title: Chinese medicinal herbs for childhood pneumonia: a systematic review of effectiveness and safety.
abstract: Objective. To assess the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicinal herbs for Childhood Pneumonia. Methods. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The searched electronic databases included PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, CBM, CNKI, and VIP. All studies included were assessed for quality and risk bias. Review Manager 5.1.6 software was used for data analyses, and the GRADEprofiler software was applied to classify the systematic review results. Results. Fourteen studies were identified (n = 1.824). Chinese herbs may increase total effective rate (risk ratio (RR) 1.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.11-1.26) and improve cough (total mean difference (MD), -2.18; 95% CI, (-2.66)-(-1.71)), fever (total MD, -1.85; 95% CI, (-2.29)-(-1.40)), rales (total MD, -1.53; 95% CI, (-1.84)-(-1.23)), and chest films (total MD, -3.10; 95% CI, (-4.11)-(-2.08)) in Childhood Pneumonia. Chinese herbs may shorten the length of hospital stay (total MD, -3.00; 95% CI, (-3.52)-(-2.48)), but no significant difference for adverse effects (RR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.09-1.72) was identified. Conclusion. Chinese herbs may increase total effective rate and improve symptoms and signs. However, large, properly randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies are required.
authors.affiliation: The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China ; Department of Nephropathy Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Qianchun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Darong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Xusheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Qizhan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Fuhua
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Chuang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
references.citation: Bull World Health Organ. 2012 Apr 1;90(4):289-94
references.pmid: 22511825
references.citation: Bull World Health Organ. 2008 May;86(5):408-16
references.pmid: 18545744
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2004 Apr;113(4):701-7
references.pmid: 15060215
references.citation: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Jan 24;(1):CD004782
references.pmid: 17253524
references.citation: Acta Paediatr. 1993 Apr;82(4):360-3
references.pmid: 8318803
references.citation: Clin Infect Dis. 2012 Apr;54 Suppl 2:S109-16
references.pmid: 22403224
references.citation: PLoS One. 2011;6(5):e20325
references.pmid: 21655259
references.citation: Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1999 Oct;18(10 Suppl):S17-22
references.pmid: 10530569
references.citation: New Microbiol. 2011 Oct;34(4):417-20
references.pmid: 22143817
references.citation: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006 Jul 19;(3):CD004874
references.pmid: 16856067
references.citation: BMC Med. 2009 Jul 27;7:35
references.pmid: 19635124