Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture Vs. Hormone Therapy for Menopausal Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Author(s):  
Qi-Da He ◽  
Zheng-Hong Zhong ◽  
Meng-Nan Liu ◽  
Zi-Yan Tong ◽  
Qi-Biao Wu ◽  
...  

Menopausal syndrome (MPS) is a common gynecological disorder around the time of menopause, and hormone therapy (HT) is the first-line treatment for it. However, HT is prone to cause adverse reactions in MPS patients treated with HT. Acupuncture is a popular non-pharmaceutical therapy for MPS, but the differences in the efficacy and safety between acupuncture and HT remain unclear. The purpose of this evidence-based study is to address this issue. Five databases were searched for potentially eligible RCTs. All RCTs comparing acupuncture with HT in the treatment of MPS were included in this study. The clinical effective rate was the primary outcome. Kupperman index, serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E[Formula: see text], and side effects were the secondary outcomes. A total of 15 RCTs recruiting 1376 MPS patients were included. Results of meta-analysis showed that compared with HT, acupuncture significantly improved clinical effective rate (RR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.16, [Formula: see text] = 0.005), decreased the Kupperman index (WMD = −2.55, 95% CI = −2.93 to −2.17, [Formula: see text] < 0.00001) and the incidence of side effects (RR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.06–0.32, [Formula: see text] < 0.00001). There were no statistically significant differences in serum FSH (WMD = −1.36, 95% CI = −3.25–0.53, [Formula: see text] = 0.16), E2(WMD = −1.11, 95% CI = −2.59–0.37, [Formula: see text] = 0.14), or LH (WMD = −1.87, 95% CI = −4.58–0.83, [Formula: see text] = 0.17) between the acupuncture and HT groups. Based on the current evidence, manual acupuncture is safer and more effective than HT and is recommended for the treatment of MPS, but the evidence for the efficacy of other types of acupuncture is inconclusive.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Renhong Wan ◽  
Ruiwen Song ◽  
Yihua Fan ◽  
Linhui Li ◽  
Jiangxin Zhang ◽  
...  

Objective. Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli decoction (CLMD) is widely used in the treatment of poststroke depression (PSD) in China. Some evidences show that it has advantages, but there lacks reliable evidence. This study aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of CLMD in the treatment of PSD. Methods. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of CLMD in the treatment of PSD were searched from the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, VIP Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System (CBM), from their inception to May 2021. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and evaluated the risk of bias in the included studies. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.3 software. Results. A total of 13 RCTs involving 1665 patients were finally included in this study, among which 5 RCTs were oral CLMD alone versus antidepressants, and 8 RCTs were oral CLMD with antidepressants versus antidepressants. Meta-analysis results showed that oral administration of CLMD could improve Hamilton’s Depression Scale (HAMD) and the Modified Edinburgh-Scandinavian Stroke Scale (MESSS) scores, improve the Barthel index, and have a low rate of adverse reactions, but there was no significant difference in the total effective rate ( p = 0.21 > 0.05) and the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ( p = 0.47 > 0.05) between the antidepressants group and the oral administration of the CLMD group. Oral CLMD combined with antidepressants could improve the total effective rate, HAMD, and MESSS score, but there was no significant difference in Barthel index ( p = 0.06 > 0.05) and the adverse reaction rate ( p = 0.14 > 0.05) between the two groups. Conclusion. Current evidence suggests that oral CLMD alone or with antidepressants is more effective and safer in the treatment of PSD than oral antidepressants. Due to the limitation of the quality and quantity of the included studies, more high-quality studies are needed to confirm the above conclusion.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Yuanyuan Yue ◽  
Meng Gao ◽  
Yanru Deng ◽  
Jiemin Shao ◽  
Yingguang Sun

Background. Modified Yunu-Jian (mYJ), a Chinese medicine (CM) formula, is thought to clear heat and nourish yin. Clinically, it is often used to treat oral inflammation. However, its efficacy remains controversial. Methods. The study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mYJ for treating patients with periodontitis. We searched electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, VIP database, and CBM) from inception to December 2020. Only randomized controlled trials investigating modified Yunu-Jian, with or without other medications, against controlled intervention in the treatment of patients diagnosed with periodontitis were included. Both Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 15.0 software were used to analyze the data. The Cochrane Collaborations risk of bias tool was used to assess the quality of the methods. Results. Thirteen clinical trials, involving 1179 participants, were included in our investigation. The results showed that the combination of mYJ with western medicine improved the total effective rate compared with western medicine alone (RR = 1.17, 95% CI (1.12, 1.23), P  < 0.00001). The sensitivity analysis and Harbord’s test ( P  = 0.255) both showed that the results were statistically robust. Moreover, the periodontal indexes (GI, SBI, PLI, and PD; P  < 0.00001) of patients with periodontitis were also significantly improved after receiving the combined therapy. No serious adverse reactions were observed in the experimental groups. Conclusions. Evidence from the meta-analysis suggested that mYJ appeared to be effective and relatively safe for treating periodontitis. Because of the low quality of the methods used in the included RCTs, further studies with larger sample sizes and well-designed models are required to confirm our findings.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Zhou ◽  
Abdul Mannan ◽  
Yuan Han ◽  
He Liu ◽  
Hui-Lian Guan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Postanesthetic shivering is a common complication of anesthesia, which accounts for much discomfort in postoperative patients and may increase postoperative complications in high-risk patients. Due to the lack of high-quality evidence, it is difficult to draw a conclusion about optimal anti-shivering medication. The main purpose of this meta-analysis was to analyze and evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic use of ketamine for preventing postanesthetic shivering. Methods We searched the following databases: Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trails for randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome observed was the difference of the incidence rate of postanesthetic shivering between ketamine group and placebo group. The secondary outcomes were the sedation score and incidence of the side effects caused by ketamine and any other drugs utilized in the studies. Results In this meta-analysis, we analyzed a total of 16 trials including 1485 patients. Ketamine reduced the incidence rate of postanesthetic shivering compared to a placebo (odds ratio [OR]: 0.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.06 to 0.26, P<0.01). Regarding side effects, there was no evident variability of the incidence of nausea and vomiting. Usage of ketamine was associated with a lower rate of hypotension and bradycardia when compared to a placebo. Hallucinations were more frequently observed in patients who received higher doses of ketamine. No significant difference was found in the incidence of postanesthetic shivering with ketamine versus other pharmacological interventions. Conclusions Ketamine can prevent postanesthetic shivering without severe side effects. However, ketamine shows no advantage over other anti-shivering drugs.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi-qian Yang ◽  
Ling Liu ◽  
Wen-yu Yang ◽  
Huan-huan Dong ◽  
Yi-ran Yang ◽  
...  

Background. The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Qi-supplementing therapy has been used widely for treating myasthenia gravis (MG) in China. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Qi-supplementing therapy as an adjunctive therapy in MG patients. Methods. Seven electronic databases were searched through June 2016. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the add-on effect of Qi-supplementing therapy in MG patients were included. The outcome measures were the total effective rate, relapse rate, and adverse events. Results. Twenty-three RCTs involving 1,691 MG patients were included. The included studies were of low-to-moderate quality. Meta-analysis showed that Qi-supplementing therapy combined with Western medicine (WM) significantly improved the total response rate and reduced the relapse risk during 6–24 months of follow-up. Subgroup analysis showed that Qi-supplementing therapy only affected the total response rate within the first 6 months of treatment. Moreover, the rate of adverse events was lower with the addition of Qi-supplementing therapy to WM than with WM only. Conclusions. Short-term Qi-supplementing therapy combined with WM appears to be superior to WM for improving the total response rate and reducing the relapse rate. However, more high-quality RCTs are warranted owing to methodological flaws of previous trials.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Zhou ◽  
Abdul Mannan ◽  
Yuan Han ◽  
He Liu ◽  
Hui-Lian Guan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Postanesthetic shivering is a common complication of anesthesia, which accounts for much discomfort in postoperative patients and may increase postoperative complications in high-risk patients. Due to the lack of high-quality evidence, it is difficult to draw a conclusion about optimal anti-shivering medication. The main purpose of this meta-analysis was to analyze and evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic use of ketamine for preventing postanesthetic shivering. Methods We used a systematic approach, also known as meta-analysis, to further address postoperative shivering. We searched the following databases: Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trails for randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome observed was the incidence rate of postanesthetic shivering. The secondary outcomes were the sedation score and incidence of the side effects caused by drugs utilized in the studies. Results In this meta-analysis, we analyzed a total of 16 trials including 1485 patients. Ketamine reduced the incidence rate of postanesthetic shivering compared to a placebo (odds ratio [OR]: 0.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.06 to 0.26, P<0.01). Regarding side effects, there was no evident variability of the incidence of nausea and vomiting. Usage of ketamine was associated with a lower rate of hypotension and bradycardia when compared to a placebo. Hallucinations were more frequently observed in patients who received higher doses of ketamine. No significant difference was found in the incidence of postanesthetic shivering with ketamine versus other pharmacological interventions. Conclusions Ketamine can prevent postanesthetic shivering without severe side effects. However, ketamine shows no advantage over other anti-shivering drugs.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Upendra Yadav ◽  
Pradeep Kumar ◽  
Vandana Rai

AbstractWorldwide breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death in women. Paclitaxel is an effective drug used for the treatment of breast cancer but it has many side effects. Nab-paclitaxel (nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel) is an FDA approved drug for the treatment of breast cancer. Currently many clinical trials are conducted to deliver nab-paclitaxel into the tumor cells. But the efficacy and safety of this nab-paclitaxel over conventional paclitaxel still remains questionable. So, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel in breast cancer treatment.Electronic databases were searched for the suitable studies using key terms “nab-paclitaxel”, “paclitaxel”, and “clinical trial” with the combination of “breast cancer” up to August 11, 2019. Risk ratio (RR) and odds ratio (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. All statistical analyses were performed by the Open Meta-Analyst program. A total of eight studies which fulfilled our criteria were included in this study. For efficacy we retrieved data of 12 months progression free survival, 24 months progression free survival, and overall survival (up to 3 years) and for the safety we took data of nausea, anemia, leukopenia, neutropenia, fatigue, diarrhea and pain.We did not found any difference in efficacy of nab-paclitaxel over paclitaxel (12 months progression free survival-RRFE= 0.86, 95%CI= 0.77-0.97, p= 0.02, I2= 25.07%; 24 months progression free survival-RRFE= 0.86, 95% CI= 0.64-1.16, p= 0.34, I2= 0%; and 3 years survival-RRFE= 1.20, 95%CI= 0.92-1.56, p= 0.16, I2= 37.55%). The meta-analysis of studies used nab-paclitaxel showed reduced adverse effect of anemia (ORFE= 1.66, 95% CI= 1.26-2.19; p= <0.001; I2= 0%) and leukopenia (ORFE= 1.37; 95%CI= 1.06-1.75; p= 0.01; I2= 48.63%). However, in case of other adverse effects no significant association was found with nab-paclitaxel (nausea-ORFE=1.15, 95%CI= 0.94-1.41, p= 0.15, I2= 50.12%; neutropenia-ORRE= 0.75, 95%CI= 0.30-1.87, p= 0.54, I2= 94.45%; fatigue-ORRE= 1.11, 95%CI= 0.77-1.62, p= 0.55, I2= 56.02; diarrhea-ORFE= 1.11, 95%CI= 0.77-1.62, p= 0.55; I2= 34.26; pain-ORRE= 1.15, 95%CI= 0.78-1.69, p= 0.45, I2= 52.96%).In conclusion the use of nab-paclitaxel has reduces the side effects of anemia and leukopenia in breast cancer treatment in comparison to paclitaxel but nab-paclitaxel has no effect on the overall survival of the patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Yan-Hua Lin ◽  
Cong Chen ◽  
Xiu Zhao ◽  
Yi-Fei Mao ◽  
Guang-Xin Xiang ◽  
...  

Objective. To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Banxia (Pinellia Tuber) formulae in the treatment of insomnia compared with those of conventional western medicines. Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and safety of Banxia formulae in the treatment of insomnia were searched from the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP), and Wanfang database. The literature collected was from the time when the databases were established to April 2020. Quality assessment and meta-analysis were conducted by using Cochrane bias risk assessment tool and RevMan 5.2, respectively. Publication bias was assessed by Egger’s test. Results. Fourteen RCTs with 910 participants were identified. A total of 46 traditional Chinese medicines involving 2 different dosage forms were used in the included studies. Meta-analysis indicated that Banxia formulae had more significant effects on improving the total effective rate (RR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.31), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI, MD = −1.05, 95% CI −1.63 to −0.47), and the TCM syndrome score (SMD = −0.78, 95% CI −1.18 to −0.39). Meanwhile, on reducing adverse events, Banxia formulae also showed an advantage (RR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.93). Conclusion. According to the current studies, the efficacy of Banxia formulae in the treatment of insomnia is better than that of the conventional western medicines, and its safety is relatively stable. However, due to the limitations of this study, further research and evaluation are needed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 31-44
Author(s):  
Ritu Gangigatti ◽  
Vincent Bennani ◽  
John Aarts ◽  
Joanne Choi ◽  
Paul Brunton

Abstract Aim: To evaluate efficacy and safety of Botulinum toxinA for improving esthetics in the facial complex and correlating them to the dosage and side effects through a systematic review. Methods: A literature search was performed using PubMed, Medline, Web of Sciences, and Scopus databases. Quality of studies was appraised through the GRADE system. This review follows the ‘Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols’ (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. Efficacy was analyzed through improvement rate and effect sizes. Graphical comparison of efficacy and ocular adverse effects (adverse effects around the eye) at various anatomical locations was made by calculating the average improvement rate and adverse events. Results: Twenty-five studies were included in this systematic review after application of the inclusion criteria. Moderate to severe cases in glabellar, lateral canthal, and forehead regions showed higher improvement rates between 20U to 50U, with an effect lasting up to 120 days. Gender and age seemed to have a direct effect on efficacy. Headaches were the most common adverse effect, followed by injection site bruising; all adverse effects resolved within 3-4 days. Conclusions: Treatment with Botulinum toxinA to enhance esthetics of facial complex is efficient and safe at all recommended dosages. Presence of complexing proteins influenced the efficacy of BoNT-A. undesirable muscular adverse effects around the eyes were more predominant when treating the glabellar region. There was no correlation found between the BoNT-A dosage and side effects, however, an increase in dosage did not always lead to an increase in efficacy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 155798832091640
Author(s):  
Xuebao Zhang ◽  
Nan Chi ◽  
Miao Sun ◽  
Zhengfei Shan ◽  
Yulian Zhang ◽  
...  

The purpose of this analysis is to assess the efficacy and safety of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE). A comprehensive search was performed to ascertain from trials about PDE5Is for the treatment of PE and compare the results, including intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IVELT), score of sexual satisfaction scale, and side effects, between the group treated with PDE5Is and that treated with placebo. Seven studies involving a total of 471 patients were included in this meta-analysis. This analysis showed that patients who were treated with PDE5Is had significantly increased IVELT (mean difference [MD] 2.60; 95% CI [1.85, 3.36]; p < .00001) and score of sexual satisfaction scale (MD 2.04; 95% CI [0.78, 3.30]; p = .002) compared with the group on placebo. More patients had side effects while taking PDE5Is, such as headache, dizziness, flushing, and nasal congestion. PDE5Is were significantly more effective than placebo in the treatment of PE. Side effects were more common among patients who were treated with PDE5Is.


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