LAUSR

Key Points Question What are the oral placebo responses and associated factors of osteoarthritis in clinical trials? Findings In this model-based meta-analysis of 130 clinical trials with 12 673 participants, the placebo response on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index subscale was associated with the baseline scores for pain, stiffness, and function. Associations were also noted with sample size, intervention drugs, proportion of patients who had previously used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and publication year. Meaning The findings of this study suggest that the model developed can be used during clinical trial design and decision-making in clinical practice as a tool to evaluate the placebo response at different baseline levels of symptoms.