Reduction in pain from baseline to day 42 (AUSCAN scale)

7,14,28, 42 days

Wenham, 2012, UK [22]

Outpatient clinics

61.5;

70;

57 (81.5%)

-ACR; clinical and radiological (KL score ≥1) diagnosis

-Hand

Prednisolone vs placebo

1/day;

5mg;

4 weeks

Change in pain at 4 weeks (VAS)

4,12 weeks

Kroon, 2019,

The Netherlands [8]

Outpatient clinics

63.9;

92;

73 (79.5%)

-ACR; clinical diagnosis (signs of inflammation in DIP and PIP joints)

-Hand

Prednisolone vs placebo

1/day;

10mg->6 weeks, then

5mg->1 week, then

2.5mg->1week

6 weeks

Change in pain at 6 weeks (VAS)

6,8,14 weeks

Intra-articular

Meenagh, 2004, UK [23]

Hospital referred patients

60;

40;

36 (90%)

-ACR

-Thumb CMC

Triamcinolone hexacetonide vs saline

Once;

Triamcinolone: 5mg/0.25mL

Sterile 0.9% saline: 0.25mL

20% Pain improvement of at 24 weeks (VAS)

4,12,24 weeks

Stahl, 2005, Israel [24]

Not defined

62;

52;

46 (88.5%)

-Clinical and radiological (EL stage II) diagnosis

-Thumb CMC

Methylprednisolone acetate vs hyaluronic acid

1/week;

Methylprednisolone: 40mg

HA: 15mg;

1 week

Not reported

1,3,6 months

Fuchs, 2006, Germany [25]

Not defined

Median 61;

56;

45 (80%)

-Clinical and radiological (KL score >0) diagnosis

-Thumb CMC

Triamcinolone vs HA

1/week;

Triamcinolone: 10mg/1mL

HA: 10mg/1mL;

3 weeks

Pain (VAS)

1,2,3,4,5,14,26 weeks

Heyworth, 2008, USA [26]

Enrolled from the practices of the 2 senior authors

63;

60;

52 (86.7%)

-Standard clinical and radiological diagnosis

-Thumb CMC

Betamethasone vs HA vs placebo

1/week;

Betamethasone: 1^st week-> placebo and 2^nd week-> (no dose mentioned)/1mL active component

HA: 1mL/week

Placebo: 1mL normal saline/week;

2 weeks

Not reported

2,4,12,24 weeks

Bahadir, 2009, Turkey [27]

Not defined

62;

40;

40 (100%)

-Clinical and radiological (EL stage II-III) diagnosis

-TMJ

Triamcinolone vs HA

1/week;

Triamcinolone: 20mg/0.5 mL

HA: 5mg/0.5mL;

3 weeks

Not reported

1,3,6,12 months

Jahangiri, 2014, Iran [28]

Clinic, or referred by primary care physicians

63.6;

60;

44 (73%)

-Clinical and radiological (EL stage II-IV) diagnosis

-Thumb CMC

Methylprednisolone and lidocaine vs dextrose and lidocaine

1/month;

Methylprednisolone: 1^st and 2^nd month-> 1 mL 0.9% saline,

3^rd month-> 40mg methylprednisolone/0.5 ml and 0.5mL 2% lidocaine

Dextrose: 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd month-> 20% dextrose /0.5mL and 0.5 mL 2% lidocaine;

3 months

Pain intensity (VAS)

1,2,6 months

Monfort, 2014, Spain [29]

Outpatient clinics

62.8;

88;

77 (88%)

-ACR, clinical and radiological (KL score 1-3) diagnosis

-Thumb CMC

Betamethasone vs HA

1/week;

Betamethasone: 3mg/0.5mL

HA: 5mg/0.5mL;

3 weeks

Function (FIHOA Score)

7,14,30,90,180 days

Spolidoro, 2015, Brazil [30]

Outpatient clinic

60.7%;

60;

58 (96.7%)

-ACR, clinical and radiological (osteophytes) diagnosis

-IP

Triamcinolone and lidocaine vs lidocaine

1/week;

Triamcinolone: 4mg/0.2mL (DIP) or 6mg/0.3mL (PIP) and 2% lidocaine

Lidocaine: 0.1mL 2% lidocaine;

1 week

Pain at rest (VAS)

1,4,8,12 weeks

Sabaah 2020, Egypt [31]

Not defined

52.5;

38 (86.7%)

-Clinical and radiological (EL stage IV) diagnosis

-Thumb CMC

Betamethasone and lidocaine vs HA vs PRP

Once;

Betamethasone: (dose not mentioned)/1mL betamethasone and 0.25mL lidocaine

HA: 1mL

PRP: 1mL

Not reported

4,12 weeks

Malahias, 2021, Greece [32]

Not defined

62.9;

33;

26 (81%)

-Clinical and radiological (EL stage I-III) diagnosis

-Thumb CMC

Methylprednisolone and lidocaine vs PRP

1/15days;

Methylprednisolone: 125mg/2mL and 2% lidocaine

PRP: 2.5mL;

30 days

Not reported

3,12 months