Network Meta-analysis of Oral Chinese Patent Medicine in Adjuvant Treatment of Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of various oral Chinese patent medicines in the adjuvant treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome （CP/CPPS） based on network Meta-analysis. MethodRandomized controlled trials （RCTs） of oral Chinese patent medicine in the adjuvant treatment of CP/CPPS were retrieved from the databases of China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang， VIP， SinoMed， PubMed， Cochrane Library， EMbase， and Web of Science from database inception to November， 2022. The quality of the included literature was evaluated according to the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool， and the data were analyzed by RevMan 5.4 and Stata 16 software. ResultA total of 63 RCTs were included， with 13 kinds of oral Chinese patent medicines involved， including Qianlie Shutong capsules， Ningmitai capsules， Qianlie Beixi capsules， Sanjin tablets， etc. The results of the network Meta-analysis showed that in terms of clinical effective rate， the intervention measure ranked first was Qianlie Beixi capsules combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of reducing pain， the intervention measure ranked first was Sanjin tablets combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of reducing urination disorder， the intervention measure ranked first was Relinqing granules combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of improving quality of life， the intervention measure ranked first was Qianlie Beixi capsules combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of reducing the total National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index （NIH-CPSI） score， the intervention measure ranked first was Yinhua Miyanling tablets combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of reducing leukocyte count in prostatic secretions， the intervention measure ranked first was Qianlie Jiedu capsules combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of safety， the intervention measure with the least adverse reactions was Qianlie Shutong capsules combined with conventional western medicine. The cluster analysis results showed that Qianlie Shutong capsules combined with conventional western medicine had outstanding efficacy and high safety. ConclusionOral Chinese patent medicine in the adjuvant treatment of CP/CPPS can improve the comprehensive efficacy， reduce the NIH-CPSI score and leukocyte count in prostatic secretions， and improve the quality of life of patients. For clinical treatment， the preferred choice is Qianlie Beixi capsules or Qianlie Shutong capsules combined with conventional western medicine. Limited by the quantity and quality of literature included in this study， the results need to be verified by high-quality studies with a larger sample size.

Comparative assessment of efficacy and safety of approved oral therapies for overactive bladder: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Purpose: To compare the effectiveness and safety of marketed oral drugs for overactive bladder based on a systematic review and network meta-analysis approach. Methods: Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Register of Clinical Trials databases were systematically searched. The search time frame was from database creation to June 2, 2022. Randomized controlled double-blind trials of oral medication for overactive bladder were screened against the protocol's entry criteria. Trials were evaluated for quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, and data were statistically analyzed using Stata 16.0 software. Result: A total of 60 randomized controlled double-blind clinical trials were included involving 50,333 subjects. Solifenacin 10mg was the most effective in mean daily micturitions and incontinence episodes, solifenacin 5/10mg in mean daily urinary urgency episodes and nocturia episodes, fesoterodine 8mg in urgency incontinence episodes/d and oxybutynin 5mg in voided volume/micturition. In terms of safety, solifenacin 5mg, ER-tolterodine 4mg, mirabegron, vibegron and ER-oxybutynin 10mg all showed a better incidence of dry mouth, fesoterodine 4mg, ER-oxybutynin 10mg, tolterodine 2mg, and vibegron in the incidence of constipation. Compared to placebo, imidafenacin 0.1mg showed a significantly increased incidence in hypertension, solifenacin 10mg in urinary tract infection, fesoterodine 4/8mg and darifenacin 15mg in headache. Conclusion: Solifenacin showed better efficacy. For safety, most anticholinergic drugs were more likely to cause dry mouth and constipation, lower doses were better tolerated. The choice of drugs should be tailored to the patient's specific situation to find the best balance between efficacy and safety.

The optimal dose of oral tranexamic acid in melasma: A network meta-analysis

Background: Melasma is a chronic skin condition that adversely impacts quality of life. Although many therapeutic modalities are available there is no single best treatment for melasma. Oral tranexamic acid has been used for the treatment of this condition but its optimal dose is yet to be established. Objectives: We used network meta-analysis to determine the optimal dose of oral tranexamic acid for the treatment of melasma. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of all studies of oral tranexamic acid for the treatment of melasma up to September 2020 using PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library database. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Jadad score and the Cochrane’s risk of bias assessment tool. Only high quality randomised controlled trials were selected. Some studies lacked standard deviation of changes from baseline and these were estimated using the correlation coefficient obtained from another similar study. Results: A total of 92 studies were identified of which 6 randomized controlled trials comprising 599 patients were included to form 3 pair-wise network comparisons. The mean age of the patients in these studies ranged from 30.3 to 46.5 years and the treatment duration ranged from 8 to 12 weeks. The Jadad scores ranged from 5 to 8. The optimal dose and duration of oral tranexamic acid was estimated to be 750 mg per day for 12 consecutive weeks. Limitations: Some confounding factors might not have been described in the original studies. Although clear rules were followed, the Melasma Area and Severity Index and the modified Melasma Area and Severity Index were scored by independent physicians and hence inter-observer bias could not be excluded. Conclusion: Oral tranexamic acid is a promising drug for the treatment of melasma. This is the first network meta-analysis to determine the optimal dose of this drug and to report the effects of different dosages. The optimal dose is 250 mg three times per day for 12 weeks, but 250 mg twice daily may be an acceptable option in poorly adherent patients. Our findings will allow physicians to balance drug effects and medication adherence. Personalized treatment plans are warranted.

Bayesian Network Meta-analysis of Therapeutic Effect of Oral Chinese Patent Medicines on Coronary Artery Disease Complicated with Carotid Atherosclerosis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo compare the therapeutic effects of oral Chinese medicines （including Chinese patent medicines） on coronary artery disease （CAD） by the Bayesian network Meta-analysis. MethodThe randomized controlled trials of treating CAD with oral Chinese medicines were retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang Data， VIP， PubMed， Web of Science， Embase， and Cochrane Library from the inception to December 1， 2022. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was used to evaluate the quality of the included articles. The direct meta-analysis was performed to compare the performance of oral Chinese medicines alone and in combination with Western medicine in the treatment of CAD in terms of intima-media thickness （IMT）， vascular endothelial function， plaque score， hypersensitive C-reactive protein （hs-CRP）， total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， and total response rate. Furthermore， the Bayesian network Meta-analysis was performed to compare the therapeutic effects of different Chinese medicines. ResultA total of 41 articles were included. The direct meta-analysis results showed that Chinese medicines combined with Western medicine outperformed Western medicine alone in recovering all the indicators of CAD. The Bayesian network meta-analysis yielded the following results. In terms of the total response rate， modified Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang and Sanqi Huayu pills had obvious advantages over other Chinese medicines. In terms of IMT and plaque score， Xiaoban Huazhuo decoction， Yiqi Tongluo formula， Ruangan Jiangzhi capsules， and Guanxin Shutong capsules had obvious advantages over other Chinese medicines. In terms of blood lipid indicators， Shenqi Roumai mixture， Ruangan Jiangzhi capsules， Xiaoban Huazhuo decoction， Qiwei Sanxiong decoction， and Sanqi Huayu pills were superior to other Chinese medicines. The Chinese medicines above mainly had the functions of activating blood， resolving stasis， resolving phlegm， and dredging vessels. ConclusionThe combination of oral Chinese medicines and Western medicine is effective in treating CAD. Clinicians can use the drugs targeting abnormal indicators according to the results of this Bayesian network meta-analysis combined with the actual situation of patients to achieve better therapeutic effects.

A network meta-analysis of 5 Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional western medicine in the treatment of coronary heart disease complicated with anxiety and depression / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of five different Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional western medicine therapy in the treatment of coronary heart disease with anxiety and depression.Methods:Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Chinese patent medicine combined with conventional western medicine therapy and conventional western medicine therapy in the treatment of coronary heart disease with anxiety and depression were retrieved from China Academic Journal Database (Wanfang Data), China Biomedical Literature Service System (SinoMed), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database (Chongqing VIP), Cochrane Library, PubMed and Embase databases from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2020. The Jadad score and Cochrane bias risk assessment tool were used to assess the bias risk of the included literature. The RevMan 5.3, Stata 16.0 and GeMTC 14.3 software were used for network meta-analysis.Results:A total of 32 articles involving 3 494 patients were included. In terms of clinical efficacy, the clinical efficacy of conventional western medicine combined with Zhenyuan Capsule [ OR (95% CI)=16.64 (6.38, 43.44)], Xinkeshu Tablets [ OR (95% CI)=4.67 (3.26, 6.68)], Wuling Capsule [ OR (95% CI)=4.65 (2.48, 8.72)], Guanxinjing Capsule [ OR (95% CI)=2.93 (1.37, 2.64)] weres better than that of conventional western medicine alone. The clinical efficacy of combined Zhenyuan Capsule was better than that of combined Xinkeshu Tablets [ OR (95% CI)=3.56 (1.28, 9.94)], Wuling Capsule [ OR (95% CI)=3.58 (1.13, 11.34)], Guanxinjing Capsule [ OR (95% CI)=5.69 (1.68, 19.32)] or Shugan Jieyu Capsule [ OR (95% CI)=9.29 (2.79, 30.96)]. Compared with Shugan Jieyu Capsule, Xinkeshu Tablets had better clinical efficacy [ OR (95% CI)=2.61 (1.16, 5.87)]. The SUCRA order of the effective rate of clinical efficacy was as follows conventional western medicine treatment combined with Zhenyuan Capsule (SUCRA=99.6)>with Xinkeshu Tablets (SUCRA=67.5) > with Wuling Capsule (SUCRA=65.0) > with Guanxinjing Capsule (SUCRA=41.6) > with Shugan Jieyu Capsule (SUCRA=25.8)>conventional western medicine treatment (SUCRA=0.5). Combined Xinkeshu Tablets [ MD (95% CI)=-8.85 (-14.16, -3.62)] was superior to conventional western medicine in reducing HAMD score. In terms of reducing HAMA score, compared with conventional western medicine therapy, the combination of Wuling Capsule [ MD (95% CI)=-7.61 (-14.82, -0.40)] and Xinkeshu Tablets [ MD=-6.18, 95% CI (-9.78, -2.58)] has better curative effect. The SUCRA of Chinese patent medicine in reducing HAMA of coronary heart disease complicated with anxiety and depression was combined with Wuling Capsule (SUCRA=82.8) > with Xinkeshu Tablets (SUCRA=78.2). In terms of adverse reactions, the safety of combined five Chinese patent medicines was better than that of conventional western medicine. Conclusions:The clinical efficacy and safety of conventional western medicine combined with five kinds of Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of coronary heart disease complicated with anxiety and depression were better than those of conventional western medicine alone. Among them, the combination of Zhenyuan Capsule was the most likely to be the best treatment. The combination of Xinkeshu Tablets was better in reducing HAMD scores, and the combination of Xinkeshu Tablets and Wuling Capsule is better in reducing HAMA scores. More high-quality RCT studies are needed to verify the conclusions.

Efficacy and safety of 4 kinds of hemocoagulases combined with proton pump inhibitor for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding：a network meta-analysis / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To systematically evaluate the difference of efficacy and safety of four kinds of commonly used haemocoagulases combined with proton pump inhibitor （PPI） for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding （NVUGIB）， and to provide evidence-based basis for clinical decision-making. METHODS Retrieved from PubMed， Web of Science， Wanfang data， VIP and CNKI databases， randomized controlled trials （RCTs） or cohort studies about Hemocoagulase agkistrodon blomhoffii， Haemocoagulase agkistrodon， hemocoagulase and Hemocoagulase bothrops atrox combined with PPI were collected during the inception to Dec. 2021. Two researchers independently screened the literature， extracted data and evaluated the quality of included studies. ADDIS 1.16.8 software was used to conduct a Bayesian network meta-analysis. RESULTS A total of 33 studies were included， involving 3 602 patients. Results of network meta-analysis showed that： in terms of hemostatic efficacy， compared with PPI monotherapy， four kinds of haemocoagulases combined with PPI could significantly improve the hemostatic efficacy of patients （P＜0.05）； there was no statistical significance in the pairwise comparison of different hemocoagulases （P＞0.05）. The optimal probabilistic ranking of network meta-analysis was as follows： Hemocoagulase agkistrodon blomhoffii combined with PPI＞ Hemocoagulase bothrops atrox combined with PPI＞Haemocoagulase agkistrodon combined with PPI＞hemocoagulase combined with PPI＞PPI alone. In terms of the incidence of adverse drug reactions （ADR）， compared with PPI monotherapy， there was no statistical difference in the incidence of ADR among four kinds of haemocoagulases combined with PPI （P＞0.05）. There was no statistical significance in the pairwise 88325750。E-mail：fengyufei@126.com comparison of different hemocoagulases （P＞0.05）. The optimal probabilistic ranking of network meta-analysis was as follows： hemocoagulase combined with PPI＞Hemocoagulase bothrops atrox combined with PPI＞Hemocoagulase agkistrodon blomhoffii combined with PPI＞Haemocoagulase agkistrodon combined with PPI＞PPI alone. CONCLUSIONS Compared with PPI monotherapy， four different sources of hemocoagulases combined with PPI have better efficacy and similar safety in the treatment of NVUGIB. There is no significant difference in efficacy and safety among different hemocoagulases.

Regulation of Immune Function of Cyclophosphamide-induced Immunosuppressed Mice by Five Plant Polysaccharides： A Network Meta-analysis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo compare the regulatory effects of five plant polysaccharides on immune function of cyclophosphamide （CTX）-induced immunosuppressed mice by network Meta-analysis， to provide evidence for the clinical application of polysaccharides and the development of effective polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. MethodSeven databases including PubMed， Embase and Web of Science were searched， and studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the risk of bias tool of Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation （SYRCLE）， and the data were analyzed using RStudio and StataSE 17. ResultA total of 62 randomized controlled trials （RCTs） were included， involving 1 512 mice and five plant polysaccharides： Astragalus polysaccharide （APS）， lentinan （LNT）， Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide （GLP）， Poria cocos polysaccharide （PCC）， and Codonopsis pilosula polysaccharide （CPP）. The network Meta-analysis showed that APS ranked first in increasing spleen index （mean deviation （MD）=3.54， 95% confidence interval （CI） ［2.10， 5.96］）， thymus index （MD=1.98， 95%CI ［1.55， 2.54］） and T helper cells （CD4+）/T suppressor cells （CD8+） （MD=1.63， 95%CI ［1.13， 2.37］）， while CPP ranked first in up-regulating the number of peripheral blood leukocytes （MD=24.16， 95%CI ［8.21， 71.12］）， macrophage phagocytosis index （MD=2.52， 95%CI ［1.32， 4.82］） and immunoglobulin M （IgM） content （MD=1.79， 95%CI ［1.12， 2.85］）. ConclusionAll the five plant polysaccharides can regulate the immune function of immunosuppressed mice. Among them， APS has advantages in elevating spleen index， thymus index and CD4+/CD8+， while CPP focuses on increasing the number of peripheral blood leukocytes， macrophage phagocytosis index and IgM content. Due to limited number and quality of included studies， the conclusions needs to be further verified with large samples and high-quality studies.

Network Meta-analysis of Qi-supplementing and Yin-nourishing Chinese patent medicines in treatment of early diabetic nephropathy / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Qi-supplementing and Yin-nourishing Chinese patent medicine in the treatment of early diabetic nephropathy(DN) by network Meta-analysis to explore the Chinese patent medicine with optimal efficacy and provide references for preventing renal deterioration and delaying the progression of early DN. Eight databases, including CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, were searched for clinical randomized controlled trial(RCT) of Qi-supplementing and Yin-nourishing Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of early DN. After the literature mee-ting the inclusion criteria was screened, the quality of the literature was evaluated using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, and network Meta-analysis was performed using the BUGSnet package in R 4.2.1. Seventy-two research articles with a sample size of 6 344 cases were included, involving eight Chinese patent medicines and seven outcome indicators. The results of the network Meta-analysis showed that(1)in terms of improving urinary albumin excretion rate(UAER), Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional treatment were superior to conventional treatment, and Qiyao Xiaoke Capsules + conventional treatment was optimal.(2)In terms of reducing serum crea-tinine(Scr), Bailing Capsules + conventional treatment had superior efficacy.(3)In terms of reducing 24-hour urine total protein(24hUTP), Shenyan Kangfu Tablets + conventional treatment and Jinshuibao Capsules + conventional treatment had equivalent efficacy, and Shenyan Kangfu Tablets + conventional treatment was superior.(4)In terms of improving fasting blood glucose(FBG), Shenyan Kangfu Tablets + conventional treatment had superior efficacy.(5)In terms of improving total cholesterol(TC), Qiyao Xiaoke Capsules +conventional treatment had superior efficacy.(6)In terms of reducing triglyceride(TG), Bailing Capsules + conventional treatment had superior efficacy.(7)In terms of safety, the occurrence of adverse reactions was reported in seven interventions, but due to the large clinical heterogeneity, the quantitative analysis could not be performed. Overall, Qi-supplementing and Yin-nourishing Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional treatment were superior to conventional treatment alone in the treatment of early DN. The results showed that Qi-supplementing and Yin-nourishing Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional treatment had good clinical efficacy, and they could significantly reduce renal function indicators such as UAER, Scr, and 24hUTP, and reduce blood sugar and blood lipid, which can provide evidence-based support for the treatment of early DN. However, due to the differences in the quantity and quality of the included research articles, large-sample, multi-center, high-quality studies are still needed for further verification.

Network Meta-analysis of oral Chinese patent medicine in adjuvant treatment of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of various oral Chinese patent medicines in the adjuvant treatment of rotavirus gastroenteritis(RVGE) in children based on network Meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trial(RCT) of oral Chinese patent medicine in the adjuvant treatment of RVGE in children was retrieved from the databases such as CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, and Web of Science from database inception to October 22, 2022. The quality of the included RCT was evaluated according to the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, and the data were analyzed by RevMan 5.4 and Stata 16 software. Sixty-three RCTs were included, with 11 oral Chinese patent medicines involved, including Xingpi Yanger Granules, Weichang'an Pills, Qiuxieling Mixture, Erxieting Granules, and Changyanning Granules/Syrup. The results of the network Meta-analysis showed that in terms of clinical total effective rate, the top 3 optimal interventions were Changyanning Granules/Syrup, Xiaoer Guangpo Zhixie Oral Liquid, and Xiaoer Shuangjie Zhixie Granules combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of the anti-diarrheal time, the top 3 optimal interventions were Shenling Baizhu Granules, Qiuxieling Mixture, and Shuangling Zhixie Oral Liquid combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of the antiemetic time, the top 3 optimal interventions were Changyanning Granules/Syrup, Xingpi Yanger Granules, and Xiaoer Shuangjie Zhixie Granules combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of the antipyretic time, the top 3 optimal interventions were Shenling Baizhu Granules, Xiaoer Shuangjie Zhixie Granules, and Qiuxieling Mixture combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of the negative conversion rate of rotavirus, the top 3 optimal interventions were Xingpi Yanger Granules, Erxieting Granules, and Cangling Zhixie Oral Liquid combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of reducing creatine kinase isoenzyme MB(CK-MB) level, the top 3 optimal interventions were Weichang'an Pills, Xingpi Yanger Granules, and Xiaoer Shuangjie Zhixie Granules combined with conventional western medicine. In terms of adverse reactions, no se-rious adverse reactions were reported in all studies. Oral Chinese patent medicines in the adjuvant treatment of children with RVGE have their own advantages, Specifically, Changyanning Granules/Syrup + conventional western medicine focuses on improving the clinical total effective rate and shortening the antiemetic time, Shenling Baizhu Granules + conventional western medicine on shortening the anti-diarrheal time and antipyretic time, Xingpi Yanger Granules + conventional western medicine on improving the negative conversion rate of rotavirus, and Weichang'an Pills + conventional western medicine on reducing the CK-MB level. Limited by the quantity and quality of literature included in this study, the results need to be verified by high-quality RCT with a larger sample size.

Network Meta-analysis of Chinese patent medicines in treatment of idiopathic membranous nephropathy / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of different Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of idiopathic membranous nephropathy. The relevant randomized controlled trial(RCT) was retrieved from PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, SinoMed, Wanfang, and VIP with the time interval from database inception to December 2022. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was employed to evaluate the quality of the included RCT, and Stata 15.0 and GEMTC to perform the Bayesian network Meta-analysis. Finally, 51 RCTs were included, involving 9 Chinese patent medicines and 3 591 patients. The results of network Meta-analysis showed that in terms of the total effective rate and the increase in plasma albumin, the top three interventions were Zhengqing Fengtongning Sustained Release Tablets + conventional western medicine, Bailing Capsules + conventional western medicine, and Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets + conventional western medicine. In terms of reducing 24-hour urine total protein, the top three interventions were Zhengqing Fengtongning Sustained Release Tablets + conventional western medicine, Shenfukang Capsules +conventional western medicine, and Huangkui Capsules + conventional western medicine. In terms of reducing serum creatinine, the top three interventions were Shenfukang Capsules + conventional western medicine, Bailing Capsules + conventional western medicine, and Zhengqing Fengtongning Sustained Release Tablets + conventional western medicine. In terms of safety, Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional western medicine had fewer adverse reactions than the control group. The results suggest that Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional western medicine can improve the therapeutic effect on idiopathic membranous nephropathy, and differentiated medications can be adopted according to the specific symptoms of patients in clinical treatment. Further validation needs to be carried out in the future with multi-center, large-sample, and high-quality RCT.

Network Meta-analysis of efficacy of Chinese patent medicine in treatment of inflammatory response in diabetic nephropathy / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of various Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of inflammatory response in diabetic nephropathy(DN) based on network Meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trial(RCT) of oral Chinese patent medicines for improving inflammatory response in patients with DN was retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, Web of Science, and other databases from database inception to October 2022. All investigators independently screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated the quality. Stata 16.0 software and RevMan 5.4.1 were used to analyze the data of the literature that met the quality standards. Finally, 53 RCTs were included, involving 6 Chinese patent medicines. The total sample size was 4 891 cases, including 2 449 cases in the test group and 2 442 cases in the control group. The network Meta-analysis showed that(1) in terms of reducing TNF-α, the top 3 optimal interventions according to the surface under the cumulative ranking curve(SUCRA) were Shenshuaining Capsules/Granules/Tablets + conventional western medicine, Jinshuibao Capsules + conventional western medicine, and Niaoduqing Granules + conventional western medicine.(2) In terms of reducing hs-CRP, the top 3 optimal interventions according to SUCRA were Bailing Capsules + conventional western medicine, Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets + conventional western medicine, and Shenshuaining Capsules/Granules/Tablets + conventional western medicine.(3) In terms of reducing IL-6, the top 3 optimal interventions according to SUCRA were Bailing Capsules + conventional western medicine, Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets + conventional western medicine, and Jinshuibao Capsules + conventional western medicine.(4) In terms of reducing UAER, the top 3 optimal interventions according to SUCRA were Shenshuaining Capsules/Granules/Tablets + conventional western medicine, Huangkui Capsules + conventional western medicine, and Jinshuibao Capsules + conventional western medicine.(5) In terms of reducing Scr, the top 3 optimal interventions according to SUCRA were Jinshuibao Capsules + conventional western medicine, Niaoduqing Granules + conventional wes-tern medicine, and Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets + conventional western medicine.(6) In terms of reducing BUN, the first 3 optimal interventions according to SUCRA were Niaoduqing Granules + conventional western medicine, Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets + conventional western medicine, and Huangkui Capsules + conventional western medicine.(7) In terms of improving the clinical total effective rate, the first 3 optimal interventions according to SUCRA were Jinshuibao Capsules + conventional western medicine, Niaoduqing Granu-les + conventional western medicine, and Huangkui Capsules + conventional western medicine. The results showed that the combination of western medicine and Chinese patent medicine could reduce the expression of serum inflammatory factors TNF-α, hs-CRP, and IL-6 and inhibit the inflammatory response. The combination of western medicine and Chinese patent medicine was superior to western medicine alone in reducing Scr, BUN, and UAER, and improving the total effective rate of treatment. Due to the limitation of the quantity and quality of literature included, the above conclusions need to be validated by more high-quality studies.

Network Meta-analysis of oral Chinese patent medicines in treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of eight oral Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD) by network Meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trial(RCT) on the treatment of AECOPD with eight oral Chinese patent medicines was retrieved from databases including CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, EMbase, and Cochrane Library from database inception to August 6, 2022. The information was extracted from the included literature and the quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. The data were analyzed using Stata SE 15.1 and ADDIS 1.16.8 software. Finally, 53 RCTs were included, with 5 289 patients involved, including 2 652 patients in the experimental group and 2 637 patients in the control group. Network Meta-analysis showed that Lianhua Qingwen Capsules+conventional western medicine were optimal in improving clinical effective rate, Shufeng Jiedu Capsules+conventional western medicine in improving FEV1/FVC, Qingqi Huatan Pills+conventional western medicine in improving FEV1%pred, Feilike Mixture(Capsules)+conventional western medicine in improving PaO_2, Lianhua Qingwen Capsules+conventional western medicine in reducing PaCO_2, and Qingqi Huatan Pills+conventional western medicine in reducing C-reactive protein(CRP). In terms of safety, most of them were gastrointestinal symptoms, and no serious adverse reactions were reported. When the clinical effective rate was taken as the comprehensive index of efficacy evaluation, Lianhua Qingwen Capsules+conventional western medicine were the most likely to be the best treatment for AECOPD. There are some limitations in the conclusion of this study. It only provides references for clinical medication.

Network Meta-analysis of Qi-benefiting and blood-activating Chinese patent medicines against ischemic stroke / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of Qi-benefiting and blood-activating Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of ischemic stroke with network Meta-analysis. CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase, and Cochrane Library were searched from database inception to October 2022 for randomized controlled trial(RCT) on 11 Qi-benefiting and blood-activating Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of ischemic stroke. The risk of bias plot was made by RevMan 5.3, and network Meta-analysis and efficacy ranking were performed by Stata 17. Ninety-two RCTs were included, involving 10 608 patients. According to the network Meta-analysis, in terms of the clinical total effective rate, surface under the cumulative ranking curve(SUCRA) as followed: Qilong Capsules+conventional western medicine>Zhishe Tongluo Capsules+conventional western medicine>Longshengzhi Capsules+conventional western medicine>Naoxintong Capsules+conventional western medicine>Tongsaimai Tablets+conventional western medicine>Naoan Capsules+conventional western medicine>Naoluotong Capsules+conventional western medicine>Xiaoshuan Changrong Capsules+conventional western medicine>Dengzhan Shengmai Capsules+conventional western medicine=Tongxinluo Capsules+conventional western medicine>Naomaitai Capsules+conventional western medicine. In terms of the improvement in National Institute of Health stroke scale(NIHSS) score, SUCRA as followed: Longshengzhi Capsules+conventional western medicine>Naomaitai Capsules+conventional western medicine>Naoxintong Capsules+conventional western medicine>Dengzhan Shengmai Capsules+conventional western medicine>Xiaoshuan Changrong Capsules+conventional western medicine>Naoluotong Capsules+conventional western medi-cine>Tongxinluo Capsules+conventional western medicine>Naoan Capsules+conventional western medicine>Qilong Capsules+conventional western medicine. In terms of safety, the overall adverse reactions/events of Qi-benefiting and blood-activating Chinese patent medicines + conventional western medicine were less than those of the control group. Since Qilong Capsules+conventional western medicine and Zhishe Tongluo Capsules+conventional western medicine were preferred to improve the clinical total effective rate. In the aspect of improving NIHSS score, Longshengzhi Capsules+conventional western medicine and Naomaitai Capsules+conventional western medicine were first options. Due to the lack of direct comparisons between drugs, the overall quality of RCT was not high, so more studies are needed to verify the strength of the evidence.

Acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at stable stage: a network Meta-analysis / 中国针灸

The efficacy on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at stable stage treated with different methods of acupuncture and moxibustion was evaluated using network Meta-analysis method. The articles of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) on stable COPD treated with acupuncture and moxibustion were searched electronically in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science and Cochrane library. The search was conducted from the inception of the databases to March 20th, 2022. Data analysis was performed using R4.1.1, Stata16.0 and RevMan5.3 softwares. A total of 48 RCTs were included, involving 15 kinds of acupuncture and moxibustion interventions and a sample size of 3 900 cases. The results of network Meta-analysis showed that: ① For the forced expiratory volume in one second predicted (FEV1%), both the governor vessel moxibustion combined with conventional treatment (G+C therapy) and the yang-supplementing moxibustion combined with conventional treatment (Y+C therapy) obtained the better effect than that of the conventional treatment (P<0.05), and the G+C therapy was more effective compared with the thread-embedding therapy combined with conventional treatment (E+C therapy) and warm needling (P<0.05). ② Concerning to COPD assessment test (CAT) score, the results indicated that the Y+C therapy, and the mild moxibustion combined with conventional treatment (M+C therapy) were more effective when compared with the conventional treatment (P<0.05), and the effect of the Y+C therapy was better than that of the E+C therapy (P<0.05). ③ Regarding six-minute walking distance (6MWD), the effect of acupuncture combined with conventional treatment (A+C therapy) was better than that of either the E+C therapy or the conventional treatment (P<0.05). The effect of the G+C therapy was optimal for improving FEV1%, the Y+C therapy obtained the best effect for improving CAT score, and A+C therapy was the most effective for improving 6MWD. Due to the limitation of the quality and quantity of included studies, this conclusion needs to be further verified through high-quality RCT.

Efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine combined with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration: A systematic review and network Meta-analysis / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)combined with intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)or anti-VEGF medicines alone in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration(wAMD).METHODS:A total of eight databases were searched for relevant literatures in English and Chinese, including Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), Wanfang, CQVIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase. Taking patients with wAMD as research objects, the Chinese and English clinical randomized controlled trials(RCTs)published from the databases' inception to April 20, 2022, which compared TCM combined with anti-VEGF drugs with anti-VEGF drugs alone were selected. The outcome indicators were best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)and central macular thickness(CMT). Traditional Meta and network Meta analysis were used to examine the data.RESULTS:There were 39 eligible studies among the 617 retrieved articles, involving 28 oral administration of Chinese herbal medicines and 2 757 participants. For BCVA improvement, results of TCM combination therapy were more favorable than anti-VEGF alone(MD=0.07, 95%CI: 0.05～0.09). Sheng Puhuang Decoction(SPD)ranked highest in 1 and 2mo after treatment, and Xuefu Zhuyu Capsule(XZC)ranked highest in 3mo after treatment. In terms of reducing CMT, TCM combination therapy were better(MD=-25.32 μm, 95%CI: -30.06～-20.57). Danggui Mingmu Decoction(DMD)ranked the highest in 1mo after treatment. Bushen Huoxue Decoction(BHD)ranked the highest in 2mo. Erchen Erhuang Decoction(EED)ranked the highest in 3mo.CONCLUSIONS: Compared with anti-VEGF treatment alone, TCM combination therapy led to improved BCVA and reduced CMT. However, most of the included literature is small-sample, single-center, single-blind RCTs with an overall low quality.

Network meta-analysis of SGLT-2 inhibitor-induced hypoglycemia risk in type 2 diabetes patients / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the risk of hypoglycemia caused by sodium-glucose co-transporter protein 2 （SGLT-2） inhibitors in type 2 diabetes （T2DM） patients. METHODS Retrieved from PubMed， Web of Science， Cochrane Library， CNKI， VIP， Wanfang Data and CBM， randomized controlled trials （RCTs） about SGLT-2 inhibitors in the treatment of T2DM were collected from the inception to Oct. 15th， 2022. After literature screening， data extraction and quality evaluation of included literature with bias risk assessment tool recommended by the Cochrane system evaluator handbook 5.1.0， Stata 15.1 software was used for network meta-analysis and publication bias analysis. RESULTS A total of 22 RCTs were included， with a total of 18 734 patients. The results of meta-analysis showed that compared with ertugliflozin 15 mg [RR＝3.26， 95%CI （1.13， 8.11）， P＜0.05] and ertugliflozin 25 mg [RR＝3.08， 95%CI （1.12， 6.34）， P＜0.05]， the incidence of hypoglycemia was significantly increased in patients using canagliflozin 300 mg. Compared with ertugliflozin 15 mg [RR＝1.48， 95%CI （1.24， 6.93）， P＜0.05] and ertugliflozin 25 mg [RR＝6.74， 95%CI （1.33， 9.34）， P＜0.05]， the incidence of hypoglycemia in patients treated with canagliflozin 100 mg was significantly increased. There was no statistically significant difference between other groups （P＞0.05）. The ranking results of the network meta-analysis showed that the incidence of hypoglycemia was from low to high， ie. ertugliflozin 15 mg＞placebo＞ertugliflozin 25 mg＞empgaliflozin 25 mg＞empgaliflozin 10 mg＞empgaliflozin 1 mg＞dapagliflozin 5 mg＞ dapagliflozin 10 mg＞dapagliflozin 2.5 mg＞canagliflozin 300 mg＞ertugliflozin 10 mg＞ertugliflozin 5 mg＞empgaliflozin 50 mg＞canagliflozin 200 mg＞canagliflozin 100 mg＞canag-liflozin 50 mg＞ertugliflozin 1 mg＞empgaliflozin 5 mg. Results of publication bias analysis showed that there was little possibility of publication bias in this study. CONCLUSIONS When SGLT-2 inhibitors are used in patients with T2DM， the incidence of hypoglycemia is the lowest when using ertugliflozin 15 mg， and the incidence of hypoglycemia is the highest when using empagliflozin 5 mg.

Efficacy and Safety of Chinese Medicinal Prescriptions in Treatment of Acute Gouty Arthritis： A Network Meta-analysis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveIn the treatment of acute gouty arthritis （AGA）， western medicine is mostly used for anti-inflammatory and analgesic purposes to control the blood uric acid level， but some patients are still at risk of poor control and recurrent attacks. Chinese medicinal prescriptions， potent in resisting inflammation and relieving pain， are able to stabilize the blood uric acid level， reduce acute attacks， and improve the clinical efficacy of western medicine. However， there is a lack of evidence to support their use as evidence-based medicine. This study employed network Meta-analysis （NMA） to evaluate the efficacy and safety of common Chinese medicinal prescriptions in the treatment of AGA， aiming to provide evidence-based medical evidence for the clinical use of Chinese medicinal prescriptions in the treatment of AGA. MethodChinese and English databases were searched for prospective cohort studies and randomized controlled trials （RCTs） on Chinese medicinal prescriptions against AGA from database inception to December 1， 2022. Stata software and Review Manager were used for statistical analysis. ResultForty-four papers with 3 564 cases involved were included in the current NMA. In terms of reducing blood uric acid， the cumulative probability results showed that Mahuang Lianyao Chixiaodou Tang showed optimal efficacy （87.60%）. In terms of relieving joint pain， Danggui Niantongtang and Guizhi Shaoyao Zhimutang showed optimal efficacy （92.00% and 82.30%）. In terms of improving erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）， Simiaowan was superior to other prescriptions （87.00%）. In terms of reducing C-reactive protein （CRP）， Simiaowan and Baihutang modified with Guizhitang showed superior efficacy （76.00% and 66.10%）. In terms of safety， except for the basic treatment group， Mahuang Lianyao Chixiaodou Tang had the lowest probability of adverse events， and Danggui Niantongtang had the highest probability of adverse reactions during treatment. According to the results of cluster analysis， Mahuang Lianyao Chixiaodou Tang and Simiaowan are effective and safe. ConclusionAccording to the results of NMA， Chinese medicinal prescriptions can assist in the treatment of AGA and improve the effectiveness of western medicine. For patients with AGA， clinicians can choose Mahuang Lianyao Chixiaodou Tang or Simiaowan as an auxiliary drug for routine western medicine treatment.

Network Meta-analysis of Chinese medicine injection combined with conventional western medicine in treatment of stable angina pectoris / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of different Chinese medicine injections combined with conventional western medicine for stable angina pectoris. PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and SinoMed were searched to collect randomized controlled trial(RCT) of Chinese medicine injection combined with conventio-nal western medicine in the treatment of stable angina pectoris from the inception of the databases to July 8, 2022. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and evaluated the risk of bias of the included studies. Stata 15.1 was used for network Meta-analysis. A total of 52 RCTs were included, involving 4 828 patients treated by 9 Chinese medicine injections(Danhong Injection, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Polyphenol Hydrochloride Injection, Tanshinone Sodium Ⅱ_A Sulfonate Injection, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Ligustrazine Injection, Dazhu Hongjingtian Injection, Puerarin Injection, Safflower Yellow Pigment Injection, Shenmai Injection and Xuesaitong Injection). The network Meta-analysis showed that:(1)in terms of improving the efficacy of angina pectoris, the surface under the cumulative ranking curve(SUCRA) followed the order of conventional western medicine combined with Salvia Miltiorrhiza Ligustrazine Injection>Tanshinone Sodium Ⅱ_A Sulfonate Injection>Danhong Injection>Salvia Miltiorrhiza Polyphenol Hydrochloride Injection>Xuesaitong Injection>Shenmai Injection>Puerarin Injection>Safflower Yellow Pigment Injection>Dazhu Hongjingtian Injection;(2)in terms of improving the efficacy of electrocardiogram(ECG), SUCRA followed the order of conventional western medicine combined with Salvia Miltiorrhiza Ligustrazine Injection>Puerarin Injection>Danhong Injection>Salvia Miltiorrhiza Polyphenol Hydrochloride Injection>Shenmai Injection>Xuesaitong Injection>Safflower Yellow Pigment Injection>Tanshinone Sodium Ⅱ_A Sulfonate Injection>Dazhu Hongjingtian Injection;(3)in terms of increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), SUCRA followed the order of conventional western medicine combined with Danhong Injection>Shenmai Injection>Safflower Yellow Pigment Injection>Xuesaitong Injection>Tanshinone Sodium Ⅱ_A Sulfonate Injection>Dazhu Hongjingtian Injection;(4)in terms of lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), SUCRA followed the order of conventional western medicine combined with Safflower Yellow Pigment Injection>Danhong Injection>Shenmai Injection>Tanshinone Sodium Ⅱ_A Sulfonate Injection>Dazhu Hongjingtian Injection>Xuesaitong Injection;(5)in terms of safety, the overall adverse reactions of Chinese medicine injection combined with conventional western medicine were less than those of the control group. Current evidence indicated that Chinese medicine injection combined with conventional western medicine could improve the curative effect of stable angina pectoris with higher safety. Limited by the number and quality of included studies, the above conclusion needed to be verified by more high-quality studies.

Network Meta-analysis of single Hirudo prescriptions in treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular disease / 中国中药杂志

This study intended to evaluate the efficacy and safety of single Hirudo prescriptions in the treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular disease(ICVD) by frequency network Meta-analysis and traditional Meta-analysis. CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to collect the randomized controlled trial(RCT) of single Hirudo prescriptions for ICVD from the inception of the databases to May 2022. The quality of the included literature was evaluated by Cochrane risk of bias tool. Finally, 54 RCTs and 3 single Hirudo prescriptions were included. Statistical analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.3 and Stata SE 15. Network Meta-analysis showed that in terms of the clinical effective rate, the surface under the cumulative ranking curve(SUCRA) of intervention measures was as follows: Huoxue Tongmai Capsules+conventional treatment>Maixuekang Capsules+conventional treatment>Naoxuekang Capsules+conventional treatment>conventional treatment. Traditional Meta-analysis revealed that in terms of the safety of ICVD treatment, Maixuekang Capsules+conventional treatment had higher safety than conventional treatment alone. According to the network Meta-analysis and traditional Meta-analysis, it was found that conventional treatment combined with single Hirudo prescriptions improved the clinical efficacy of ICVD patients, and compared with that of conventional treatment alone, the incidence of adverse reactions of combined treatment was low and the safety was high. However, the methodological quality of the articles included in this study was generally low and there were large differences in the number of articles on the three combined medication. Therefore, the conclusion of this study needed to be confirmed by subsequent RCT.

Network Meta-analysis of Chinese patent medicine containing Hirudo in treatment of atherosclerosis / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicines containing Hirudo in the treatment of atherosclerosis(AS) by network Meta-analysis, and to provide evidence-based reference for clinical treatment of AS. The clinical randomized controlled trial(RCT) on the treatment of atherosclerosis with Chinese patent medicines containing Hirudo were searched in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed and EMbase from the establishment of the databases to July 1, 2022. And data extraction and quality assessment of the included RCT was performed according to the Cochrane standards. Stata 17 and ADDIS 1.16.5 were then used for Bayesian model network Meta-analysis. Finally, 67 RCTs with a total sample size of 6 826 cases were included, 3 569 cases in the experimental group and 3 257 cases in the control group, involving three oral Chinese patent medicines. Network Meta-analysis showed that in terms of reducing intima-media thickness(IMT), the top three Chinese patent medicines were Tongxinluo Capsules+sta-tins>Maixuekang Capsules+statins>Maixuekang Capsules. In terms of reducing plaque area, the top one was Maixuekang Capsules+sta-tins, and the other Chinese patent medicines had similar efficacy. For lowering AS Crouse scores, the top three were Maixuekang Capsules>Tongxinluo Capsules+statins>Naoxintong Capsules. For decreasing plaque number, the top three were Naoxintong Capsules+sta-tins>Tongxinluo Capsules+statins>Tongxinluo Capsules. With regard to adverse reactions/events, Naoxintong Capsules+statins had the lo-west incidence. In conclusion, in Chinese patent medicines containing Hirudo for the treatment of AS, Tongxinluo Capsules+statins, Maixuekang Capsules, Maixuekang Capsules+statins, and Naoxintong Capsules+statins were the primary choices to reduce IMT, AS Crouse scores, plaque area, and plaque number, respectively. The efficacy of Chinese patent medicines containing Hirudo with or without statins was more significant than that of statins alone in the four outcome indexes. Additionally, the treatment of AS should be evaluated comprehensively, and attention should be paid to Chinese patent medicines or their combination with western medicine, to optimize the treatment effect and minimize adverse reactions as the benchmark.