Large Dosage of Chishao in Formulae for Cholestatic Hepatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of large dosage of Chishao in formulae for treatment of cholestatic hepatitis.Methods. The major databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Chinese Biomedical Database Wanfang, VIP medicine information system, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure) were searched until January 2014. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of large dosage of Chishao in formulae that reported on publications in treatment of cholestatic hepatitis with total efficacy rate, together with the biochemical indices including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), and direct bilirubin (DBIL), were extracted by two reviewers. The Cochrane tool was used for the assessment of risk of bias included trials. Data were analyzed with RevMan 5.2.7 software.Results. 11 RCTs involving 1275 subjects with cholestatic hepatitis were included. Compared with essential therapy, large dosage of Chishao in formulae demonstrated more efficiently with down regulation of serum ALT, AST, TBIL, DBIL. Meanwhile, there were no obvious adverse events.Conclusion. As a promising novel treatment approach, widely using large dosage of Chishao in formulae may enhance the curative efficacy for cholestatic hepatitis. Considering being accepted by more and more practitioners, further rigorously designed clinical studies are required.

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Extra Dose of Vitamin C Based on a Daily Supplementation Shortens the Common Cold: A Meta-Analysis of 9 Randomized Controlled Trials

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2018/1837634 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Li Ran ◽

Wenli Zhao ◽

Jingxia Wang ◽

Hongwu Wang ◽

Ye Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin C ◽

Common Cold ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

The Common ◽

Therapeutic Doses

Aim. To investigate whether vitamin C is effective in the treatment of the common cold.Method. After systematically searching the National Library of Medicine (PubMed), Cochrane Library, Elsevier, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP databases, and WANFANG databases, 9 randomized placebo-controlled trials were included in our meta-analysis in RevMan 5.3 software, all of which were in English.Results. In the evaluation of vitamin C, administration of extra therapeutic doses at the onset of cold despite routine supplementation was found to help reduce its duration (mean difference (MD) = -0.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-1.03, -0.10], and P = 0.02), shorten the time of confinement indoors (MD = -0.41, 95% CI [-0.62, -0.19], and P = 0.0002), and relieve the symptoms associated with it, including chest pain (MD = -0.40, 95% CI [-0.77, -0.03], and P = 0.03), fever (MD = -0.45, 95% CI [-0.78, -0.11], and P = 0.009), and chills (MD = -0.36, 95% CI [-0.65, -0.07], and P = 0.01).Conclusions. Extra doses of vitamin C could benefit some patients who contract the common cold despite taking daily vitamin C supplements.

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Acupuncture for the Treatment of Liver Cirrhosis: A Meta-analysis

Gastroenterology Research and Practice ◽

10.1155/2020/4054781 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Lu Qi ◽

Shuang Li ◽

Jun Xu ◽

Jie Xu ◽

Wangzouyang Lou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liver Cirrhosis ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Complementary Therapy ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Efficacy Rate ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Effective Treatment Option ◽

Systematic Analysis ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

The Impact

Acupuncture is widely used in the clinical treatment of liver cirrhosis (LC) in China. However, the efficacy of acupuncture on LC has not been fully confirmed by systematic analysis. This current meta-analysis evaluated the impact effect of acupuncture on patients with LC. We conducted a systematic literature search of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Biomedical Database (SinoMed), VIP medicine information system, Wanfang Data, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase. Further, we used Review Manager 5.3 software for the analysis of the data and Stata 14.0 software for the Egger test to assess publication bias. Fifteen studies involving 1066 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The primary outcome was the efficacy rate of acupuncture therapy. The secondary outcomes were impact on acupuncture on liver function grading assessment and lab tests related to liver functions. The result suggested that acupuncture is an effective treatment option for patients with LC as a complementary therapy. However, the recommendation is weak due to some limitations of the included studies.

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Effect of somatometric parameters on the prevalence and severity of varicocele: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology ◽

10.1186/s12958-021-00695-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Runqing Li ◽

Junjie Liu ◽

Yushan Li ◽

Quanxian Wang

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Random Effects Models ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Regression Test ◽

Mean Differences ◽

Q Statistic ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background Published studies have shown contradictory results regarding the relationship between somatometric parameters and varicoceles. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the possible effects of age, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) on the presence and severity of varicoceles. Methods Databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Web of Science, and Google Scholar were systematically searched to identify relevant articles published up to March 2020. Two researchers independently identified eligible articles and extracted data. Cochran’s Q statistic and I2 statistics were used to assess heterogeneity. Meta-analysis was performed using StataSE 12.0 software (StataCorp LP, USA). Random-effects models were used to obtain the weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Publication bias was assessed using Begg’s funnel plot and Egger’s regression test. Results The search strategy produced 272 articles, of which 18 articles were eligible according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria. A total of 56,325 patients with varicocele and 1,334,694 patients without varicocele were included in the meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of somatometric parameters on the presence and severity of varicocele. The overall results demonstrated that the presence of varicoceles was significantly associated with height (WMD = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.74, P < 0.001) and inversely correlated with BMI (WMD = − 1.35, 95% CI = -1.67 to − 1.03, P < 0.001) but not with age (WMD = -0.93, 95% CI = -2.19 to 0.33, P = 0.149) or weight (WMD = 0.24, 95% CI = -2.24 to 2.72, P = 0.850). The severity of varicocele was inversely correlated with increased BMI but not with age. Conclusion The presence of varicoceles was significantly associated with height and inversely correlated with BMI.

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Individual or combined transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a time-to-event meta-analysis

World Journal of Surgical Oncology ◽

10.1186/s12957-021-02188-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Chuang Jiang ◽

Gong Cheng ◽

Mingheng Liao ◽

Jiwei Huang

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Radiofrequency Ablation ◽

Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Combined Treatment ◽

Similar Rate ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Arterial Chemoembolization

Abstract Background There is still some debate as to whether transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is better than TACE or RFA alone. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of TACE plus RFA for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with RFA or TACE alone. Methods We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) for all relevant randomized controlled trials and retrospective studies reporting overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and complications of TACE plus RFA for HCC, compared with RFA or TACE alone. Results Twenty-one studies involving 3413 patients were included. TACE combined with RFA was associated with better OS (hazard ratio [HR]=0.62, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 0.55–0.71, P < 0.001) and RFS (HR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.39–0.69, P < 0.001) than TACE alone; compared with RFA alone, TACE plus RFA resulted in longer OS (HR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.53–0.75, P < 0.001) and RFS (HR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.51–0.71, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses by tumor size also showed that combined treatment resulted in better OS and RFS compared with RFA alone in patients with HCC larger than 3 cm. Combined treatment resulted in similar rate of major complications compared with TACE or RFA alone (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 0.99–3.20, P = 0.05; OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.42–2.38, P = 1.00, respectively). Conclusions TACE combined with RFA was more effective for HCC than TACE alone. For patients with a tumor larger than 3 cm, the combined treatment also achieved a better effect than RFA alone.

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Association of inflammatory markers with the severity of COVID-19

10.1101/2020.04.14.20065680 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Furong Zeng ◽

Ying Guo ◽

Mingzhu Yin ◽

Xiang Chen ◽

Guangtong Deng

Keyword(s):

Inflammatory Markers ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Weighted Mean Difference ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Global Public Health ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Bias Assessment ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Severe Group

AbstractBackgroundThe ongoing worldwide epidemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV- 2), has posed a huge threat to global public health. However, with regard to the effects of inflammatory markers on the severity of COVID-19, studies have reported associations that vary in strength and direction.AimsIn the meta-analysis, we aimed to provide an overview of the association of inflammatory markers with severity of COVID-19.MethodsThe following databases were searched: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wanfang database and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) database until March 20, 2020. Weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random or fixed-effects models.ResultsA total of 16 studies were included in our analysis comprising of 3962 patients with COVID-19. Random-effects results demonstrated that patients with COVID-19 in non-severe group had lower levels for CRP (WMD = -41.78 mg/l, 95% CI = [-52.43, - 31.13], P < 0.001), PCT (WMD = -0.13 ng/ml, 95% CI = [-0.20, -0.05], P < 0.001), IL- 6 (WMD = -21.32 ng/l, 95% CI = [-28.34, -14.31], P < 0.001), ESR (WMD = - 8.40 mm/h, 95% CI = [-14.32, -2.48], P = 0.005), SAA (WMD = -43.35 μg/ml, 95% CI = [-80.85, -5.85], P = 0.020) and serum ferritin (WMD = -398.80 mg/l, 95% CI = [- 625.89, -171.71], P < 0.001), compared with those in severe group. Moreover, survivors had lower level for IL-6 than non-survivors with COVID-19 (WMD = -4.80 ng/ml, 95% CI = [-5.87, -3.73], P < 0.001). These results were consistent through sensitivity analysis and publication bias assessment.ConclusionsThe meta-analysis highlights the association of inflammatory markers with the severity of COVID-19. Measurement of inflammatory markers might help clinicians to monitor and evaluate the severity and prognosis of COVID-19.

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Efficacy and Safety of Modified Yunu-Jian in Patients with Periodontitis: A Meta-Analysis

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2021/5147439 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Yuanyuan Yue ◽

Meng Gao ◽

Yanru Deng ◽

Jiemin Shao ◽

Yingguang Sun

Keyword(s):

Western Medicine ◽

Combined Therapy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Effective Rate ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Efficacy And Safety ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Oral Inflammation

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.

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Combination between Mifepristone and Methotrexate to Treat Ectopic Pregnancy: A Systematic Review Protocol

10.1101/2021.09.26.21264155 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Qiling Su ◽

Huiyan Feng ◽

Tian Tian ◽

Xiaoqian Liao ◽

Yunhui Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ectopic Pregnancy ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Control Group ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Advantages And Disadvantages ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Outcome Index

Background: In recent years, the morbidity of ectopic pregnancy and the proportion of young and childless patients have increased year by year, which makes it important to early diagnose EP, effectively save patients' lives and furthest preserve their fertility. Methotrexate and mifepristone are most widely used in conservative treatments, however, there is no accurate conclusion about which therapy is better. Therefore, the aims in this meta-analysis are, on the one hand, to systematically analyze the efficacy of mifepristone combined with methotrexate in the treatment of ectopic pregnancy through existing studies, and to draw scientific conclusions. On the other hand, to fill the gap of relevant analysis in China and abroad, to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of inclusion trials and propose improvement measures and scientific designing schemes. Methods: Six electronic databases will be searched, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), and Wanfang Database (WF). Literature from October 2015 to October 2020 on randomized controlled trials will be searched, without any language or publication restriction. Search terms include mifepristone, methotrexate, ectopic pregnancy, and random (free word/synonym expansion). Included in a randomized controlled trial, the treatment group was treated with mifepristone combined with methotrexate, and the control group was treated with mifepristone alone. Revman 5.4 (provided by Cochrane) will be used to evaluate the quality of the literature, and the corresponding effect model will be selected to analyze the results. The cure rate will be the main outcome index, and the remaining outcome measures after literature inclusion will be the secondary outcome indexes. Result: Only when we finish this meta-analysis can we get the result. Discussion: The results of this study will provide reliable evidence for the efficacy of mifepristone combined with methotrexate therapy in the treatment of ectopic pregnancy.

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Effects and safety of intraoperative intermittent pneumatic compression for preventing postoperative venous thromboembolism: a meta-analysis

Archives of Medical Science ◽

10.5114/aoms/144091 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yanping Yang ◽

Jianhua Li

Keyword(s):

Cohort Studies ◽

Retrospective Cohort ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Intermittent Pneumatic Compression ◽

Surgical Patients ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Retrospective Cohort Studies ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale

IntroductionIntermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) has been used for venous thrombosis (VTE) prevention. It’s necessary to evaluate the effects and safety of intraoperative use of IPC devices in the prevention of VTE in surgical patients.Material and methodsTwo authors independently searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, MedLine, EMbase, China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies on the use of IPC in surgical patients up to June 10, 2021. The Cochrane Collaborations risk of bias tool and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) were used for quality assessment. RevMan 5.3 software were used for statistical analyses.ResultsA total of 13 studies including seven RCTs and six retrospective cohort studies involving 6673 surgical patients were included, 1883 patients underwent IPC intervention. The synthesized RCT results indicated that IPC was beneficial to the reduce the incidence of DVT (RR0.30, 95%CI0.22~0.40, P<0.001) and VTE (RR0.51, 95%CI0.27~0.95, P=0.03). The synthesized results from retrospective cohort studies indicated that IPC is beneficial to the reduce the incidence of DVT (RR0.63, 95%CI0.42~0.96, P=0.03) and PE (RR0.34, 95%CI0.16~0.72, P=0.005). No significant publication biases were found for all synthesized outcomes (all p>0.05).ConclusionsIPC seems to be safe and effective in the prevention and management of intraoperative VTE. Limited by sample size, this conclusion still needs to be further confirmed by large-sample, multi-center, high-quality clinical studies.

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Activity and Safety of Tegafur, Gimeracil, and Oteracil Potassium for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal of Oncology ◽

10.1155/2021/6690275 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Ximing Zhang ◽

Xiumei Tian ◽

Yuezi Wei ◽

Hao Deng ◽

Lichun Ma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ◽

Randomized Controlled Trials ◽

Adverse Reactions ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Efficacy And Safety ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Significant Difference

In clinical practice, tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil potassium (S-1) therapy is commonly administered to treat nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, its efficacy and safety remain controversial in both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of S-1 treatment for NPC. We searched PubMed, Ovid, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, and VIP databases for RCTs of chemotherapy with or without S-1 for NPC, from 2001 to 2020. A meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.3 and Stata15. Randomized controlled trials published in journals were included irrespective of blinding and language used. Patients were diagnosed with NPC through a clinicopathological examination; patients of all cancer stages and ages were included. Overall, 25 trials and 1858 patients were included. There were significant differences in the complete remission (OR = 2.42, 95% CI (1.88–3.10), P < 0.05 ) and overall response rate (OR = 2.68, 95% CI (2.08–3.45), P < 0.05 ) between the S-1 and non-S-1 groups. However, there was no significant difference in partial remission (OR = 1.10, 95% CI (0.87–1.39), P = 0.42 ) and seven adverse reactions (leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, dermatitis, oral mucositis, and anemia) between the S-1 and non-S-1 groups. Additionally, statistical analyses with six subgroups were performed. S-1 was found to be a satisfactory chemotherapeutic agent combined with radiotherapy, intravenous chemotherapy, or chemoradiotherapy for NPC. As an oral medicine, the adverse reactions of S-1, especially gastrointestinal reactions, can be tolerated by patients, thereby optimizing their quality of life. S-1 may be a better choice for the treatment of NPC. This trial is registered with CRD42019122041.

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Efficacy and Safety of Banxia Formulae for Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of High-Quality Randomized Controlled Trials

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2021/8833168 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-18

Author(s):

Yan-Hua Lin ◽

Cong Chen ◽

Xiu Zhao ◽

Yi-Fei Mao ◽

Guang-Xin Xiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trials ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Effective Rate ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Efficacy And Safety ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Bias Risk

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.

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