title: Efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine on health-related quality of life (SF-36) in hypertensive patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to evaluate published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) improving health-related quality of life (HRQL) in hypertensive patients that employ the Short-Form 36-Item Health questionnaire (SF-36) as an outcome measure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five electronic databases were searched up to October 2013 to identify RCTs of CHM for hypertension. The primary outcome was SF-36. Trial selection, data extraction, methodological quality assessment, and data analyses were conducted according to the Cochrane handbook.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven RCTs with total of 1043 participants were identified. The majority of the included trials were assessed to be of poor methodological quality and high clinical heterogeneity. Meta-analysis shows a significant improvement both in physical component summary (PCS) measure and mental component summary (MCS) measure of SF-36, with physical functioning (WMD=8.54[5.34, 11.74], p<0.001), role physical (WMD=13.32[7.03, 19.61], p<0.001), bodily pain (WMD=10.53[6.46, 14.60], p<0.001), general health (WMD=-5.56[2.09, 9.02], p<0.001), vitality (WMD=6.84[4.33, 9.53], p<0.001), social functioning (WMD=7.50[2.63, 12.36], p<0.001), role emotional (WMD=12.06[4.45, 19.68], p<0.001) and mental health (WMD=-5.68[2.90, 8.47], p<0.001). CHM can also decrease systolic blood pressure (WMD=-4.45 [-6.71, -2.19], p<0.001) and relieve symptoms related to hypertension.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CHM appears to have beneficial effects on improvement of HRQL in hypertensive patients. However, the findings should be interpreted with caution due to the poor methodological quality and high clinical heterogeneity of the included trials. Further clinical trials should be carried out to provide more reliable evidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 42, Cultural West Road, Jinan 250011, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hua-Chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jian-Qing
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 42, Cultural West Road, Jinan 250011, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China; Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: yunlun.lee@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yun-Lun
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Natural Medicine, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X1, Bellville 7535, South Africa.
authors.forename: Xue-Sheng
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hai-Qiang
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Zhen
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wen-Qing
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal