title: Clinical Therapeutic Effects of Aspirin in Combination with Fufang Danshen Diwan, a Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula, on Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Coronary heart disease is characterized by vascular stenosis or occlusion resulting in myocardial ischemia, hypoxia and necrosis. In China, the combination of aspirin and Fufang Danshen Diwan (FDD), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been suggested in the treatment of coronary heart disease. There have been several studies comparing the effectiveness of aspirin alone and in combination with FDD to treat coronary artery disease; however, it remains unclear whether combined aspirin therapy is superior. This study was thus designed to clarify this issue through a systematic review and meta-analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Databases including PubMed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, Wanfang Data and VIP Information were searched. Papers were reviewed systematically by two researchers and analyzed using Cochrane software Revman 5.1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen randomized controlled trials enrolling 1367 subjects were included. Meta-analyses revealed that aspirin in combination with FDD was significantly more effective at alleviating angina pectoris and improving electrocardiogram (ECG) results relative to aspirin therapy alone, reflected by the summary effects for the clinical markedly effective (OR = 2.45; 95% CI 1.95-3.08) and the total effective (OR = 3.92; 95% CI 2.87-5.36) rates. In addition, combined aspirin and FDD was significantly more efficacious than aspirin monotherapy at improving blood lipid levels, as indicated by the following outcomes: 1) reduction of TC level (SMD -1.12; 95% CI -1.49 to -0.76); 2) reduction of TG level (SMD -0.94; 95% CI -1.15 to -0.74); 3) reduction of LDL level (SMD -0.68; 95% CI -0.88 to -0.48); and 4) improvement of HDL level (SMD 0.52; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.99 ). No serious adverse events were reported in any of the included trials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present meta-analysis demonstrated that aspirin in combination with FDD was more effective than aspirin alone for treating coronary heart disease. More full-scale randomized clinical trials with reliable designs are recommended to further evaluate the clinical benefits and long-term effectiveness of FDD for the treatment of coronary heart disease.
authors: Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
authors: Jianchun
authors: J
authors: Huang
authors: Xiaojun
authors: X
authors: Tang
authors: Fangxing
authors: F
authors: Ye
authors: Junhui
authors: J
authors: He
authors: Xiaolong
authors: X
authors: Kong
mesh_terms: D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D014280:Triglycerides; C517866:fufang danshen; D001241:Aspirin