OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy and safety of parenterally administered Shenqi Fuzheng for heart failure.

METHODWe searched for all clinical studies, up to February 2013, of parenterally administered Shenqi Fuzheng in the Cochrane library, Medline, EMbase, CBM, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang. Quality assessment and information extraction was completed and screened by two independent reviewers. The quality of the included studies was evaluated according to the Cochrane collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias and allocation concealment. Revman 5. 2. 4 software was used for data analysis.

RESULTA total of 21 randomized controlled trials were included in this systematic review, all of them were of low quality. Meta-analysis showed that the group receiving parenterally administered Shenqi Fuzheng in addition to conventional treatment had better therapeutic effectiveness rates than the conventional treatment group [OR = 3.91, 95% Cl (2.63, 5.83)], with enhanced LVEF [MD = 0.08, 95% Cl (0.05, 0.12)], SV [MD = 9.42, 95% Cl (6.61, 12.22)], CI [MD = 0.60, 95% Cl (0.46,0.73)], CO [MD = 0.98, 95% Cl (0.61, 1.36)], reduced BNP [MD = -139.05, 95% Cl (-211.08, - 67.02)]. The ADR/ADE information of parenterally administered Shenqi Fuzheng in all studies showed that the symptoms of ADR/ADE were mild.

CONCLUSIONConclusions from this review may have a high risk of bias due to the low quality of thestudies. Hence, reliable conclusions cannot be drawn about the efficacy of parenterally administered Shenqi Fuzheng in the treatment of heart failure. More trials of high quality are required.