Efficacy and safety of Buyang Huanwu Decoction in patients with spinal cord injury: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Medicine, 2024 · DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000037865 · Published: April 19, 2024

Spinal Cord Injury Alternative Medicine Research Methodology & Design

Simple Explanation

This meta-analysis examines the use of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, for treating spinal cord injury (SCI). It assesses the efficacy and safety of BHD by analyzing data from multiple randomized controlled trials. The study reviewed several databases to gather relevant clinical trials that evaluated BHD's impact on SCI patients, focusing on key outcomes such as motor and sensory function, pain levels, and overall clinical improvement. The findings suggest that BHD, when used in combination with conventional treatments, may improve neurological function and reduce pain in SCI patients, without significantly increasing the risk of adverse events.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

815 participants

Evidence Level

Level 1: Meta-analysis of RCTs

Key Findings

1
BHD combination therapy significantly improved the patient-perceived total clinical effective rate (TER) compared to the control group.
2
The BHD combination therapy group exhibited significantly higher ASIA sensory and motor scores compared to the control group, indicating improved sensory and motor functions.
3
BHD combination therapy was associated with a significant reduction in visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, suggesting pain relief in SCI patients.

Research Summary

This meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) in treating spinal cord injury (SCI) by analyzing data from 13 randomized controlled trials involving 815 participants. The results indicated that BHD, when combined with conventional treatments, significantly improved patient-perceived total clinical effective rate, ASIA sensory and motor scores, somatosensory evoked potential, motor evoked potential, and Japanese Orthopaedic Association score compared to the control group. The study concluded that BHD is potentially effective and safe for SCI treatment, suggesting its consideration as a complementary therapy. However, the authors caution that the methodological quality of the included studies was generally low, necessitating further rigorous research.

Practical Implications

Clinical Practice

BHD can be considered as a complementary therapy in conjunction with conventional treatments for SCI to potentially enhance recovery outcomes.

Research

Future studies should focus on high-quality, rigorously designed RCTs to validate the efficacy and safety of BHD in SCI treatment further.

Patient Care

Healthcare providers should consider BHD as an option for SCI patients, informing them about the potential benefits and limitations based on current evidence.

Study Limitations

1
The methodological quality of the included studies was generally low, with many studies lacking clear details on randomization procedures and blinding.
2
There was considerable variability in the quality of the included studies
3
The efficacy evaluation needed more comprehensiveness as many studies did not report on urodynamic and muscle tonus measurements.

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