Is the traditional Chinese medicine helpful for patients with hematologic malignant diseases? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIM:To evaluate the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)for the treatment of hematologic malignant diseases.METHODS:We searched the Cochrane CENTRAL,PubM ed,Embase,Web of Science,AMED,CNKI,Wanfang Platform;China Sinomed and the clinical trial registry web sites and Googlescholar electronically up to June19th,2014 and hand searched related publications.Only randomized controlled trials(RCTs)researching on whether TCM as the adjuvant treatment improved the effect for hematologic malignant diseases were included.Two reviewers extracted data and evaluated the studies independently.Pooled risk ratios(RR)were calculated as outcome measures.Our primary outcomes were the overall response(OR)rate.RESULTS:We retrieved 13143 references and included11 RCTs involved 891 participants after screening.Because the non-significant heterogeneity we used the fixed effect model to combine data and TCM had a significantly higher OR and CR(complete response)rates than the control[RR=1.17,95%CI:(1.10,1.25),P<0.00001;RR=1.24,95%CI:(1.11,1.37),P<0.0001,respectively].Only three studies included in the survival rate analysis.We combined them with random effects model and there was no significant difference between the TCM and control arms.Becauseof the low heterogeneity we used the fixed effect model to combine the non-hematologic adverse effects(AEs)data.Our results showed that TCM significantly decreased non-hematologic AEs rates we researched,the gastrointestinal reaction[RR=0.50,95%CI:(0.37,0.68),P<0.0001],liver and/or kidney injury[RR=0.37,95%CI:(0.26,0.53),P<0.00001]and heart injury[RR=0.24,95%CI:(0.09,0.68),P=0.007].Additionally,TCM had a trend to decrease the infection rate[RR=0.16,(0.02,1.12),P=0.07],but not statistically significantly.CONCLUSION:TCM increases OR and CR rates for hematologic malignances and reduces treatment associated serious non-hematologic AEs.Therefore,TCM should be included in the treatment of hematologic malignances.