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Liuwei Dihuang Pills (六味地黄丸) enhance the effect of Western medicine in treating type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

  • Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine
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Abstract

Objective

To perform meta-analyses evaluating the efficacy of adding Liuwei Dihuang Pills (六味地黄丸, LDP) to Western medicine in improving treatment outcomes for type 2 diabetes.

Methods

Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Chinese databases, including the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched to identify eligible studies; i.e., if the study involved a randomized clinical trial in which the experimental group combined LDP with Western drugs and the control group used the corresponding Western drugs alone to treat type 2 diabetes. Outcomes were measured in terms of fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (2hPG) and HbA1c level. Efficacy was also measured by using control and response rates. The combined odds ratio (OR), mean difference (MD), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated.

Results

Studies included in the analysis were less adequate than expected in terms of methodological quality. A total of 1,609 patients from 18 studies were included. We found that adding LDP can lower patients’ FBG (MD=0.54 mmol/L, 95% CI [0.15, 0.93], P=0.007), 2hPG (MD=1.05 mmol/L, 95% CI [0.29, 1.81], P<0.01) and HbA1c (MD=0.23, 95% CI [0.02, 0.45], P=0.008). There were also improvements in treatment response rates (OR=3.41, 95% CI [2.38, 4.90], P<0.01) and control rates (OR=2.47, 95% CI [1.91, 3.20], P<0.01).

Conclusion

Adding LDP to Western medicine might improve treatment outcomes of diabetes, including FBG, 2hPG, response rates and control rates.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China

    Run Pu  (濮 润) & Lu-wen Shi  (史录文)

  2. Chinese Pharmaceutical Association, Beijing, 100022, China

    Xiang-nan Geng  (耿向楠)

  3. Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China

    Fei Yu  (于 飞)

  4. Center for Healthcare Management Systems, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858-4353, USA

    Hui-gang Liang  (梁会刚)

Authors
  1. Run Pu  (濮 润)
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  2. Xiang-nan Geng  (耿向楠)
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  3. Fei Yu  (于 飞)
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  4. Hui-gang Liang  (梁会刚)
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  5. Lu-wen Shi  (史录文)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lu-wen Shi  (史录文).

Additional information

Supported by the National Key Technology Research and Development Program of the People’s Republic of China (No. 2009BAI76B030900)

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Pu, R., Geng, Xn., Yu, F. et al. Liuwei Dihuang Pills (六味地黄丸) enhance the effect of Western medicine in treating type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 19, 783–791 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-013-1591-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-013-1591-7

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