AUTHOR=Cai Xiao , Chen Xiu-Min , Xia Xuan , Bao Kun , Wang Rong-Rong , Peng Jian-Hong , Liu Hai-Jun , Yang Qiao-Wen , Yan Jing-Yao , Wang Mao-Jie , Yu Hua , Lu Jin-Jian , Hu Yuan-Jia , Jakobsson Per-Johan , Wen Ze-Huai , Huang Run-Yue , Huang Qing-Chun
TITLE=The Bone-Protecting Efficiency of Chinese Medicines Compared With Western Medicines in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Comparative Studies
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology
VOLUME=9
YEAR=2018
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2018.00914
DOI=10.3389/fphar.2018.00914
ISSN=1663-9812
ABSTRACT=Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease leading to joint destruction. The prevention of bone and cartilage destruction has received increased attention in recent years.
Objective: To evaluate the current evidences regarding the bone-protecting efficacy of Chinese medicine or the combination of Chinese medicine and Western medicine for RA.
Methods: We comprehensively searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library (www.thecochranelibrary.com), the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals (VIP), and SinoMed. We then performed a systematic review and cumulative meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the two therapy methods.
Results: Sixteen studies including 1,171 patients were included in the final analysis. The results showed that Chinese medicine could significantly improve the bone mineral density (BMD) (mean difference [MD] = 0.05 /g·cm−2, 95% CI [0.03, 0.08], P < 0.00001), and decrease the serum matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) ([SMD] = −2.84, 95% CI [−4.22, −1.47], P < 0.0001).
Conclusions: Chinese medicine may provide an efficiently alternative choice for the treatment of RA in terms of the bone-protecting efficiency. Given the inherent limitations of the included studies, future well-designed RCTs are required to confirm and update the findings of this analysis.