Lianhua Qingwen Capsules Reduced the Rate of Severity in Patients with COVID-19: A System Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Chengqian Shi,Mizhi Wu,Xinchang Wang,Kepeng Yang,Harry Lee

doi:10.1155/2022/9617429

Abstract

Background The rate of severity is a critical factor affecting the prognosis and mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Lianhua Qingwen capsules or granules (LQ) have been a promising Chinese patent medicine in treating infectious diseases and recommended for treating COVID-19. This meta-analysis aims to demonstrate the association between LQ treatment and the rate of severity in patients with mild or moderate COVID-19. Methods 7 electronic databases were systematically searched from the inception dates to March 27, 2021, using the search terms to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Two reviewers independently identified studies, extracted the data, and assessed study quality. All analyses were conducted on RevMan 5.3 software. Results A total of 5 RCTs involving 830 patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 were identified according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of included studies is moderate. Compared with conventional therapy, there was a significant association of LQ treatment with a higher clinical efficacy (RR = 1.24, 95% CI (1.13, 1.36), P < 0.00001), rate of CT improvement (RR = 1.22, 95% CI (1.10, 1.34), P=0.0001), and a lower rate of conversion to severe cases (RR = 0.47, 95%CI (0.31, 0.71), P=0.0003). Conclusion LQ combined with conventional therapy had great effects in reducing the rate of severity, and these findings supported the routine treatment of LQ in patients with mild or moderate COVID-19.

Highlights

Background. e rate of severity is a critical factor affecting the prognosis and mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
There was a significant association of LQ treatment with a higher clinical efficacy (RR 1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.13, 1.36), P < 0.00001), rate of CT improvement (RR 1.22, 95% CI (1.10, 1.34), P 0.0001), and a lower rate of conversion to severe cases (RR 0.47, 95%CI (0.31, 0.71), P 0.0003)
Studies were selected based on the following criteria: (1) randomized controlled trials (RCTs); (2) participants were diagnosed as mild or moderate COVID-19; (3) LQ combined with conventional therapy treatment (LQ group) or conventional therapy only; (4) relevant efficacy index (clinical efficacy, improvement of chest computer tomography (CT), rate of conversion to severe cases, rate of mortality, and adverse reactions). e following types of studies were excluded: (1) observational studies; (2) the protocol of meta-analysis; (3) trials were given to more than two Chinese patent medicines in one group at the same time; (4) trials were given to more than two Chinese patent medicines in one group at the same time; (5) animal and other nonclinical trials

Summary

Introduction

Background. e rate of severity is a critical factor affecting the prognosis and mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Is meta-analysis aims to demonstrate the association between LQ treatment and the rate of severity in patients with mild or moderate COVID-19. LQ combined with conventional therapy had great effects in reducing the rate of severity, and these findings supported the routine treatment of LQ in patients with mild or moderate COVID-19. Lianhua Qingwen capsules or granules (LQ), one kind of CPM, play an important role in the treatment of serious epidemic diseases, influenza [8] It is a manufactured product of TCM We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate and compare LQ combined with conventional therapy and conventional therapy for the rate of severity in patients with mild or moderate COVID-19

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion