Evidence mapPaperPMID 32631398Full record

ArticleBMC complementary medicine and therapies2020

Comparative efficacy, safety and cost of oral Chinese patent medicines for rheumatoid arthritis: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Dan Zhang, Jin-Tao Lyu, Bing Zhang, Xiao-Meng Zhang, Hao Jiang, Zhi-Jian Lin

Abstract readComparative StudyNetwork Meta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Article in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Effects and molecular mechanisms ofFrontiers in pharmacology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Dan ZhangDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
Jin-Tao LyuDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
Bing ZhangDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China. zhangb@bucm.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6391-5142
Xiao-Meng ZhangDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
Hao JiangDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
Zhi-Jian LinDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 81874349the Programs Foundation for Leading Talents in State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China-"Qihuang scholars" Project 10400633210004
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common inflammatory disease with a substantial burden for society and economic worldwide. Chinese patent medicines (CPMs) have gained attention as alternative remedies due to they can exert the satisfactory therapeutic effects via holistic regulation. Currently, several oral Chinese patent medicines are routinely recommended for managing and treating RA. Therefore, a network meta-analysis (NMA), which tries to synthesize evidences for a decision making by evaluating the comparative effectiveness of multiple interventions against the same disease, was undertaken to identify the optimal intervention according to their efficacy in clinical treatment and symptom remission, safety profile and daily cost.

methodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding CPMs to treat RA were comprehensive retrieved from 3 foreign databases and 4 Chinese databases, and the retrieved results were last updated on January 10, 2019. The bias of the selected trials was assessed by two individuals independently through RoB2. A random-effects model was adopted during the meta-analytic procedures, and outcomes concerning efficacy and safety were evaluated as odds ratios (OR), mean differences (MD) and 95% credible intervals (CI) utilizing Stata 14.1 and WinBUGS 1.4.3 software. Furthermore, the cluster analysis and comprehensive investigation were preformed concerning the comparative efficacy, safety and cost of oral CPMs.

resultsOne hundred sixteen RCTs involving 10,213 individuals met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled into current NMA. The results from existing evidence indicated that Biqi capsule and Yuxuebi capsule probably had a favorable balance in consideration of benefits, tolerability and daily cost. Furthermore, as the least expensive choice, glucosides of Tripterygium Wilfordii tablet was associated with displaying a trend of relieving joint tenderness, joint swelling, and morning stiffness for patients with RA.

conclusionBiqi capsule, Yuxuebi capsule and glucosides of Tripterygium Wilfordii tablet were recommended for treating RA based on the favorable benefits in both clinical efficacy and symptoms, and they, meanwhile, might be associated with the more tolerable and acceptable therapeutic alternative in terms of safety profile and daily cost. Nevertheless, the additional results from high-quality, multi-center and head-to-head trials would be pivotal for supporting our findings.

Indexed as

Arthritis, RheumatoidBayes TheoremHumansMedicine, Chinese TraditionalNonprescription DrugsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicNonprescription DrugsChinese patent medicinesCostEfficacyNetwork meta-analysisRheumatoid arthritisSafety

Identifiers

PMID32631398
PMCPMC7339567

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.