Efficacy and safety of Lianhua Qingwen as an adjuvant treatment for influenza in Chinese patients: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Lianhua Qingwen (LHQW) is a proprietary traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of influenza (FLu). It is composed of 2 prescriptions, Maxing Shigan and Yinqiao, which has antiviral, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory effects. However its clinical suitability has not yet been investigated. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LHQW in the treatment of FLu. Methods: We searched several databases, including PubMed and China Biomedical Database for literature research, from inception to July 1, 2023. This meta-analysis included RCTs that compared the safety and efficacy of the combination of LHQW and conventional drugs (CD) with CD alone for IFU. The extracted data were analyzed using Revman5.4 software with risk ratio (RR), 95% confidence intervals (CI), and standardized mean difference. Results: Our meta-analysis included 32 articles with 3592 patients. The results showed that the effects of LHQW adjuvant therapy were superior to those of CD (clinical effective rate: RR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.18–1.26, P < .00001; cure rate: RR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.35–1.75, P < .00001), and adverse reactions after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (RR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.50–0.98, P = .04). Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicates that LHQW combined with CD may be more effective than CD alone for the treatment of FLu.