SynthesisFrontiers in endocrinology2025
Effectiveness and safety of eleven Chinese patent medicines combined with atorvastatin in the treatment of hyperlipidemia: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Comparative efficacy of eight traditional Chinese medicines combined with statins in the treatment of hyperlipidemia: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Pooled it
- Red yeast rice extract's impact on liver health: a pharmacological and metabolomic exploration.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
- An Up-to-Date Review of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Atherosclerosis: Components, Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Potentials.Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) suggested that combining Chinese patent medicines with atorvastatin exhibited superior effectiveness in treating hyperlipidemia with reduced adverse reactions. However, the evidence regarding the clinical effectiveness and safety was not assessed to make informed decision in clinical practice. Objective: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of combined Chinese patent medicines with atorvastatin. Methods: Eight databases (CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) were searched from inception to April 2024. The risk of bias (ROB) of the included RCTs was assessed using the ROB 2.0 tool recommended by the Cochrane Handbook. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) probability values were used to rank the treatment measures, and the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis (CINeMA) software was used to assess the grading of evidence. Results: A total of 23 RCTs involving 2184 patients with hyperlipidemia were included. Hedan (tablets or capsules) combined with atorvastatin showed the highest clinical effectiveness with an RR of 1.58 (95% CI: [1.14, 2.12]) (SUCRA: 80.36%), the lowest post-treatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level with an MD of -8.13(95% CI: [-9.70, -6.57]) (SUCRA: 3.37%), and the lowest post-treatment triglyceride (TG) level with an MD of -6.43(95% CI: [-7.71, -5.16]) (SUCRA: 0.33%). Dantian Jiangzhi Granules demonstrated the lowest post-treatment total cholesterol (TC) level with an MD of -2.22(95% CI: [-2.60, -1.83]) (SUCRA: 12.6%), while Xuezhikang Capsules displayed the highest post-treatment high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level with an MD of 1.61(95% CI: [0.82, 2.39]) (SUCRA: 79.87%). However, it is important to note that most of the included studies showed "some concerns" regarding the risk of bias based on ROB 2.0. According to CINeMA, most confidence rating results were classified as "low". Conclusion: Compared to atorvastatin alone, the combination of Chinese patent medicines with atorvastatin demonstrated superior effectiveness in treating hyperlipidemia. Among these, Hedan (tablets or capsules) exhibited the greatest overall benefit, significantly reducing TG and LDL-C levels. Dantian Jiangzhi Granules had the most pronounced effect in lowering TC, while Xuezhikang was most effective in improving HDL-C level. Although Xuezhikang is well-documented as lipid-lowering agent, the findings of this study suggest that hyperlipidemia treatment should be tailored to individual blood lipid profiles. Additionally, for drugs with limited evidence of efficacy and safety, larger randomized controlled trials and further pharmacological studies are necessary to valid these results. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42024573421.
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Registered trials
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.