| Study ID | Design | Randomisation | Allocation | Blinding | Group equality | Duration | Follow up | Conflict of interest | Other |
| Study ID | Design | Randomisation method | Concealment of allocation (to treatment or order of treatment) | Blinding of Participant, clinician & outcome assessment? | Equality of groups with respect to treatment (parallel trials) or treatment order (crossover trials) | Duration of trial | No of participants (proportion followed up) | Potential conflict of interest | Other |
| Akerlund 1989 | Crossover | Not stated | allocated off‐site | Blinding of participant, clinician & outcome assessment | Significantly more baseline pain and lower activity level in Ketoprofen first group | Single oral doses on 2 separate occasions | 42 (92%) | None stated | |
| Akinluyi 1987 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Blinding of participant, clinician & outcome assessment | Not reported | 2 X 2 cycles | 60 (100%) | Pharmaceutical company supplied drugs and "showed interest" | No statistical analysis |
| Al‐Waili 1990 | Crossover | Not stated | Pharmacy controlled | Blinding of participant, clinician & outcome assessment | Not reported | 2 X 2 cycles | 40 (100%) | None stated | |
| Andersch 1989 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Blinding of participant, clinician & outcome assessment | Not reported | 2 X 2 cycles | 60 (95%) | None stated | |
| Arnold 1983 | Parallel | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 4 cycles | 166 (86%) | One of researchers employed by pharmaceutical company | Pain relief outcomes reported in ridits and graphs. |
| Balsamo 1996 | Parallel | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 3 days | 40 (No withdrawals mentioned) | None stated | |
| Benassi 1993 | Parallel | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 5 cycles | 30 (No withdrawals mentioned) | None stated | No standard deviations reported for VAS data |
| Budoff 1979 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 2 X 3 cycles | 46 (96%) | None stated | |
| Cash 1982 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 2X2 months | 25 (88%) | Sponsored by pharmaceutical company | |
| Chan 1983 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | One control cycle then 1 cycle X 2 | 12 (100%) | Pharmaceutical companies donated drugs | |
| Costa 1987a | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 1 cycle | 12 (No withdrawals mentioned) | One of researchers employed by pharmaceutical company | Day One data in graphical form only, with no SDs |
| Costa 1987b | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 1 cycle | 14 (No withdrawals mentioned) | One of researchers employed by pharmaceutical company | Day One data in graphical form only, with no SDs |
| Dandenell 1979 | Parallel | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 2 cycles | 97 (89%) | One of researchers employed by pharmaceutical company | |
| Dawood 1999a | Crossover | Computer generated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 4 X 1 cycle | 97 (95%) | Sponsored by pharmaceutical company | |
| Dawood 1999b | Crossover | Computer generated | Unclear | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 3 X 1 cycle | 96 (97%) | Sponsored by pharmaceutical company | |
| De Souza 1991 | Parallel | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 2 X 1 cycle | 40 (No withdrawals mentioned) | None stated | |
| Delgado 1994 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 2 X 3 cycles | 80 (91%) | One of researchers employed by pharmaceutical company | |
| Di Girolamo 1999 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 1 control cycle then 3 X 1 cycles of treatment | 24 (100%) | None stated | |
| Elder 1979 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Blinding of participant, clinician & outcome assessment | Not reported | 3 X 2 cycles | 38 (84%) | Pharmaceutical companies donated drugs | Adverse effects reported are those considered "attributable to Indomethacin" |
| Ezcurdia 1998 | Crossover | Computer generated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 4 X 1 cycles | 52 (84% for single dose 25% for other data) | One of researchers employed by pharmaceutical company | |
| Facchinetti 2001 | Parallel | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 2 cycles | 308 (98%) | Sponsored by pharmaceutical company | |
| Fedele 1989 | Parallel | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 4 cycles | 45 (100%) | None stated. | A further 10 women were randomised to Pirprofen (drug withdrawn) |
| Gleeson 1983 | Crossover | Random numbers table | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 2 X 3 cycles | 31 (87%) | None stated | |
| Hamann 1980 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 2 X 2 cycles | 30 (87%) | Pharmaceutical companies donated drugs | |
| Hanson 1978 | Parallel | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 3 cycles | 69 (92%) | Partially sponsored by pharmaceutical company | |
| Henzl 1977b | Parallel | Random numbers table | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 4 cycles | 27 (85%) | One of researchers employed by pharmaceutical company | |
| Ingemanson 1984 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 2 X 1 cycle | 28 (100%) | One of researchers employed by pharmaceutical company | |
| Jacobson 1979 | Parallel | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Mean baseline pain score higher in placebo group; not stated whether difference statistically significant | 2 cycles | 40 (85%) | One of researchers employed by pharmaceutical company | |
| Jacobson 1983 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 2 X 2 cycles | 39 (No withdrawals mentioned) | One of researchers employed by pharmaceutical company | |
| Kajanjoja 1978 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Described as double blinded: details given of participant and outcome assessment blinding | Not reported | 2 X 3 cycles | 47 (100% 4+ cycles, 79% 6 cycles) | Sponsored by pharmaceutical company | |
| Kajanoja 1984 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Described as double blinded: details given of participant and outcome assessment blinding | Not reported | 2 X 2 cycles of each | 22 (86%) | Drugs supplied by pharmaceutical company | |
| Kapadia 1978 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Blinding of participant, clinician & outcome assessment | Not reported | 2 X 3 cycles | 44 (No withdrawals mentioned) | Drugs supplied by pharmaceutical company | Reports those adverse effects "that could have been caused by flufenamic acid" |
| Kintigh 1995 | Parallel | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Placebo group had significantly smaller percentage of women with severe baseline pain during cycle 2 and for cycles 1 & 2 combined. | 2 X 1 cycle | 410 (93%) | None stated | No standard deviations for continuous data. Reports those adverse effects "considered to be related to study medication" |
| Layes Molla 1974 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 2 X 1 cycle | 67 (89%) | Drugs supplied by pharmaceutical company | |
| Legris 1997 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Only statistically significant difference was cycle length ‐ longer in the group that received Niflumic acid first | 2 X 1 cycle | 69 (90%) | One of researchers affiliated to pharmaceutical company | |
| Lopez Rosales 1989 | Parallel | Not stated | Not stated | Blinding of participant, clinician & outcome assessment | Not reported | 3 X 3 cycles | 40 (100%) | Non stated | 20 additional participants were on Fentiazac (now withdrawn) |
| Marchini 1995 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 3 X 1 cycle | 60 (93%) | Two of researchers affiliated to pharmaceutical company | |
| Mehlisch 1990 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 3 X 1 cycle | 70 (86%) | Sponsored by pharmaceutical company | No standard deviations for continuous data |
| Mehlisch 1997 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Double blinded: No details given | Not reported | 3 X 1 cycle | 57 (89%) | One of researchers affiliated to pharmaceutical company | One of 3 study drugs not included in review (withdrawn) |
| Milsom 1985 | Crossover | Not stated | Not stated | Blinding of participant, clinician & outcome assessment | Yes | 2 X 2 cycles | 60 (95%) | None stated | Specifies sources of funding (academic institutions). Reports those adverse effects "which could be attributed to the use of the given treatment" |
| Milsom 2002d | Crossover | Computer generated | Assigned coded medications at enrolment | Double blinded: no further details given | Yes | 1 X 2 cycles | 98 (84%) | One of researchers affiliated to pharmaceutical company | |
| Milsom 2002e | Crossover | Computer generated | Assigned coded medications at enrolment | Double blinded: no further details given | Yes | 1 X 2 cycles | 82 (94%) | One of researchers affiliated to pharmaceutical company | |
| Moggian 1986 | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 3 cycles (one or two of which on active drug) | 67 (82%) | None stated | |
| Morrison 1979 | Parallel | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 4 cycles | 32 (No withdrawals mentioned) | None stated | |
| Morrison 1980 | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 3 X 1 cycle | 55 (93%) | One of researchers affiliated to pharmaceutical company | One of 3 study drugs not included in review (narcotic) |
| Onatra 1994 | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Baseline pain more severe in Piroxicam group: not stated if difference statistically significant | 2 X 2 cycles | 31 (No withdrawals mentioned) | None stated | |
| Osathanondh 1985 | Parallel | Unclear | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 4 cycles | 96 (88%) | Sponsored by pharmaceutical company | |
| Osinusi 1986 | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 2 X 2 cycles | 50 (94%) | Drugs provided by pharmaceutical company | |
| Pasquale 1988 | Parallel | Computer generated | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 1 cycle | 74 (92%) | Statistician affiliated to pharmaceutical company | No SDs for continuous data. |
| Pauls 1978 | Parallel | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 3 cycles | 17 (100%) | None stated | |
| Pedron 1995 | Parallel | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 2 cycles | 60 (No withdrawals mentioned) | None stated | |
| Petti 1985 | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 2 X 1 cycle | 33 (94%) | None stated | |
| Powell 1981 | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 2 X 3 cycles | 77 (90%) | None stated | Data on adverse effects includes only reactions "considered by the investigator as attributable to study medications" |
| Pulkkinen 1987 | Crossover | Sealed opaque sequentially numbered envelopes | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 2 X 2 cycles | 14 (93%) | Pharmaceutical company provided drugs and assistance in interpreting the data | |
| Riihiluoma 1981 | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 2 X 2 cycles | 35 (82%) | Drugs supplied by pharmaceutical company | |
| Rondel 1984 | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 2 X 2 cycles | 12 (100%) | Pharmaceutical company provided drugs and assistance in interpreting the data | |
| Saltveit 1985 | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 2 X 2 cycles | 92 (98%) | Supported by pharmaceutical company | |
| Saltveit 1989 | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 2 X 2 cycles | 198 (88%) | None stated | No standard deviations reported |
| Sande 1978 | Parallel | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Yes | 3 cycles | 37 (86%) | One of researchers affiliated to pharmaceutical company | |
| Soares 1993 | Parallel | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 2 X 1 cycle | 49 (93%) | None stated | |
| Villasenor 1984 | Parallel | Random numbers table | | Double blinded: No details given | Diclofenac group older with longer history of dysmenorrhoea: not stated whether differences were statistically significant | 1 cycle | 40 (No withdrawals mentioned) | None stated | |
| Wilhelmsson 1985A | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 2 X 1 cycle | 83 (No withdrawals mentioned) | Not stated. | |
| Wilhelmsson 1985B | Crossover | Not stated | | Double blinded: No details given | Not stated | 2 X 1 cycle | 23 (100%) | Not stated | |
