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Clinical Otolaryngology : Official... Nov 2023Otitis externa is a condition causing inflammation of the outer ear canal, which presents with itching, discharge and pain. Most cases of acute otitis externa are caused... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Otitis externa is a condition causing inflammation of the outer ear canal, which presents with itching, discharge and pain. Most cases of acute otitis externa are caused by bacterial infection and are thus treated with antibiotics. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials aims to assess the effectiveness of topical non-antibiotic treatments compared to topical antibiotic treatment for the treatment of acute otitis externa.
METHODS
Systematic review and meta-analysis databases searched: Cochrane Library including ClinicalTrials.gov; MEDLINE; World Health Organisation International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and Web of Science to identify randomised clinical trials evaluating topical antibiotics and topical non-antibiotic agents in adults and children with acute otitis externa. Non-antibiotic therapeutics for comparison with topical antibiotics included antiseptics, steroids, non-pharmaceuticals and astringents.
RESULTS
Seventeen trials were eligible for inclusion, with 10 combined in meta-analysis. Data could be pooled comparing antiseptic and steroid monotherapies with topical antibiotic agents. There were no significant differences in cure rates in any pairwise comparisons. Individually, the majority of studies favoured topical antiseptics or steroids over antibiotics, however these differences were not significant when pooled in meta-analysis.
CONCLUSION
Antiseptic, steroid and antibiotic monotherapies are all effective for the management of acute otitis externa. There is insufficient evidence to suggest that topical antiseptic or steroid agents are superior or inferior to topical antibiotics.
Topics: Adult; Child; Humans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Otitis Externa; Anti-Infective Agents, Local; Inflammation; Acute Disease; Steroids
PubMed: 37550850
DOI: 10.1111/coa.14084 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2024This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine decoction as an adjunctive treatment for diabetic nephropathy in systematic...
Efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine decoction as an adjuvant treatment for diabetic nephropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine decoction as an adjunctive treatment for diabetic nephropathy in systematic evaluations. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang databases, covering the period from January 2013 to July 2023. The search was restricted to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted within the past decade that investigated the use of TCM decoction as an adjunctive treatment for diabetic nephropathy. The control group received western medicine treatment, while the intervention group received TCM decoction in addition to the conventional treatment. Endnote and Excel were employed for literature management and data organization, and Revman 5.3 and Stata 16 software were used for the analyses. 66 RCTs involving 6,951 participants were included in this study. The clinical efficacy of TCM decoction as an adjunctive treatment for diabetic nephropathy was found to be significantly higher than that of the control group (OR = 3.12, 95% CI [2.70, 3.60], I = 0%, < 0.00001). The incidence of adverse events did not differ significantly between the intervention group and the control group (OR = 0.94, 95% CI [0.60, 1.48], I = 0%, = 0.94). According to the secondary outcomes of renal function and blood glucose indicators, the intervention group showed better therapeutic efficacy compared to the control group. The most frequently used TCM categories were tonifying medicine, blood-activating medicine, astringent medicine, diuretic medicine, heat-clearing medicine, and laxative medicine. Among them, the top five frequently used Chinese medicine were [Fabaceae; Astragali mongholici radix](58 times), [Lamiaceae; Radix et rhizoma salviae miltiorrhizae] (42 times), [Dioscoreaceae; Dioscoreae rhizoma] (38 times), [Polyporaceae; Poria] (38 times), and [Cornaceae; Corni fructus] (35 times). The combined use of TCM decoction with western medicine in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy can enhance clinical effectiveness and 2 This is a provisional file, not the final typeset article achieve superior therapeutic effects in comparison to western medicine alone, without significant risks. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails, identifier [CRD42022529144].
PubMed: 38783937
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1327030