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.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Databases, Factual ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/therapy*

BACKGROUND: Many nutritional supplements and pharmacological agents have been reported to show preventive effects on colorectal adenoma and colorectal cancer (CRC). We performed a network meta-analysis to summarize such evidence and assess the efficacy and safety of these agents. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for studies published in English until October 31, 2021 that fit our inclusion criteria. We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis to assess the comparative efficacy and safety of candidate agents (low-dose aspirin [Asp], high-dose Asp, cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors [coxibs], calcium, vitamin D, folic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid [UDCA], estrogen, and progesterone, alone or in combination) for preventing colorectal adenoma and CRC. Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool was employed to evaluate the quality of each included study. RESULTS: Thirty-two randomized controlled trials (278,694 participants) comparing 13 different interventions were included. Coxibs significantly reduced the risk of colorectal adenoma (risk ratio [RR]: 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.44-0.79, six trials involving 5486 participants), advanced adenoma (RR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.43-0.92, four trials involving 4723 participants), and metachronous adenoma (RR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.43-0.79, five trials involving 5258 participants) compared with placebo. Coxibs also significantly increased the risk of severe adverse events (RR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.13-1.47, six trials involving 7109 participants). Other interventions, including Asp, folic acid, UDCA, vitamin D, and calcium, did not reduce the risk of colorectal adenoma in the general and high-risk populations compared with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the balance between benefits and harms, regular use of coxibs for prevention of colorectal adenoma was not supported by the current evidence. Benefit of low-dose Asp for chemoprevention of colorectal adenoma still requires further evidence. REGISTRATION PROSPERO, No. CRD42022296376.
Humans ; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors ; Calcium ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Vitamins ; Colorectal Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Chemoprevention ; Aspirin ; Adenoma/prevention & control* ; Vitamin D

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.
Humans ; Capsules ; Ischemic Stroke ; Medicine ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Qi

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.
Humans ; Capsules ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/drug therapy* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

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.
Humans ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Nonprescription Drugs ; Diabetic Nephropathies/drug therapy* ; C-Reactive Protein ; Capsules ; Interleukin-6 ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Glycosides ; Tablets ; Diabetes Mellitus/drug therapy*

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.
Humans ; Nonprescription Drugs/therapeutic use* ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous/drug therapy* ; Bayes Theorem ; Capsules ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Tablets

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.
Child ; Humans ; Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic ; Antiemetics ; Antipyretics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Enteritis/drug therapy* ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Nonprescription Drugs/therapeutic use* ; Rotavirus ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

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.
Humans ; Diabetic Nephropathies/drug therapy* ; Nonprescription Drugs/therapeutic use* ; Qi ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Tablets ; Diabetes Mellitus/drug therapy*

INTRODUCTION: Despite promising trials, catheter ablation is still regarded as an adjunct to antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) in the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of various ablation therapies and AADs. METHOD: Randomised controlled trials or propensity score-matched studies comparing atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence among any combination of ablation modalities or AAD were retrieved. Kaplan-Meier curves and risk tables for this outcome were graphically reconstructed to extract patient-level data. Frequentist network meta-analysis (NMA) using derived hazard ratios (HRs), as well as 2 restricted mean survival time (RMST) NMAs, were conducted. Treatment strategies were ranked using P-scores. RESULTS: Across 24 studies comparing 6 ablation therapies (5,132 patients), Frequentist NMA-derived HRs of atrial fibrillation recurrence compared to AAD were 0.35 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.25-0.48) for cryoballoon ablation (CBA), 0.34 (95% CI=0.25-0.47) for radiofrequency ablation (RFA), 0.14 (95% CI=0.07-0.30) for combined CBA and RFA, 0.20 (95% CI=0.10-0.41) for hot-balloon ablation, 0.43 (95% CI=0.15-1.26) for laser-balloon ablation (LBA), and 0.33 (95% CI=0.18-0.62) for pulmonary vein ablation catheter. RMST-based NMAs similarly showed significant benefit of all ablation therapies over AAD. The combination of CBA + RFA showed promising long-term superiority over CBA and RFA, while LBA showed favourable short-term efficacy. CONCLUSION The advantage of ablation therapies over AAD in preventing atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence suggests that ablation should be considered as the first-line treatment for PAF in patients fit for the procedure. The promising nature of several specific therapies warrants further trials to elicit their long-term efficacy and perform a cost-benefit analysis.
Humans ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents/therapeutic use* ; Atrial Fibrillation/surgery* ; Catheter Ablation/methods* ; Heart Atria ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Recurrence ; Treatment Outcome ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

BACKGROUND: Data on the immunogenicity and safety of heterologous immunization schedules are inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of homologous and heterologous immunization schedules. METHODS: Multiple databases with relevant studies were searched with an end date of October 31, 2021, and a website including a series of Coronavirus disease 2019 studies was examined for studies before March 31, 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared different heterologous and homologous regimens among adults that reported immunogenicity and safety outcomes were reviewed. Primary outcomes included neutralizing antibodies against the original strain and serious adverse events (SAEs). A network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted using a random-effects model. RESULTS: In all, 11 RCTs were included in the systematic review, and nine were ultimately included in the NMA. Among participants who received two doses of CoronaVac, another dose of mRNA or a non-replicating viral vector vaccine resulted in a significantly higher level of neutralizing antibody than a third CoronaVac 600 sino unit (SU); a dose of BNT162b2 induced the highest geometric mean ratio (GMR) of 15.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.53-24.39. Following one dose of BNT162b2 vaccination, a dose of mRNA-1273 generated a significantly higher level of neutralizing antibody than BNT162b2 alone (GMR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.06-1.64), NVX-CoV2373 (GMR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.16-2.21), or ChAdOx1 (GMR = 1.80; 95% CI: 1.25-2.59). Following one dose of ChAdOx1, a dose of mRNA-1273 was also more effective for improving antibody levels than ChAdOx1 (GMR = 11.09; 95% CI: 8.36-14.71) or NVX-CoV2373 (GMR = 2.87; 95% CI: 1.08-3.91). No significant difference in the risk for SAEs was found in any comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: Relative to vaccination with two doses of CoronaVac, a dose of BNT162b2 as a booster substantially enhances immunogenicity reactions and has a relatively acceptable risk for SAEs relative to other vaccines. For primary vaccination, schedules including mRNA vaccines induce a greater immune response. However, the comparatively higher risk for local and systemic adverse events introduced by mRNA vaccines should be noted. REGISTRATION PROSPERO; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ ; No. CRD42021278149.
Adult ; Humans ; BNT162 Vaccine ; 2019-nCoV Vaccine mRNA-1273 ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Immunization Schedule ; COVID-19/prevention & control* ; COVID-19 Vaccines/adverse effects* ; Viral Vaccines ; mRNA Vaccines ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Antibodies, Viral