title: Systematic review of red yeast rice compared with simvastatin in dyslipidaemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Red yeast rice is believed to be a useful alternative in the management of dyslipidaemia. However, the comparative effectiveness of red yeast rice and simvastatin for the management of dyslipidaemia is unknown. This review assesses the efficacy and safety of red yeast rice versus simvastatin in dyslipidaemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic databases were searched up to May 2015 without publication date and language restriction. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was used to assess the quality of included trials. Changes in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides were examined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ten randomized controlled trials involving 905 Chinese subjects with dyslipidaemia were systematically reviewed. Overall, red yeast rice and simvastatin did not show any statistically significant difference in any of the outcomes examined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A number of small trials show that red yeast rice and simvastatin produce similar lipid-lowering effects. Larger trials with increased methodological rigour and trials with clinical outcomes are necessary for more robust inferences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Yi Chin
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Zoriah
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aziz
mesh_terms: D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; C117343:red yeast rice; D019821:Simvastatin
keywords: Systematic Review; dyslipidaemia; red yeast rice; simvastatin; xuezhikang; zhibutuo