Effects of Yigong-san for the Treatment of Anorexia in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of Yigong-san on anorexia in children by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).Methods: Eleven electronic databases were searched on May 30, 2022 to collect relevant studies. All studies published up to the search date were considered. RCTs reporting the effect of Yigong-san on the treatment of anorexia in children were included. The primary outcome was an improvement in clinical anorexia symptoms after treatment. In this meta-analysis, continuous and binary outcomes were assessed, and the data were presented as the mean difference and risk ratio with their 95% confidence intervals. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s risk of bias tool.Results: A total of nine studies were included in this systematic review. The treatment group (Yigong-san only or Yigong-san plus conventional treatment) showed a statistically significant effect compared to the control group (conventional treatment only) in total effective rate (Yigong-san only: RR 1.26, 95% CI 1.17, 1.36, I<sup>2</sup>=0%; Yigong-san plus conventional treatment: RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.18, 1.47, I<sup>2</sup>=0%), clinical symptoms, some of the anthropometric outcomes, and biological markers related to appetite and growth in children with anorexia. No serious adverse events related to Yigong-san were reported.Conclusions: Yigong-san showed statistically significant effects as a treatment for anorexia in children. However, the number of studies included in the meta-analysis was insufficient, and the herbs contained in the Yigong-san used in the included studies were not standardized. Future research should focus on the implementation of methodologically robust clinical research.