QiMing granules for diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of QiMing granules (QM) in the treatment of patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: We systematically searched multiple databases, including Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, SinoMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, and VIP database. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of QM in the treatment of DR were collected, and the search time limit was from the establishment of the database to 27 March 2024. Two independent researchers were involved in literature screening, data extraction, and bias risk assessment. The risk of bias in the included studies was assessed using the Risk of Bias Assessment tool for randomized controlled trials of Cochrane Collaboration 2.0 (RoB 2.0). The main outcomes were the overall efficacy, visual acuity, retinal circulation time, macular thickness. The secondary outcomes were the levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The adverse events was considered the safety outcome. Review Manager 5.4.1 and Stata 15.1 were used for meta-analysis. Data were pooled by random-effects or fixed-effects model to obtain the mean difference (MD), risk ratio (RR), and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: A total of 33 RCTs involving 3,042 patients were included in this study. Overall, we demonstrated that QM had a significant clinical effect on DR. QM alone was superior to conventional treatment (CT) in terms of overall efficacy [RR = 1.45, 95% CI: (1.34, 1.58), p < 0.00001, moderate certainty], retinal circulation time [MD = -0.56, 95% CI: (-1.01, -0.12), p = 0.01] and macular thickness [MD = -11.99, 95% CI: (-23.15, -0.83), p = 0.04]. QM plus CT was superior to CT in terms of overall efficacy [RR = 1.29, 95% CI: (1.24, 1.33), p < 0.00001], visual acuity [MD = 0.14, 95% CI: (0.11, 0.17), p < 0.00001], macular thickness [MD = -14.70, 95% CI: (-21.56, -7.83), p < 0.0001], TG [MD = -0.20, 95% CI: (-0.33, -0.08), p = 0.001, moderate certainty], TC [MD = -0.57, 95% CI: (-1.06, -0.07), p = 0.02], and LDL-C [MD = -0.36, 95% CI: (-0.70, -0.03), p = 0.03]. In terms of safety, the incidence of adverse events in the experimental group was less than that in the control group. The results of the GRADE evidence quality evaluation showed that the evidence quality of outcome indicators was mostly low. Conclusion: QM can effectively improve overall efficacy, visual acuity, macular thickness, retinal circulation time, and reduce the levels of TG, TC, and LDL-C. However, due to the limited number of studies included, a small sample size, and a lack of high-quality literature, the possibility of publication bias cannot be excluded. Moreover, biases are present due to differences in study design, such as the absence of placebo use in the control group and a predominant use of combined intervention designs in the control group, along with deficiencies in allocation concealment and blinding methods. Therefore, more multi-center, large-sample, and rigorously designed studies are needed to substantiate this conclusion. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails, identifier CRD42023465165.

Effects of the combination of red yeast rice-containing commercial Chinese polyherbal preparation with statins for dyslipidemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Significant challenges are associated with the pharmacological management of dyslipidemia, an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Limited reliable evidence exists regarding the efficacy of red yeast rice (RYR)-containing commercial Chinese polyherbal preparation (CCPP), despite their widespread use in China. Purpose: We aimed to investigate the efficacy of RYR-containing CCPPs combined with statins in treating dyslipidemia. Methods: Eight databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from database inception date to November 2023. Outcome measures, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), clinical efficacy, and adverse reactions, were assessed. The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions was used for quality evaluation, and the meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.1. Results: Thirty-three studies involving 4,098 participants were included. The combination of RYR-containing CCPP, such as Xuezhikang (XZK), Zhibitai (ZBTAI), or Zhibituo (ZBTUO) with statins had a significant effect on the increase in clinical efficacy [RR:1.16, 95%CI (1.13, 1.19), p < 0.00001]. In addition, they also improved blood lipid profile parameters by increasing HDL-C levels [MD:0.21, 95%CI(0.17, 0.25), p < 0.00001], and decreasing TC [MD: 0.60, 95%CI(-0.76, -0.45), p < 0.00001], TG [MD: 0.33, 95%CI(-0.39, -0.26), p < 0.00001] and LDL-C levels [MD: 0.45, 95%CI(-0.54, -0.36), p < 0.00001]. No significant adverse reactions was observed in the RYR-containing CCPPs. Notably, ZBTAI and XZK significantly reduced the incidence of gastrointestinal disturbances and muscular adverse reactions. However, subgroup analyses suggested that the type of CCPPs, dose, and treatment duration might affect the efficacy of RYR-containing CCPPs. Conclusion: RYR-containing CCPPs combined with statins appears to improve lipid profiles and clinical efficacy in patients with dyslipidemia. However, due to the poor quality of the included studies, and some studied showing negative findings was unpublished. The results should be interpreted with caution until further confirmation by well-designed RCTs. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=487402, identifier CRD42023487402.

Efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicines for tension-type headache: Systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Objective: The high incidence of Tension-type headache (TTH) has led to significant social and economic challenges. Given the widespread use of Chinese patent medicines (CPM) for TTH patients, this study aim to evaluate the efficacy of different CPMs in treating TTH by network meta-analysis. Methods: Eight databases were conducted to identify CPMs-related randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from database inception date to August 2023. The primary outcome was clinical efficiency rate. The secondary outcomes were numerical rating scale (NRS), frequency of headache, duration of headache, hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), hamilton depression Scale (HAMD) and adverse reactions. ROB 2.0 were used for quality evaluation. Stata 15.1 and R 3.5.3 software were used for Bayesian network meta-analysis. Results: A total of forty-one RCTs were included, involving 3,996 patients and 8 CPMs. The network meta-analysis revealed that Shugan Jieyu capsule plus western medicine (WM) was the best choice of CPM for improving clinical efficiency rate [vs. WM: relative risk (RR) = 7.31, 95 % confidence interval (CI): (1.65, 56.71)]. Yangxue Qingnao granule plus WM was superior to other therapeutic combinations in reducing duration of headache [vs. WM: MD = 1.05, 95%CI(0.74, 1.40)]. Jieyu pill plus WM might have best effect in reducing HAMD [vs. WM: MD = 7.15, 95%CI(-3.77, 18.14)], HAMA scores [vs. WM: MD = -7.41, 95%CI(-13.39, -1.42)], and NRS scores [vs. WM: mean difference (MD) = 2.01, 95%CI(1.47, 2.55)]. In terms of the frequency of headache, although Yangxue Qingnao granule plus WM and Toutong-ning capsule plus WM performed best, the optimal CPMs in reducing the frequency of headache remain to be further explored. Furthermore, due to the limited safety evidence available, reliable safety conclusions could not be drawn. Conclusion: CPM can effectively improve headache symptoms, clinical efficiency, and quality of life in patients with TTH. However, research with high quality and large sample sizes is needed for further investigation due to the limitations of this study.

The use of Panax notoginseng saponins injections after intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: As a bioactive metabolite preparation widely used in acute ischemic stroke (AIS), the efficacy and safety of Panax notoginseng saponins injections (PNSI) in patients with AIS after intravenous thrombolysis remain to be evaluated. Methods: This study included randomized controlled trials published before 26 April 2024 in 8 databases. AIS patients who received intravenous thrombolysis were included. The control group receiving conventional treatment and the treatment group receiving additional PNSI. Primary outcomes were selected as mortality, disability, and adverse events. Secondary outcomes were selected as all-cause mortality, improvement of neurological deficit, quality of life, and cerebral injury indicators. The revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to assess risk of bias. Risk ratio (RR) and mean differences (MD) were calculated for binary variables and continuous variables, respectively, based on a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: A total of 20 trials involving 1,856 participants were included. None of them reported mortality or disability. There was no significant difference in the adverse events [RR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.60 to 1.81] and hemorrhagic transformation [RR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.36 to 2.70] between the two groups. Compared to the control group, the treatment group had a better effect in neurological improvement assessed by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [MD: -2.91; 95% CI: -4.76 to -1.06], a better effect in activities of daily living changes in Barthel Index [MD: 9.37; 95% CI: 1.86 to 16.88], and a lower serum neuron-specific enolase level [MD: -2.08; 95% CI: -2.67 to -1.49]. Conclusion: For AIS patients undergoing intravenous thrombolysis, the use of PNSI improved neurological deficits and enhanced activity of daily living in the short term without increasing the occurrence rate of adverse events. However, due to the moderate to very low certainty of evidence, it is advisable to conduct high-quality clinical trials to validate the findings of this study. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=466851, Identifier CRD42023466851.

Efficacy and safety of Ginkgo biloba extract in the treatment of unstable angina pectoris: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ginkgo biloba is a traditional Chinese medicine extracted from the Ginkgophyta and is commonly used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in China. Clinical trials have demonstrated the clinical benefits of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) preparations for patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP). AIM OF THE STUDY: The efficacy of different GBE preparations in treating UAP may vary, leading to a lack of guidance for physicians when choosing GBE preparations. How to make choices among different GBE preparations is a topic worthy of investigation. In order to clarify the efficacy differences among different GBE preparations, provide a reference for their optimal use conditions, this study was conducted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included literature from eight databases from inception to November 2023. It included UAP patients, with the control group receiving conventional treatment and the treatment group receiving different GBE preparations in addition to conventional treatment. Angina efficacy, electrocardiogram (ECG) improvement, and frequency of angina were chosen as outcomes. This study employed a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis, and the surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) curve was used for estimating the efficacy ranking. RESULTS: A total of 98 studies involving 9513 patients and 9 interventions were included. Compared with conventional treatment, GBE preparations combined with conventional treatment had better efficacy in angina symptoms and ECG improvement. According to the SUCRA ranking, Shuxuening injection was most effective in improving angina symptoms and reducing the frequency of angina. Among oral GBE preparations, Ginkgo tablets had the best performance in improving angina symptoms and ECG manifestations, and reducing the frequency of angina. There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the treatment group and the control group, and all adverse events were mild and self-limiting. Compared with oral preparations, the incidence of adverse events for injections was higher. CONCLUSIONS: GBE preparations may alleviate angina symptoms and myocardial ischemia in the treatment of UAP with favorable safety. Shuxuening injection may be the most effective among all GBE preparations in improving angina symptoms, while Ginkgo tablets may perform best among oral formulations. The optimal use of GBE injection may be for rapidly alleviating angina symptoms and myocardial ischemia in patients with UAP, and oral formulation of GBE may be more suitable for the long-term treatment of patients with milder symptoms. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022361487, ID: CRD42022361487.

[Summary and evaluation of randomized controlled trial on Chinese patent medicine in treatment of diabetic foot ulcer].

This study systematically collected, analyzed, and evaluated randomized controlled trial(RCT) in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer(DFU). The aim as provide references for future studies and to enhance the application of clinical evidence. The RCT of DFU treated with Chinese Patent Medicine was obtained and analyzed using the AI-Clinical Evidence Database of Chinese Patent Medicine(AICED-CPM). The analysis was supplemented with data from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. A total of 275 RCTs meeting the requirements were retrieved, with only 7 of them having a sample size of 200 or more. These trials involved 66 different Chinese patent medicine including 25 oral medications, 24 Chinese herbal injections, and 17 external drugs. Among the 33 different intervention/control designs identified, the most common design was Chinese patent medicine + conventional treatment vs conventional treatment(86 cases, 31.27%). Out of the 275 articles included in the literature, 50 did not provide information on the specific course of treatment(18.18%). A total of 10 counting indicators(with a frequency of 426) and 36 measuring indicators(with a frequency of 962) were utilized. The methodological quality of the RCT for the treatment of DFU with Chinese patent medicine was found to be low, with deficiencies in blind methods, other bias factors, study registration, and sample size estimation. There were noticeable shortcomings in the reporting of allocation hiding and implementation bias(blind method application). More studies should prioritize trial registration, program design, and strict quality control during implementation to provide valuable data for clinical practice and serve as a reference for future investigations.

Traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic prediction model for holistic syndrome differentiation based on deep learning.

Background: With the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome knowledge accumulation and artificial intelligence (AI), this study proposes a holistic TCM syndrome differentiation model for the classification prediction of multiple TCM syndromes based on deep learning and accelerates the construction of modern foundational TCM equipment. Methods: We searched publicly available TCM guidelines and textbooks for expert knowledge and validated these sources using ten-fold cross-validation. Based on the BERT and CNN models, with the classification constraints from TCM holistic syndrome differentiation, the TCM-BERT-CNN model was constructed, which completes the end-to-end TCM holistic syndrome text classification task through symptom input and syndrome output. We assessed the performance of the model using precision, recall, and F1 scores as evaluation metrics. Results: The TCM-BERT-CNN model had a higher precision (0.926), recall (0.9238), and F1 score (0.9247) than the BERT, TextCNN, LSTM RNN, and LSTM ATTENTION models and achieved superior results in model performance and predictive classification of most TCM syndromes. Symptom feature visualization demonstrated that the TCM-BERT-CNN model can effectively identify the correlation and characteristics of symptoms in different syndromes with a strong correlation, which conforms to the diagnostic characteristics of TCM syndromes. Conclusions: The TCM-BERT-CNN model proposed in this study is in accordance with the TCM diagnostic characteristics of holistic syndrome differentiation and can effectively complete diagnostic prediction tasks for various TCM syndromes. The results of this study provide new insights into the development of deep learning models for holistic syndrome differentiation in TCM.

Effectiveness of Shuxuening injection in coronary heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) poses a serious threat to public health, and the current medical management still faces significant challenges. Reliable evidence on the efficacy of Shuxuening injection (SXNI) in CHD is still lacking, even though it is widely used in China. Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of SXNI combination therapy in treating CHD. Methods: A systematic search of eight databases was conducted to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from the inception of each database until June 2023. ROB 2.0, RevMan 5.4, and Stata 15.1 were used for quality evaluation and data analysis. The Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. Results: A total of 3,779 participants from 39 studies were included. The results showed SXNI combination therapy increased the clinical efficacy and decreased the frequency and duration of angina. Furthermore, SXNI combination therapy improved cardiac function of patients by decreasing LVEDD, and increased CI, CO, and LVEF. It also improved blood lipid profiles by increasing HDL, decreasing TC, TG, and LDL. The thrombosis factors of patients were also improved by decreasing FIB, PV, HCT, and HS. Moreover, SXNI combination therapy was superior to the conventional treatment in improving CRP levels, increasing ECG efficacy and BNP. However, due to the limited safety information, reliable safety conclusions could not be drawn. Furthermore, the levels of evidence ranged from very low to moderate due to publication bias and heterogeneity. Conclusion: SXNI can effectively improve angina symptoms, clinical efficacy, cardiac function, blood lipid indicators, and thrombosis factors of patients with CHD. However, more multi-center and large-sample studies are needed to confirm the conclusions due to the limitations of this study. Registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=399606; Identifier: CRD42023433292.

Expert consensus on the use of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of common symptoms of post-COVID-19 short-term condition.

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.

The role and advantage of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a massive impact on global social and economic development and human health. By combining traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with modern medicine, the Chinese government has protected public health by supporting all phases of COVID-19 prevention and treatment, including community prevention, clinical treatment, control of disease progression, and promotion of recovery. Modern medicine focuses on viruses, while TCM focuses on differential diagnosis of patterns associated with viral infection of the body and recommends the use of TCM decoctions for differential treatment. This differential diagnosis and treatment approach, with its profoundly empirical nature and holistic view, endows TCM with an accessibility advantage and high application value for dealing with COVID-19. Here, we summarize the advantage of and evidence for TCM use in COVID-19 prevention and treatment to draw attention to the scientific value and accessibility advantage of TCM and to promote the use of TCM in response to public health emergencies. Please cite this article as: Huang M, Liu YY, Xiong K, Yang FW, Jin XY, Wang ZQ, Zhang JH, Zhang BL. The role and advantage of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(5): 407-412.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture on sleep quality for post-stroke insomnia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide, and improving sleep quality in post-stroke insomnia is beneficial to the recovery of stroke. Acupuncture is widely used for the treatment of post-stroke insomnia in China. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to explore the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for post-stroke insomnia. Methods: Eight databases were searched from their inception to 12 September 2022. Two reviewers independently performed the study screening and data extraction. The outcomes include Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), objective sleep data measured by polysomnography (PSG), long-term efficacy and adverse events. The quality of the trials was assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool 2.0. The RevMan 5.4 and Stata 15.1 were used for data synthesis. Results: Among 3,233 participants from 41 studies were included. Pooled results indicated that acupuncture was superior to control group (CG) in improving PSQI total score (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.32, -0.74, P < 0.00001), increasing sleep efficiency (SMD = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.92) and total sleep time (SMD = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.22 to 0.86). The favorable results in improving PSQI total score (SMD = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.92), reduced sleep latency (SMD = 1.84, 95% CI: 0.31 to 3.38) and increased total sleep time (SMD = -0.73, 95% CI: -1.15 to -0.31) were also observed in comparisons of acupuncture plus CG vs. CG. As of long-term efficacy and safety, the effects of acupuncture were long-term and robustness, however, due to limited safety information, reliable safety conclusions cannot be drawn. Subgroup analysis showed that acupuncture plus CG was superior to CG for post-infarction patients, but the efficacy of acupuncture alone compared to non-BZDs or other hypnotics needs further research. The GRADE assessment demonstrated that the level of evidence was mostly low or very low given the flaws in the study design and considerable heterogeneity among the included studies. Conclusion: Acupuncture could improve sleep quality, has long-term efficacy and without serious adverse events. However, the findings should be treated with caution owing to the existence of methodological quality issues. More studies with rigorous designs are warranted for validation and explored the safety of acupuncture.

Identification of key genes for IgA nephropathy based on machine learning algorithm and correlation analysis of immune cells.

INTRODUCTION: The pathogenesis and progression mechanism of Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is not fully understood. There is a lack of panoramic analysis of IgAN immune cell infiltration and algorithms that are more efficient and accurate for screening key pathogenic genes. METHODS: RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data sets on IgAN were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, including GSE93798, GSE35489, and GSE115857. The RNA-seq data set of kidney tissue as control samples were downloaded from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database. Three machine learning algorithms-weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and support vector machine-were used to identify the key pathogenic gene sets of the IgAN disease. The ssGSEA method was applied to calculate the immune cell infiltration (ICI) of IgAN samples, whereas the Spearman test was used for correlation analysis. The receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of key genes. The correlation between the key genes and ICI was analyzed using the Spearman test. RESULTS: A total of 177 genes were screened out as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for IgAN, including 135 up-regulated genes and 42 down-regulated genes. The DEGs were significantly enriched in the inflammatory- or immune-related pathways (gene sets). Activating transcription factor 3 (AFT3), C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 6 (CXCL6), and v-fos FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (FOSB) were identified using WGCNA, support vector machine, and LASSO algorithms. These three genes revealed good diagnostic efficacy in the training and test cohorts. The CXCL6 expression positively correlated with activated B cells and memory B cells. CONCLUSION: ATF3, FOSB, and CXCL6 genes were identified as potential biomarkers of IgAN. These three genes exhibited good diagnostic efficacy for IgAN. We described the landscape of immune cell infiltration for IgAN. Activated B cells and memory B cells were more highly expressed in the IgAN samples than in the control samples. CXCL6 seems crucial to the pathogenesis of IgAN and may induce IgAN by enriching immune cells. Our study may contribute to developing CXCL6 inhibitors that target B cells for IgAN therapy.

[Inheritance, innovation and development of traditional Chinese medicine in new era call for scientific supervision].

Pharmaceutical products need to ensure the effectiveness, safety and quality controllability through scientific supervision, and as the broad masses of the people are full of new expectations for the supply of high-quality traditional Chinese medicine products, the reform and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine regulatory policies are also facing new opportunities and new challenges. National Medical Products Administration, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and other relevant departments have implemented the requirements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, vigorously promoted the reform of the regulatory system in line with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine, introduced a series of innovative policies, and achieved phased results. Including the new registration classification standards in line with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine, encouraging the development of classical formulas and hospital preparations, encouraging the research and development of symptomatic Chinese medicines, and gra-dually improving the "three-combined " evidence system. However, in the face of the development problems of traditional Chinese medicine in the new era, it is still necessary to improve the scientific supervision system, further optimize the management measures for the registration of traditional Chinese medicines based on classical formulas, accelerate the improvement of the standard system for traditional Chinese medicine formula granules, and form management measures to encourage and support the secondary development of traditional Chinese medicines. In terms of scientific supervision of traditional Chinese medicine, it is necessary to follow the characteristics and development laws of traditional Chinese medicine itself, comprehensively consider the characteristics of epochal, scientific and systematic in regulatory policies, and serve the inheritance and innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine with scientific supervision.

Combination therapy with DHA and BMSCs suppressed podocyte injury and attenuated renal fibrosis by modulating the TGF-ß1/Smad pathway in MN mice.

Artemisinin has immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic effects. Some studies have demonstrated that artemisinins have a protective effect on the kidney. DHA is a derivative of artemisinin and has effects similar to those of artemisinin. Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) accelerate renal repair following acute injury. In the study, we investigated the effects of combination therapy with DHA and BMSCs on membranous nephropathy (MN) mice. The 24-h urinary protein, serum total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels, and renal histopathology, were measured to evaluate kidney damage. Anti-PLA2R, IgG, and complement 3 (C3) were detected by ELISA. The expression levels of the podocyte injury-related proteins were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The protein expression levels of α-SMA, ED-1, TGF-ß1, p-Smad2, and p-Smad3 were detected by western blot to analyze renal fibrosis and its regulatory mechanism. Results showed that combination therapy with DHA and BMSCs significantly ameliorated kidney damage in MN model mice by decreasing the levels of 24 h urinary protein, TC and TG. This combination therapy also improved renal histology and reduced the expression of IgG and C3 in the glomerulus. In addition, this combination therapy decreased the expression of podocin and nephrin and relieved renal fibrosis by downregulating α-SMA and ED-1. Furthermore, this combination therapy suppressed TGF-ß1 expression and Smad2/3 phosphorylation. This result (i.e., this combination therapy inhibited the TGF-ß1/Smad pathway) was also supported in vitro. Taken together, combination therapy with DHA and BMSCs ameliorated podocyte injury and renal fibrosis in MN mice by downregulating the TGFß1/Smad pathway.

Oral traditional Chinese patent medicines combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for primary dysmenorrhea: A protocol for Bayesian network meta-analysis and systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) was the most common gynecological disorder, with an increasingly high prevalence worldwide. PD often accompanied other dysmenorrhea-associated symptoms to trigger exacerbations, and even cause depression and anxiety for patients. As the effective first-line medication, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have become widespread across China and combined with oral traditional Chinese patent medicines (TCPMs) for PD in clinical practice. We hope to provide better efficacy and safety evidence about oral TCPMs combined with NSAIDs (oral TCPMs+NSAIDs) for patients with PD by this network meta-analysis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will perform a Bayesian network meta-analysis of all oral TCPMs+NSAIDs for clinical diagnosis as PD. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, VIP information resource integration service platform databases, and clinical registers will be searched from the database inception to June 30, 2022 to find randomized controlled trials. Two reviewers will independently screen and check titles and abstracts and read the full text. Data extraction with the same criteria will be conducted by two researchers, including study characteristics, participant characteristics, interventions and comparators, and outcomes. We will perform the network meta-analysis by the Bayesian random method to analyze the direct and indirect comparisons. Meta-regression with multiple covariates will be conducted to find the potential heterogeneity. We will perform the sensitivity analysis to identify the potential effect on the robustness of our results. Evidence certainty of all interventions in outcomes will be identified and assessed by Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) assessment. Funnel plots with Egger test and Begg's test to detect the potential publication bias. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021265675.

Comorbidities and complications of COVID-19 associated with disease severity, progression, and mortality in China with centralized isolation and hospitalization: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes life-threatening with the high-fatality rates and spreads with high-infectious disease worldwide. We aimed to systematically review the comorbidities and complications of COVID-19 that are associated with various disease severity, progression, and mortality in China, to provide contemporary and reliable estimates in settings with centralized isolation and hospitalization. Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched four main English language databases, and four main Chinese language databases for observational studies published from inception to January 2022, to identify all the related comorbidities and complications of COVID-19, in the China region with centralized isolation and hospitalization, with disease severity, progression, and mortality. Literature search, data extraction, and quality assessment were independently conducted by two reviewers. We used the generalized linear mixed model to estimate pooled effect sizes for any comorbidities and complications, and subgroup in gender ratio was done to further address the potential heterogeneity. Results: Overall, 187 studies describing 77,013 patients, namely, 54 different comorbidities and 46 various complications of COVID-19, were identified who met our inclusion criteria. The most prevalent comorbidities were hypertension [20.37% 95% CI (15.28-26.63), 19.29% (16.17-22.85), 34.72% (31.48-38.10), and 43.94% (38.94-49.06)] and diabetes [7.84% (5.78-10.54), 8.59% (7.25-10.16), 17.99% (16.29-19.84), and 22.68% (19.93-25.69)] in mild, moderate, severe, and critical cases. The most prevalent complications were liver injury [10.00% (1.39-46.72), 23.04% (14.20-35.13), and 43.48% (39.88-47.15)] in mild, moderate, and severe cases, and acute respiratory distress syndrome [ARDS; 94.17% (20.78-99.90)] and respiratory failure [90.69% (28.08-99.59)] in critical cases. Renal insufficiency [odds ratio (OR) 17.43 (6.69-45.43)] in comorbidities and respiratory failure [OR 105.12 (49.48-223.33)] in complications were strongly associated in severe/critical than in mild/moderate cases. The highest estimated risk in intensive care unit (ICU) admission, progression, and mortality was an autoimmune disease, nervous system disease, and stroke in comorbidities, shock, and ARDS in complications. Conclusion: Comorbidities and complications in inpatients with COVID-19 were positively associated with increased risk in severe and critical cases, ICU admission, exacerbation, and death during centralized isolation and hospitalization. Prompt identification of comorbidities and complications in inpatients with COVID-19 can enhance the prevention of disease progression and death and improve the precision of risk predictions.

Recovery of functional fitness, lung function, and immune function in healthcare workers with nonsevere and severe COVID-19 at 13 months after discharge from the hospital: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the recovery of functional fitness, lung function, and immune function in healthcare workers (HCWs) with nonsevere and severe COVID-19 at 13 months after discharge from the hospital. METHODS: The participants of "Rehabilitation Care Project for Medical Staff Infected with COVID-19" underwent a functional fitness test (muscle strength, flexibility, and agility/dynamic balance), lung function test, and immune function test (including cytokines and lymphocyte subsets) at 13 months after discharge. RESULTS: The project included 779 HCWs (316 nonsevere COVID-19 and 463 severe COVID-19). This study found that 29.1% (130/446) of the HCWs have not yet recovered their functional fitness. The most affected lung function indicator was lung perfusion capacity (34% with diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide-single breath <80%). The increase of interleukin-6 (64/534, 12.0%) and natural killer cells (44/534, 8.2%) and the decrease of CD3+ T cells (58/534, 10.9%) and CD4+ T cells (26/534, 4.9%) still existed at 13 months after discharge. No significant difference was found in the HCWs with nonsevere and severe COVID-19 regarding recovery of functional fitness, lung function, and immune function at 13 months after discharge. CONCLUSION: The majority of Chinese HCWs with COVID-19 had recovered their functional fitness, lung function, and immune function, and the recovery status in HCWs with severe COVID-19 is no worse than that in HCWs with nonsevere COVID-19 at 13 months after discharge from the hospital.

[Clinical observation of Xuanfei Baidu Decoction in treatment of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)].

The present study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of Xuanfei Baidu Decoction(XFBD) for severe cases with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Forty-one patients(diagnosed as severe or critical type) admitted to Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine and Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 1 to March 1, 2020, were included.All patients were treated with XFBD based on conventional therapies.Clinical outcomes, length of hospital stay, and lung CT images of patients were observed.Laboratory indicators were compared between admission and the 14 th day of treatment.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) symptoms and signs on the 7 th and 14 th days of treatment were also compared with baseline.The differences in clinical characteristics and clinical outcomes between XFBD and western medicine or conventional therapies were analyzed with the published trials on severe COVID-19 cases during the same period as external controls.According to the results, among the 41 cases, 40 were cured and discharged, and 1 died; the median length of hospital stay was 22 days, and the improvement rate of lung CT was 87.2%(34/39).Compared with the conditions on admission, the levels of white blood cells(WBC), C-reactive protein(CRP), fibrinogen(FIB), and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) were reduced(P<0.05, P<0.01), and levels of procalcitonin(PCT), prothrombin time(PT), creatine kinase(CK), alanine aminotransferase(AST), total bilirubin(TBiL), and other indicators showed a downward trend.Moreover, symptoms like fever, cough, chest tightness/shortness of breath, dyspnea, head and body pain, anorexia, and greasy tongue coating were significantly improved on the 7 th and 14 th days of treatment(P<0.05, P<0.01), and fatigue was improved on the 14 th day of treatment(P<0.01).The mortality, adverse reactions, and major events of the XFBD group were significantly lower than those of the western medicine and conventional treatment groups in the same period, and the usage of antibiotics, hormones, vasopressin, and invasive mechanical ventilation during treatment were generally less than other groups.In conclusion, XFBD has good efficacy and safety in the treatment of severe COVID-19 cases by improving inflammation and clinical symptoms, promoting the absorption of lung inflammation, and reducing mortality.

The Long-Term Effect of COVID-19 Disease Severity on Risk of Diabetes Incidence and the Near 1-Year Follow-Up Outcomes among Postdischarge Patients in Wuhan.

We assessed the nearly 1-year health consequences following discharge and related risk factors of COVID-19 infection and further explored the long-term effect of COVID-19 disease severity on the risk of diabetes incidence. This prospective study included 248 COVID-19 patients discharged from Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine who were followed up between 1 March and 10 June 2021. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate risk factors. The top ten symptoms were shortness of breath (30.3%), sore or dry throat (25.7%), cough (23.2%), expectoration (23.2%), body pain (22.3%), chest tightness (20.8%), palpitations (17.8%), sleep difficulties (17.0%), fatigue (16.6%), and anxiety (15.3%). Hypertension was associated with fatigue (OR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.08, 5.80), shortness of breath (OR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.16, 4.69), palpitations (OR = 2.82, 95% CI: 1.26, 6.31), expectoration (OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.01, 4.30), and sore or dry throat (OR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.30, 5.65). Diabetes was associated with palpitations (OR = 3.22, 95% CI: 1.18, 8.81). Critical illness was associated with an increased risk of diabetes incidence after discharge (OR = 2.90, 95% CI: 1.07, 7.88), which seemed more evident in males. Long COVID-19 symptoms were common at 1-year postdischarge; hypertension and diabetes could be projected as potential risk factors. We are among the first researchers to find that critical illness is associated with incident diabetes after discharge.

[Network Meta-analysis of efficacy and safety of oral Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional western medicine in treatment of hypertension].

This study aims to systematically evaluate the effect of oral Chinese patent medicines on hypertension with network Meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials on the treatment of hypertension with oral Chinese patent medicine combined with conventional western medicine were retrieved from China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase, and Cochrane Library(from establishment of the database to August 2021). Two researchers independently screened the articles, extracted the data, and evaluated article quality. Then R 4.1.0 was employed for data analysis. Finally, 195 eligible articles were screened out, involving 22 546 patients and 18 oral Chinese patent medicines. The results of the network Meta-analysis are as follows. In terms of reducing systolic blood pressure(SBP) and diastolic blood pressure(DBP), Xuesaitong, Qiangli Dingxuan Tablets, Songling Xuemaikang Capsules combined with conventional western medicine are superior. In improving blood lipids, the overall effects of Xinmaitong Capsules, Compound Xueshuantong Capsules, Ginkgo Folium preparations, Yindan Xinnaotong Soft Capsules, and Naoxintong Capsules combined with conventional western medicine are outstanding. In terms of regulating endothelial function, Yindan Xinnaotong Soft Capsules, Xinmaitong Capsules, Zhenju Jiangya Tablets, Compound Danshen Dripping Pills, Xuesaitong with conventional western medicine have certain advantages. As for the safety, the incidence of adverse reactions of conventional western medicine combined with oral Chinese patent medicines is lower than that of conventional western medicine alone. In summary, compared with conventional western medicine alone, the 18 oral Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional western medicine in the treatment of hypertension show advantages in improving blood pressure, blood lipids, and endothelial function. Among them, Xuesaitong, Qiangli Dingxuan Tablets, and Songling Xuemaikang Capsules may be the best oral Chinese patent medicines for lowering blood pressure. The conclusion needs to be further verified by more high-quality studies.