Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31626140›Full record

SynthesisMedicine2019

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of the Wenyang Huoxue method in treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Zhiyuan Deng, Manjia Wang, Yao-Hua Fan, Ruilin Huang, Yawen Rao, Xurong Mai, Min Liu

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

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

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
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

7 authors.

Zhiyuan DengGuangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.
Manjia WangGuangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.
Yao-Hua FanGuangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.
Ruilin HuangGuangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.
Yawen RaoGuangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.
Xurong MaiGuangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.
Min LiuThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo assess the efficacy and safety of the Wenyang Huoxue method for patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

methodsA systematic literature search was performed using 7 databases: PUBMED, EMBASE, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, Chinese BioMedical, and the VIP Chinese Science and Technique Journals. The publication time was from the start of each database up to November 2018. Review Manager 5.3 software was used for assessing potential bias, data synthesis, and the subgroup analysis. Begg and Egger tests were used to assess funnel plot symmetries using Stata 14.0 software. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to assess the quality of evidence.

resultsA total of 22 trials involving 1835 participants were eligible. There were significant differences in a total effective rate between the Wenyang Huoxue method combined with Western medicine and Western medicine alone (RR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.26-1.41; P < .00001). As for the sensory conduction velocity (SCV) of the peroneal nerve, the Wenyang Huoxue method combined with Western medicine compared with Western medicine alone had a significant increase (weighted mean difference [WMD] = 5.00, 95% CI 3.42-6.57; P < .00001). Also, the Wenyang Huoxue method combined with Western medicine had significant increases in motor conduction velocity (MCV) of the peroneal nerve (WMD = 4.48, 95% CI 3.78-5.19; P < .00001), tibial nerve SCV (WMD = 3.47, 95% CI 2.66-4.28; P < .00001), tibial nerve MCV (4.87, 95% CI 3.21-6.53; P < .00001), median nerve SCV (WMD = 3.78, 95% CI 3.07-4.50; P < .00001), and median nerve MCV (WMD = 4.50, 95% CI 3.40-5.59; P < .00001). However, the effect of the Wenyang Huoxue method on fasting blood glucose, 2-h postprandial blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin was not statistically significant. Egger's test results showed that there was no publication bias (P = .0008), but the trim and filling method showed steady results. An influence analysis showed that no single study affected the overall result. The GRADE quality of the evidence was low to moderate across the different outcomes.

conclusionDespite of the apparently positive findings, the quality of GRADE is not high, suggesting that the Wenyang Huoxue method can improve nerve conduction velocity to a certain extent, but more rigorous literature is needed to support this evidence.

Indexed as

Randomized Controlled Trials as TopicDiabetic NephropathiesDrugs, Chinese HerbalHumansMedicine, Chinese TraditionalTreatment OutcomeDrugs, Chinese Herbal

Identifiers

PMID31626140
PMCPMC6824654

What OpenQuestion 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 OpenQuestion graph.