An increasing number of network meta-analyses (NMAs) in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have been published recently, but the quality of them was lack of assessment. This study aims to evaluate ...the methodological and reporting quality of NMAs in TCM.
Six electronic databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) from inception to January 2018, were searched. NMAs of TCM were included. A measurement tool to assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews (AMSTAR) and the PRISMA Extension Statement for Reporting of Systematic Reviews Incorporating Network Meta-analyses of Health Care Interventions (PRISMA-NMA) were used to assess the methodological and reporting quality of the included NMAs.
A total of 40 NMAs, including 2535 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), were included. They were published between December 2012 and November 2017. The median score and interquartile range of methodological and reporting quality was 7 (6-8) and 22 (19.1-27.1). Serious methodological flaws existed in the following aspects: the status of publication (22.5%), a list of studies provided (0%), assessment of publication bias (37.5%), and conflicts of interest (12.5%). Several items need to be improved in reporting, especially for Protocol and registration (2.5%), Data items (22.5%), Risk of bias across studies (Methods section) (37.5%), Results of individual studies (27.5%), Risk of bias across studies (Results section) (40%), Results of additional analyses (35%), and Funding (15%).
The methodological and reporting quality of NMAs in TCM is moderate. Identified shortcomings of published NMAs should be taken into consideration in further trainings of authors and editors of NMAs in TCM. Future researchers should be encouraged to apply PRISMA-NMA, and a recognized tool for the assessment of NMA methodology was wanted.
Objective. This study is aimed at analyzing the molecular mechanism of Xuanfei Baidu Granule (XFBDG) in the treatment of intestinal flora disorder based on network pharmacology. Methods. The TCMSP ...database was used to obtain the active components and target proteins of XFBDG, while the GeneCards database was used to obtain the related proteins of intestinal flora disorder. The Rx64 4.0.2 software was used to analyze the GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment of drug component target protein and disease-related protein to obtain the pathway-enriched proteins and screen the core proteins for topology analysis of the pathway target by using the STRING database and Cytoscape v3.8.2 software. The Cytoscape v3.8.2 software was used to analyze the relationship between each component and enriched protein, and the AutoDock Vina software was used for molecular docking of core proteins and components. Results. XFBDG contains 133 active components that can act on 249 proteins related to intestinal flora disorder. The effects include the following: (i) regulation of functions—the response to drug, cellular response to chemical stress, response to oxidative stress, and RNA polymerase II-specific DNA-binding transcription factor binding and (ii) regulation of signaling pathways such as the IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, and Th17 cell differentiation pathway. The enriched core proteins in these pathways are IFNG, IL4, PTGS2, JUN, and IL1B that set in a higher level of binding with the corresponding drug components. Conclusion. XFBDG can act on IFNG, IL4, PTGS2, JUN, and IL1B proteins through its active components such as quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol to regulate the IL-17, TNF, and Th17 cell differentiation pathways and further regulate the response to drug, cellular response to chemical stress, response to oxidative stress, and RNA polymerase II-specific DNA-binding transcription factor binding. In addition, owing to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and related immune responses, XFBDG can achieve a balance of intestinal flora and microbial metabolism.
Objective
To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Qingjin Yiqi granules (QJYQ) on post‐COVID‐19 condition (PCC).
Method
Patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to two ...groups, the QJYQ group received QJYQ combined with standard rehabilitation treatments (SRTs) and the control group only received SRTs. The treatment course was 14 days. The primary outcomes were modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale and Borg scale, while the secondary outcomes included symptoms score and 6‐minute walking distance (6MWD). The safety outcome was the incidence of adverse events.
Results
A total of 388 patients with PCC were enrolled and randomly assigned to the QJYQ group (n = 194) and the control group (n = 194). Compared to the controls, the mMRC scale was improved in the QJYQ group, which was better than that of the control group β (95%CI): –0.626 (–1.101, –0.151), p = 0.010. A significant improvement in Borg scale was also observed in the QJYQ group compared to the control group β (95%CI): –0.395(–0.744, –0.046), p = 0.026. There was no statistically significant difference in symptoms score and 6MWD between the two groups (p = 0.293, p = 0.724). No treatment‐related adverse events were observed in either group.
Conclusions
QJYQ can bring benefits to patients with PCC, mainly in the improvement of breathlessness and fatigue.
A proportion of patients who recovered from COVID-19 have ongoing, recurrent, or new symptoms with negative nucleic acid/antigen test results, which has become a new public health problem that needs ...to be concerned. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown its unique advantages in preventing, treating, and rehabilitating COVID-19. To further standardize clinician's clinical diagnosis and use of TCM for the treatment of common symptoms associated with COVID-19 infection following negative nucleic acid/antigen results, the front-line clinical experts were invited for discussion on the concepts, etiology, clinical manifestations of post-COVID-19 condition, and on treatment with TCM to form the consensus. Clinicians of TCM, Western medicine, or integration of both can use this consensus document for clinical practice and research purposes.
Abstract
Objective:
Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) affect the quality of life of elderly individuals. Acupuncture and moxibustion are used in the ...clinic in China for improving LUTS symptoms due to BPH. However, there is no evidence to suggest which is the best option. We compared the efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion to provide evidence for clinical decision-making.
Methods:
PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wan Fang Data, and VIP databases were searched from inception to July 2020 to identify the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture and moxibustion for LUTS due to BPH. Two researchers filtered studies and extracted the information independently. This study conducted a network meta-analysis using the Bayesian random method. The interventions ranking was evaluated using the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA).
Results:
We finally included 40 studies comprising 10 treating therapies and 3655 patients with LUTS caused by BPH. In terms of the International Prostate Symptom Score, maximum urinary flow rate, and quality of life, electroacupuncture (EA) (MD = −3.6, 95% credible interval CrI −5.5, −1.8, very low certainty of evidence; MD = 2.2, 95% CrI 1.1, 3.3, low certainty of evidence; MD = −1.3, 95% CrI −2.2, −0.43, very low certainty of evidence) may be consistently the optimal treatment compared with other interventions, with SUCRA values of 84%, 81%, and 89%, respectively.
Conclusions:
Of all treatments, EA may have the best efficacy with fewer adverse events for LUTS due to BPH. The quality of evidence supporting this result is low to very low certainty of the evidence due to limitations of primary studies; thus, more high-quality RCTs are needed for further evidence.
Progress and challenges of network meta‐analysis Tian, Jinhui; Gao, Ya; Zhang, Junhua ...
Journal of evidence-based medicine,
September 2021, 2021-09-00, 20210901, Letnik:
14, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
In the past years, network meta‐analysis (NMA) has been widely used among clinicians, guideline makers, and health technology assessment agencies and has played an important role in clinical ...decision‐making and guideline development. To inform further development of NMAs, we conducted a bibliometric analysis to assess the current status of published NMA methodological studies, summarized the methodological progress of seven types of NMAs, and discussed the current challenges of NMAs.
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