Traditional Chinese medicine (Lianhua Qingwen) as an add-on to Western medicine for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients: A meta-analysis
Background: Proprietary traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) such as Lianhua Qingwen (LQ) has been promoted to be an over-the-counter product for treating infectious diseases including COVID-19. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LQ in adults with mild or moderate COVID-19 diseases....
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Pediatric Respirology and Critical Care Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/prcm.prcm_22_23 |
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| author | Daniel Kwok-keung Ng Shuk-yu Leung Yi-tak Au Han-dong Li Wei-bin Feng Chi-hang Yum Kam Lun E Hon |
| author_facet | Daniel Kwok-keung Ng Shuk-yu Leung Yi-tak Au Han-dong Li Wei-bin Feng Chi-hang Yum Kam Lun E Hon |
| author_sort | Daniel Kwok-keung Ng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background:
Proprietary traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) such as Lianhua Qingwen (LQ) has been promoted to be an over-the-counter product for treating infectious diseases including COVID-19. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LQ in adults with mild or moderate COVID-19 diseases.
Materials and Methods:
The authors conducted the literature search using six electronic databases (Chinese and English) from the inception dates of the different database to October 31, 2022, using search for relevant keywords, that is, “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,” “COVID-19,” “Lianhuaqingwen,” and “Lianhua Qingwen” to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Three reviewers independently identified studies, extracted the data, and assessed study quality. All analyses were conducted on RevMan 5.3.
Results:
A total of 6 RCT studies involving patients with COVID-19 were identified according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of included studies was moderate. LQ was effective in improving overall clinical efficacy (RR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.14–1.36; P < 0.001), and relieved three features, that is, cough (WMD = –2.04; 95% CI: –3.92 to –0.17; P = 0.03), fatigue (WMD= –2.58; 95% CI: –3.45 to –1.71; P < 0.001), and chest CT resolution (RR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.02–1.43; P = 0.03) but not resolution of fever (WMD = –0.46; 95% CI: –1.54 to 0.62; P = 0.40) among adults with mild or moderate COVID-19. LQ was also effective in reducing the rate of conversion to severe cases (RR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.37–0.86; P = 0.007). The adverse events rate (RR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.40–1.37; P = 0.35) were similar between LQ group and the control group.
Conclusion:
This meta-analysis of six RCT shows that the Lianhua Qingwe (LQ) as an add-on to Western medicine achieves a higher overall clinical efficacy, faster resolution of cough, fatigue and chest CT changes than Western medicine alone in COVID patients. LQ is also effective in reducing the rate of conversion to severe cases. Further double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized studies are warranted for LQ as a stand-alone treatment for the “heat” subtype of mild to moderate COVID diseases. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9b2a23119e484dda82fa57cf121be384 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2543-0343 2543-0351 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pediatric Respirology and Critical Care Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-9b2a23119e484dda82fa57cf121be3842025-08-20T03:18:16ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsPediatric Respirology and Critical Care Medicine2543-03432543-03512023-09-0174657510.4103/prcm.prcm_22_23Traditional Chinese medicine (Lianhua Qingwen) as an add-on to Western medicine for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients: A meta-analysisDaniel Kwok-keung NgShuk-yu LeungYi-tak AuHan-dong LiWei-bin FengChi-hang YumKam Lun E HonBackground: Proprietary traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) such as Lianhua Qingwen (LQ) has been promoted to be an over-the-counter product for treating infectious diseases including COVID-19. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LQ in adults with mild or moderate COVID-19 diseases. Materials and Methods: The authors conducted the literature search using six electronic databases (Chinese and English) from the inception dates of the different database to October 31, 2022, using search for relevant keywords, that is, “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,” “COVID-19,” “Lianhuaqingwen,” and “Lianhua Qingwen” to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Three reviewers independently identified studies, extracted the data, and assessed study quality. All analyses were conducted on RevMan 5.3. Results: A total of 6 RCT studies involving patients with COVID-19 were identified according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of included studies was moderate. LQ was effective in improving overall clinical efficacy (RR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.14–1.36; P < 0.001), and relieved three features, that is, cough (WMD = –2.04; 95% CI: –3.92 to –0.17; P = 0.03), fatigue (WMD= –2.58; 95% CI: –3.45 to –1.71; P < 0.001), and chest CT resolution (RR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.02–1.43; P = 0.03) but not resolution of fever (WMD = –0.46; 95% CI: –1.54 to 0.62; P = 0.40) among adults with mild or moderate COVID-19. LQ was also effective in reducing the rate of conversion to severe cases (RR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.37–0.86; P = 0.007). The adverse events rate (RR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.40–1.37; P = 0.35) were similar between LQ group and the control group. Conclusion: This meta-analysis of six RCT shows that the Lianhua Qingwe (LQ) as an add-on to Western medicine achieves a higher overall clinical efficacy, faster resolution of cough, fatigue and chest CT changes than Western medicine alone in COVID patients. LQ is also effective in reducing the rate of conversion to severe cases. Further double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized studies are warranted for LQ as a stand-alone treatment for the “heat” subtype of mild to moderate COVID diseases.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/prcm.prcm_22_23covid-19lianhua qingwentraditional chinese medicine |
| spellingShingle | Daniel Kwok-keung Ng Shuk-yu Leung Yi-tak Au Han-dong Li Wei-bin Feng Chi-hang Yum Kam Lun E Hon Traditional Chinese medicine (Lianhua Qingwen) as an add-on to Western medicine for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients: A meta-analysis Pediatric Respirology and Critical Care Medicine covid-19 lianhua qingwen traditional chinese medicine |
| title | Traditional Chinese medicine (Lianhua Qingwen) as an add-on to Western medicine for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients: A meta-analysis |
| title_full | Traditional Chinese medicine (Lianhua Qingwen) as an add-on to Western medicine for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients: A meta-analysis |
| title_fullStr | Traditional Chinese medicine (Lianhua Qingwen) as an add-on to Western medicine for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients: A meta-analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Traditional Chinese medicine (Lianhua Qingwen) as an add-on to Western medicine for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients: A meta-analysis |
| title_short | Traditional Chinese medicine (Lianhua Qingwen) as an add-on to Western medicine for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients: A meta-analysis |
| title_sort | traditional chinese medicine lianhua qingwen as an add on to western medicine for mild to moderate covid 19 patients a meta analysis |
| topic | covid-19 lianhua qingwen traditional chinese medicine |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/prcm.prcm_22_23 |
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