3.5 Pain score
Four studies included data concerning pain score at baseline in the HIFU and surgery groups. Four studies included a total of 81 and 94 women in the HIFU and surgery groups, respectively. The MD before interventions between the two groups was not significantly different, with an estimated value of 0.17 (95% CI, -0.19 to 0.52). Heterogeneity among the studies was low (I 2=0%, p=0.37) (Fig. 2A). The mean pain scores after HIFU or surgery decreased significantly at the postoperation follow-up compared with baseline in both groups. The pain scores immediately after management were higher in the HIFU group than in the surgery group, with an overall MD of -1.58 (95% CI, -2.56 to -0.59, p=0.002, I2=58%) (Fig. 2B). There was no statistically significant difference in pain scores at the 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-ups between the two groups, with overall MDs of -0.01 (95% CI, -0.30 to 0.28, p=0.94, I2=0%) (Fig. 2C), 0.04 (95% CI, -0.18 to 0.27, p=0.70, I2=0%) (Fig. 2D) and -0.08 (95% CI, -0.35 to 0.19, p=0.56, I2=0%) (Fig. 2E), respectively.