title: Astragalus membranaceus injection combined with conventional treatment for viral myocarditis: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and safety of Astragalus membranaceus Injection combined with conventional therapy in the treatment of viral myocarditis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of A. membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment compared with conventional treatment alone were included. Study population characteristics and outcome results were extracted independently by two assessors. Meta-analysis was performed for data available.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six RCTs, involving 639 participants, were included in this study. The methodological quality of the included trials was generally low, and there was high risk of publication bias in the included trials. The total effective rate of A. membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment was significantly higher than that of conventional treatment alone. Compared with conventional treatment, the cointervention treatment group showed significant recovery in myocardium enzyme levels and electrocardiography. Two RCTs reported there were no adverse effects from A. membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A. membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment appeared to be more efficacious compared with conventional treatment alone for treating viral myocarditis. However, this conclusion should be cautiously interpreted due to low methodological quality, small sample size, limited number of trials, and high risk of publication bias and other unidentified risks of bias. The safety of A. membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment remains uncertain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Piao
authors.forename: Xiao-chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D027885:Astragalus propinquus / Q000737:chemistry*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
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