Clinical evidence of three traditional Chinese medicine drugs and three herbal formulas for COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the Chinese population

doi:10.1016/j.joim.2023.08.001

Abstract

Background
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread worldwide. Integrated Chinese and Western medicine have had some successes in treating COVID-19.

Objective
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of three traditional Chinese medicine drugs and three herbal formulas (3-drugs-3-formulas) in patients with COVID-19.

Search strategy

Relevant studies were identified from 12 electronic databases searched from their establishment to April 7, 2022.

Inclusion criteria

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs and cohort studies that evaluated the effects of 3-drugs-3-formulas for COVID-19. The treatment group was treated with one of the 3-drugs-3-formulas plus conventional treatment. The control group was treated with conventional treatment.

Data extraction and analysis

Two evaluators screened and selected literature independently, then extracted basic information and assessed risk of bias. The treatment outcome measures were duration of main symptoms, hospitalization time, aggravation rate and mortality. RevMan 5.4 was used to analyze the pooled results reported as mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for continuous data and risk ratio (RR) with 95% CI for dichotomous data.

Results
Forty-one studies with a total of 13,260 participants were identified. Our analysis suggests that compared with conventional treatment, the combination of 3-drugs-3-formulas might shorten duration of fever (MD = –1.39; 95% CI: –2.19 to –0.59; P < 0.05), cough (MD = –1.57; 95% CI: –2.16 to –0.98; P < 0.05) and fatigue (MD = –1.36; 95% CI: –2.21 to –0.51; P < 0.05), decrease length of hospital stay (MD = –2.62; 95% CI –3.52 to –1.72; P < 0.05), the time for nucleic acid conversion (MD = –2.92; 95% CI: –4.26 to –1.59; P < 0.05), aggravation rate (RR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.38 to 0.64; P < 0.05) and mortality (RR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.19 to 0.62; P < 0.05), and increase the recovery rate of chest CT manifestations (RR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.3; P < 0.05) and total effectiveness (RR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.09 to 1.42; P < 0.05).

Conclusion
The 3-drugs-3-formulas can play an active role in treating all stages of COVID-19. No severe adverse events related to 3-drugs-3-formulas were observed. Hence, 3-drugs-3-formulas combined with conventional therapies have effective therapeutic value for COVID-19 patients. Further long-term high-quality studies are essential to demonstrate the clinical benefits of each formula.

Key words: Traditional Chinese medicine, Coronavirus disease 2019, Herbal formulas, Systematic review, Meta-analysis

Liang-zhen You, Qian-qian Dai, Xiao-ying Zhong, Dong-dong Yu, He-rong Cui, Yi-fan Kong, Meng-zhu Zhao, Xin-yi Zhang, Qian-qian Xu, Zhi-yue Guan, Xu-xu Wei, Xue-cheng Zhang, Song-jie Han, Wen-jing Liu, Zhao Chen, Xiao-yu Zhang, Chen Zhao, Ying-hui Jin, Hong-cai Shang. Clinical evidence of three traditional Chinese medicine drugs and three herbal formulas for COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the Chinese population. Journal of Integrative Medicine, 2023, 21(5): 441-454.

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URL: http://www.jcimjournal.com/EN/10.1016/j.joim.2023.08.001

http://www.jcimjournal.com/EN/Y2023/V21/I5/441

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