Efficacy of Chinese herbal medicines combined with high-intensity focused ultrasound for patients with uterine fibroids: A meta-analysis with core herbs exploration
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Uterine fibroids (UFs) are prevalent benign tumours affecting women; they often present with symptoms such as excessive menstrual bleeding, pelvic discomfort, recurrent pregnancy loss, and infertility. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has emerged as a non-invasive treatment option. Recent studies suggest that Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) may enhance the efficacy of HIFU, but a comprehensive evaluation of their combined effects is lacking.
AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of CHMs combined with HIFU for UFs through a meta-analysis on randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and identify core herbal patterns that may potentiate HIFU outcomes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: English and Chinese databases were searched to identify relevant studies until May 2024. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. A meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. The primary outcomes were changes in UF volume and clinical efficacy; secondary outcomes were changes in uterus volume, Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome scores, incidence of recurrences and adverse reactions. Network analysis was performed to identify core herbs.
RESULTS: Nineteen RCTs were included. The effects of reducing UFs volumes in the CHM group were more significant than those in the control group (SMD:0.34; 95 % CI:0.44 to -0.23, p < 0.001, I² = 0 %). The clinical effectiveness rate was higher in the CHM group than with HIFU therapy alone (risk ratio: 1.13; 95 % CI: 1.08…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Combining in silico and in vitro approaches to identification of potent inhibitor against phospholipase A2 (PLA2)
- In silico and in vitro studies: investigating the chemical composition, DFT, molecular docking, and dynamic simulation of Satureja candidissima (Munby) Briq essential oil as a potential antibacterial agent
- Quercetin combined with ciprofloxacin and gentamicin inhibits biofilm formation and virulence in Staphylococcus aureus
- In silico study of the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of some N-methylanthranilates and their analogs
- Anticonvulsant Effects of Citronellal, Daidzin, and Phytol, Possibly Through GABAA Receptor and Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Interaction Pathways: In Vivo and In Silico Studies
- 2-Phenylcyclopropylmethylamine (PCPMA) Derivatives as D3R-Selective Ligands for 3D-QSAR, Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.