Table 3 Merger results of alone and combined of each indicator

Benefit

Effective /%

11

2.44;95%CI(1.87,3.19),P< 0.00001

20

3.7;95%CI(2.72,5.02),P< 0.00001

Morning stiffness /min

13

‒3.83;95% CI (‒4.87, -2.8),P< 0.00001

20

‒10.51;95%CI (‒12.72,-8.31), P< 0.00001

TJC

13

‒0.95;95% CI (‒1.39, -0.51), P< 0.00001

17

‒0.82;95%CI (‒1.6,-0.03), P = 0.04

SJC

13

‒1.65;95% CI (‒2.1, -1.19), P< 0.00001

17

‒1.25;95% CI (‒1.98, -0.52), P = 0.0008

ESR/mm/h

11

‒5.15;95% CI (‒7.98, -2.23), P< 0.0004

26

‒6.96;95% CI (‒9.65, -4.27), P < 0.00001

RF/IU/ml

9

‒2.36;95% CI (‒3.25, -1.48), P < 0.00001

22

‒10.18;95% CI (‒16.4, -3.97), P = 0.001

CRP/mg/L

8

‒2.63;95% CI (‒5.49, -0.24), P = 0.07

19

‒5.14;95% CI (‒6.63, -3.66), P< 0.00001

Risk

Adverse effects Rate /%

6

0.39;95%CI (0.21,0.72), P = 0.003

20

0.62;95%CI (0.43,0.89), P = 0.008

Gastrointestinal reaction /%

12

0.46;95%CI (0.19,1.12), P = 0.09

19

0.61;95%CI (0.43,0.85), P = 0.003

Liver damage /%

6

0.23;95%CI (0.07,0.73), P = 0.03

15

0.45;95%CI (0.26,0.78), P = 0.002

Leucopenia /%

8

0.51;95%CI (0.18,1.44), P = 0.2

17

0.48;95%CI (0.29,0.78), P = 0.003

Skin lesions /%

9

1.54;95%CI (0.61,3.89), P = 0.36

20

1.4;95%CI (0.88,2.23), P = 0.16

Others/%

7

0.13;95%CI (0.04,0.38), P = 0.0002

8

0.47;95%CI (0.25,0.88), P = 0.02