Project description:Background: Treatment for post-stroke spasticity (PSS) remains a major challenge in clinical practice. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is often administered to assist in routine care (RC) in the treatment of PSS, with increasing numbers of clinical research and preclinical studies suggesting that it has potential benefits. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the add-on effects and safety of CHM for PSS. Methods: Five English and four Chinese databases were searched from their respective inception to 28 February 2018. We included randomized controlled trials that evaluated the add-on effects of CHM for PSS, based on changes in the scores of the (Modified) Ashworth Scale (AS or MAS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Sensorimotor Recovery (FMA), and Barthel Index (BI). Results: Thirty-five trials involving 2,457 patients were included. For upper-limb AS or MAS, the estimated add-on effects of CHM to RC were significantly better when using oral (SMD -1.79, 95% CI: -3.00 to -0.57) or topical CHM (SMD -1.06, 95% CI: -1.40 to -0.72). For lower-limb AS or MAS, significant add-on benefits to RC were also detected (SMD -1.01, 95% CI: -1.43 to -0.59 and SMD -1.16, 95% CI: -1.83 to -0.49) using oral and topical CHM, respectively. For FMA and BI, better results were detected when adding CHM to RC, except for the subgroup of oral CHM for upper-limb FMA. Ten of the 35 included studies reported safety information, with two of them mentioning two mild adverse events. Conclusions: Noting the quality concerns of the included trials, this review suggests that CHM appears to be a well-tolerated therapy for patients with PSS, and the potential add-on effects of CHM in reducing spasticity and improving the daily activities of patients with PSS require further rigorous assessment.
Project description:Background: Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has advantages in treating sequela symptoms of pediatric pneumonia convalescence. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CHM using a meta-analysis approach. Methods: The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met the search strategy were selected from seven databases from the inception date to December 17, 2021. Based on the Cochrane handbook, the quality of the selected studies was assessed using the risk of bias. Data were expressed as relative risk (RR) or mean difference (MD) and with 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were performed. The Grading Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) method was used to assess the evidence certainty. Result: Twenty RCTs with 2,241 participants were identified using the search criteria. CHMs included Danshen injection, Liujunzi decoction, Qingfei Tongluo decoction, Yiqi Huoxue decoction, Yupingfeng granule, XiaoErFeiKe granule, Sha-Sheng-Mai-Dong decoction, and so on. Results indicated that CHM combined with Western medicine (WM) or CHM alone improved the total clinical effective rate (RR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.15-1.29), reduced cough relief time (MD = -2.16; 95% CI: -2.46 to -1.85), lung rales disappearance time (MD = -1.82; 95% CI: -2.17 to -1.47), and length of hospital stay (MD = -2.01, 95% CI: -3.81 to -0.22) in the treatment of pneumonia convalescence in children. However, there was no significant statistical difference regarding the incidence of adverse reactions (RR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.23-1.43). Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/; Identifier CRD42022298936.
Project description:Chinese herbal medicine is commonly used as a treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), but its efficacy and safety remain to be examined. To compare the efficacy and adverse events of Chinese herbal medicine alone or used adjuvantly with Western medications for BPH. Two independent reviewers searched the major electronic databases for randomized controlled trials comparing Chinese herbal medicine, either in single or adjuvant use with Western medication, with placebo or Western medication. Relevant journals and grey literature were also hand-searched. The outcome measures included changes in urological symptoms, urodynamic measures, prostate volume and adverse events. The frequency of commonly used herbs was also identified. Out of 13 922 identified citations of publications, 31 studies were included. Eleven studies with a Jadad score ≥ 3 were selected for meta-analysis. Chinese herbal medicine was superior to Western medication in improving quality of life and reducing prostate volume. The frequency of adverse events in Chinese herbal medicine was similar to that of placebo and less than that of Western medication. The evidence is too weak to support the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine for BPH due to the poor methodological quality and small number of trials included. The commonly used herbs identified here should provide insights for future clinical practice and research. Larger randomized controlled trials of better quality are needed to truly evaluate the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine.
Project description:BackgroundPost-stroke insomnia (PSI) is a highly prevalent complication in patients with stroke. However, there has been no comprehensive systematic review assessing the efficacy and safety of herbal medicine (HM) on PSI. This protocol was developed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the evidence related to the efficacy and safety of HM on PSI.MethodsWe will perform a comprehensive electronic search, including Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, AMED, CINAHL, PsycARTICLES, and Chinese, Korean, and Japanese databases from their inception to November 2020. This systemic review will include only randomized controlled clinical trials of HM on PSI. The main outcome is the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score. Two researchers will independently screen citations and abstracts, identify full-text articles for inclusion, extract data, and appraise the quality and risk of bias of included studies. A meta-analysis will be conducted using Review Manager 5.4. The evidence quality of each outcome will be appraised according to Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation.ResultsThis protocol adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-P (PRISMA-P) guidelines to ensure clarity and completeness of reporting in all phases of the systematic review.ConclusionThis study will provide evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of HM for the treatment of PSI.Ethics and disseminationNo ethical approval will be needed because data from previously published studies in which informed consent was obtained by primary investigators will be retrieved and analyzed. We will publish this systematic review in a peer-reviewed journal.Osf registration doi10.17605/OSF.IO/PEHQZ.
Project description:ObjectiveTo systematically review the clinical efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) with and without Western medicine (WM) for different severity of COVID-19.MethodsCNKI, PubMed, Wanfang Database, ClinicalTrails.gov, Embase, ChiCTR and ICTRP were searched from 01 Jan, 2020 to 30 Jun, 2021. Two authors independently assessed all the randomized clinical trials (RCTs) for trial inclusion, data extraction and quality assessment. Meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager software (RevMan 5.4.1). Evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Primary outcomes included total effectiveness rate. Secondary outcomes included improvements in symptom improvement and total adverse event rate. Different severity of COVID-19 patients was assessed in subgroup analysis. This study was registered with INPLASY, INPLASY202210072.Results22 high quality RCTs involving 1789 participants were included. There were no trial used CHM alone nor compare placebo or no treatment. Compared with WM, combined CHM and WM (CHM-WM) treatment showed higher total effectiveness rate, lower symptom scores of fever, cough, fatigue, dry throat and pharyngalgia, shorter mean time to viral conversion, better Computerized Tomography (CT) image and blood results, fewer total adverse events and worse conditions (P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that the total effectiveness rate of combined CHM-WM group was significantly higher than WM group, especially for mild and moderate patients. No significant differences in mortality and adverse events were found between combined CHM-WM and WM treatment. No serious adverse events and long-term outcomes were reported.ConclusionCurrent evidence supported the therapeutic effects and safety of combined CHM-WM treatment on COVID-19, especially for patients with mild and moderate symptoms. Long-term effects of therapy are worthy in further study.
Project description:BackgroundKnee osteoarthritis (OA) is a major public health concern causing chronic disability as well as a substantial burden on health care and the economy. However, effective treatments for knee OA were still not available. Numerous clinical studies have suggested that Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) seems to be clinically effective in treating knee OA. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CHM in the treatment of knee OA through a systematic review and network meta-analysis.MethodsA comprehensive search will be performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Database, and 3 clinical trials registration websites, from the database inception to May 2021. Randomized controlled trials meeting the eligible criteria based on the PICOS framework will be included. All studies fulfilling the eligible criteria will be assessed for risk of bias using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool. The primary outcome will be the visual analog scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and total effective rate. The secondary outcome is the incidence of adverse events. Data analysis will be performed using Stata, Addis, and WinBUGS.DiscussionThis study will provide a reliable evidence to assess effectiveness and safety of CHM for knee OA, which may provide guidance for clinical practice.Systematic review registrationThis study protocol has been registered on INPLASY202160060.
Project description:Objective: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the effectiveness and security of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in the therapy of painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN). Methods: We searched databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of CHM in the treatment of PDN. Outcome indicators included nerve conduction velocity, clinical efficiency, pain score, TCM syndrome score, and adverse events. Stata 16.0 was used to carry out the Meta-analysis. Results: A total of 21 RCTs with 1,737 participants were included. This meta-analysis found that using CHM as adjuvant treatment or as monotherapy for PDN can improve SCV of median nerve [mean difference (MD) = 3.56, 95% Confidence interval (CI) (2.19, 4.92) ], MCV of median nerve [ MD = 3.82, 95% CI (2.51, 5.12) ], SCV of common peroneal nerve [ MD = 4.16, 95% CI (1.62, 6.70) ], MCV of common peroneal nerve [ MD = 4.37, 95% CI (1.82, 6.93) ], SCV of gastrocnemius nerve [ MD = 4.95, 95% CI (3.52, 6.37) ], SCV of tibial nerve [ MD = 3.17, 95% CI (-2.64, 8.99) ], MCV of tibial nerve [MD = 6.30, 95%CI (5.00, 7.60)] and clinical effective rate [ odds ratio (OR) = 4.00, 95% CI (2.89, 5.52) ] and reduce pain score [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -2.23, 95% CI (-3.04, -1.41) ], TCM syndrome score [ MD = -4.70, 95% CI (-6.61, -2.80) ]. In addition, compared to the control group, adverse events of Chinese medicine intervention occurred less. Conclusion: CHM as adjuvant therapy or single treatment has a good curative effect and is safe for patients with PDN, which is worthy of clinical promotion and use, however; higher quality clinical studies are still needed to prove. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/, identifier CRD42022327967.
Project description:BackgroundMigraine is a prevalent headache disorder with significant impacts on patients' quality of life and economic burden. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is commonly prescribed for migraine in China. This review aimed to provide a rigorous evaluation of evidence on the efficacy of oral CHM for migraine and explore the correlation between its effect size and treatment duration.MethodsWe searched nine digital databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, AMED, BioMedical Literature, CNKI, CQVIP, and Wanfang Data) from their inceptions to May 2021, with the language being restricted to Chinese and English. Randomized, placebo-controlled trials using oral CHM to treat adult migraine were included. Data screening and extraction were conducted by two independent reviewers. The methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Meta-analyses were conducted to estimate the effect size using a random effect model, and a robust variance estimation (RVE) model was constructed to explore the correlation between treatment effects and treatment duration. The certainty of the evidence was assessed with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. Publication bias was tested using a funnel plot and Egger's test.ResultsA total of 18 RCTs involving 3,015 participants were included. Results of the meta-analyses showed that, at the end of the treatment phase, CHM was more efficacious than placebo in reducing migraine frequency, migraine days, and pain severity, and increasing response rate. Additionally, CHM showed superior effects to placebo in lowering migraine frequency and pain severity at the end of the 4-week follow-up. The RVE model suggested that the benefits of CHM for migraine frequency and pain intensity increased as treatment duration extended. The number of adverse events reported by the CHM and placebo groups was comparable. The certainty of the evidence was graded as "moderate." No publication bias was detected.ConclusionOral CHM appeared to be more efficacious than placebo for reducing migraine frequency and pain severity. Greater treatment effects were associated with longer treatment duration. The oral CHM was well tolerated.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#recordDetails, identifier: CRD42021270719.
Project description:Background: Ovarian cancer (OvC) is a malignant tumor which invades ovarian epithelium and interstitium. Reduction surgery combined with adjuvant chemotherapy is standard treatment for OvC patients, but the adverse effects due to chemotherapy still remains a major problem. While Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) therapy has a unique therapeutic effect to reduce side effects of chemotherapy by boosting immune system, the evidence of CHM in the treatment of OvC patients are limited. Objective: We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CHM in the treatment of OvC after reduction surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Method: Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and PubMed up to Dec 31st 2018 were searched to identify relevant studies. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included, and there was no limitation on language of the publication. Data were extracted from all included studies and meta-analysis was performed with Review Manager 5.3. Study quality was assessed and pooled risk ratios (RR) or mean difference (MD) with 95% CIs were used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CHM. Results: A total of 18 RCTs involving 975 participants were included. There was no placebo, no treatment and CHM alone. Compared with Western Medicine (WM) alone, Chinese herbal Medicine combined with WM (CHM-WM) significantly improved TCM syndromes and symptoms, KPS scores, CD4 counts, CA125 levels, and 3-years survival rate (P < 0.05). Incidences of gastrointestinal reactions, marrow depression, urinary system symptoms were significantly lower in CHM-WM group than in WM group (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in CD3 counts, CD8 counts, quality of life, liver function, and peripheral neuropathy between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The systematic review indicated that CHM combined with WM is effective and safe as a treatment for OvC patients after reduction surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. However, more high-quality and large-scale RCTs are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of CHM intervention.
Project description:Background: Constipation is a common but often ignored side effect of antipsychotic treatment, although it is associated with adverse outcomes. The results of the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCM) in treating constipation are mixed across studies. This is a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of the efficacy and safety of TCM compared to Western medicine (WM) in treating antipsychotic-related constipation. Methods: Major international electronic (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) and Chinese (Wanfang, WeiPu VIP, SinoMed, and CNKI) databases were searched from their inception to November 29, 2020. Meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model. Results: Thirty RCTs with 52 arms covering 2,570 patients in the TCM group and 2,511 patients in the WM group were included. Compared with WM, TCM alone was superior regarding the moderate response rate [risk ratio (RR) = 1.165; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.096-1.238; P < 0.001], marked response rate (RR = 1.437; 95% CI: 1.267-1.692; P < 0.001), and remission rate (RR = 1.376; 95% CI: 1.180-1.606; P < 0.001) for constipation, while it was significantly associated with lower risk of rash (RR = 0.081; 95% CI: 0.019-0.342; P = 0.001). For the moderate response rate, meta-regression analyses revealed that publication year (β = -0.007, P = 0.0007) and Jadad score (β = 0.067, P < 0.001) significantly moderated the results. For the remission rate, subgroup and meta-regression analyses revealed that the geographical region (P = 0.003), inpatient status (P = 0.035), and trial duration (β = 0.009, P = 0.013) significantly moderated the results. Conclusions: The efficacy of TCM for antipsychotic-related constipation appeared to be greater compared to WM, while certain side effects of TCM, such as rash, were less frequent.