Efficacy and safety of radiofrequency treatment for improving knee pain and function in knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Table 3 Subgroup analysis of the WMD of pain scores between two groups at 1–2 weeks after treatment

Outcomes	No. of trials	WMD (95% CI)	Z-value	P	Heterogeneity
Outcomes	No. of trials	WMD (95% CI)	Z-value	P	I²(%)	P
RF mode
RFA	6	− 1.76 [− 2.30, − 1.22]	6.39	< 0.001	86	< 0.001
Others	4	− 1.61 [− 2.32, − 0.89]	4.39	< 0.001	40	0.17
Location
Asia	8	− 1.63 [− 2.07, − 1.20]	7.31	< 0.001	80	< 0.001
Others	2	− 2.45 [− 3.46, − 1.43]	4.73	< 0.001	0	0.50
Site of radiofrequency
Genicular nerve	5	− 1.64 [− 2.19, − 1.09]	5.83	< 0.001	84	< 0.001
Intra-articular	5	− 1.83 [− 2.48, − 1.17]	5.47	< 0.001	56	0.06
Diagnosed nerve block
Yes	2	− 1.11 [− 2.40, − 0.17]	1.70	0.09	43	0.19
No	8	− 1.81 [− 2.27, − 1.35]	7.71	< 0.001	82	< 0.001
Sex ratio (female/male)
< 2	5	− 1.51 [− 2.27, − 0.75]	3.91	< 0.001	65	0.06
≥ 2	5	− 1.59 [− 2.15, − 1.02]	5.50	< 0.001	62	0.03
BMI
< 30	2	− 1.80 [− 3.29, − 0.31]	2.37	0.02	82	0.02
≥ 30	2	− 1.11 [− 2.40, 0.17]	1.70	0.09	43	0.19

WMD, weighted mean difference; RF, radiofrequency; RFA, radiofrequency ablation; BMI, body mass index

ISSN: 1749-799X