Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Studies that were randomised and controlled were included.
Specific interventions included in the review
IRSB: guanethidine, droperidol, reserpine, ketanserin, bretylium with or without heparin, and with or without lignocaine. Control agents included bupivicaine, heparin, normal saline and lignocaine.
Participants included in the review
Patients with chronic pain associated with RSD were included.
Outcomes assessed in the review
The outcomes assessed included: mean daily pain intensity, description of current pain and daily visual analogue scale (VAS) pain, mean pain intensity, mean weekly pain intensity, greater than 50% reduction in VAS pain intensity, duration of VAS relief greater than 30 mm, somatosensory tests and VAS pain intensity (provoked and ongoing).
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors do not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the authors performed the selection.