Assessment on adverse drug reactions (ADR) that directly affects the quality of life and mortality and an important part of the post-marketed reassessment are developing gradually in China. Many problems have been identified in clinical validity and safety for the authorized Chinese herbs. An effective and standardized system is needed in the post-marketed drug reassessment. Evidence-based drug evaluation, which mainly includes clinical epidemiology, systematic review and health technology, will be used to assess the clinical validity, safety and cost of post-marketed drug and play an important role in the process of modernization and internationalization of Chinese herbs.
In the clinical trials, the rights and interests of participants must be considered. Ethical principles including the Declaration of Helsinki for clinical research have been established, and the institutional review board (IRB) and informed consent are important for protecting the rights and interests of participants. Whether a clinical trial is in accordence with the ethics depends on if the available clinical evidence is valuable and credible. The better candomize controlled trial (RCT) is one of the best evidence which will make different results equal between the treatment group and the controlled group. Thus benefits and risks of participants are allocated equitably and useless treatment is prohibited when the effective treatment affirmed at the same time. Economic health evaluation and outcome measurements are emphasized in EBM, and the clinical evidence is updated regularly. It is EBM and its emphasis of evidence that need the high-quality clinical trials, therefore the problems of ethics involved in clinical trials is important.
Medical ethics must be considered for protecting the fights and interests of patients in clinical trials. Now the fights of the subjects are more and more emphasised, but there are some problems. It is evidence-based medicine (EBM) and emphasis of evidence that need the high-quality clinical trials, yet it violates the principle of ethics in some degree. It will be helpful for the administrators to supervise the clinical trials on drugs well from the point of ethical views.
Objective To assess the quality of the published randomized controlled trials published in Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (JBUTCM), Acta Universitatis Traditionis Medicalis Sinensis Pharmacologiaeque Shanghai (AUTMSPS), Journal of Guangdong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (JGUTCM), and Journal of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (JCUTCM) from 2000 to 2005. Method Guided by the Cochrane Center hand-searching guidelines, we searched 24 volumes (111 issues) of the four journals. The data were extracted according to the principles of clinical epidemiology and consolidated standards of reporting trials (CONSORT), as well as an evaluation scale for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The data were managed by descriptive analysis and uniformity test. Results There were 365 RCTs. The diagnostic criteria were reported in 297 trials (81.37%). The inclusion and exclusion criteria were reported in 143 trials (39.18%) and 132 trials (36.16%), perspectively, None mentioned the estimation of sample size. The randomization and allocation concealment were reported in 70 trials (19.18%) and 9 trials, perspectively. The baseline data were described in 292 trials (80.00%). Blinding was mentioned in 35 trials (9.59%).Withdrawal occurred in 20 trials (5.48%). Informed consent was acquired in 2 trials. Adverse drug reactions were described in 97 trails (26.58%). Conclusion There are deficiencies in the reporting of these RCTs, Most of the trials do not describe the randomization, only a few trials use the allocation concealment and blinded method, no description of comparability of baseline data, most of the trials do not report the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and none estimate the sample size. These problems indicate that it is necessary to improve the quality of clinical research in Chinese medicine and pharmacology.
Objective To assess the quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical controlled trials (CCTs) relevant to COPD besides chronic bronchitis and chronic pulmonary cor disease in strengthening immune published in Chinese medical journals to provide scientific basis of systematic review (SR) of regulating the immune function of COPD in Chinese herbs. Methods 54 articles with clinical controlled trials were obtained by electronic searching and handsearching, and the method for randomized allocation, blindness, multi-centres, sample sizes, diagnosis criteria, exclusion criteria, source of cases, immune markers (cellular immunity, humoral immunity, erythrocyte immunity, nonspecific immunity), the clinical outcome assessment, statistical management, course of treatment and the side effects or adverse drag reaction, follow-up were investigated and then methodologically evaluated. According to the investigation, literatures with the method for randomized allocation, correct controls, appropriate sample sizes (≥60), the nation-wide diagnosis criteria, the objective clinical outcome assessment distinct statistical method were stipulated as the high-quality ones relatively. Results Among the 54 trials, 70.4% had explicit diagnosis criteria, 18.5% with exclusion criteria, 20.4% with comparability of baseline, 37.0% with distinct statistical method. In the therapy, 63.0% were with Chinese herbs. Conclusion The selected 7 articles belong to the high quality and possibly are to be explored in Meta-analysis.
Objective To investigate the status of clinical practices and side effects related to Shenfu injection.Method We searched the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database using the key word “Shenfuinjection”. Original clinical studies of Shenfu injection which were published from January 1993 to December 2008 inChinese magazines were included. Results A total of 576 relevant clinical studies were identified. There were 21 496 cases in the study group and excluding the control group patients. We investigated and analyzed the side effects of Shenfu injection. For cases with side effects, the medication dosage, the diseases for treatment, the method of medication, the menstruum, and course of treatment for the side effects were evaluated. All the side effects were mild except one case of anaphylactic shock. Conclusion Shenfu injection has been widely used in clinical patients since it came into the market in 1993. However, systematic evaluation of its clinical application is lacking, and there are some unsolved problems and deficiency in selecting and expanding diseases for treatment, evaluating the dosage and treatment method, and investigating the side effects of the drug. Therefore, it is imperative to enhance the evaluation drugs and good clinical application after the drugs come into the market with evidence-based medicine.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Lianpu granule (LPG) in the treatment of common cold (Feng-Re syndrome). Methods The clinical trials were conducted by good clinical practice (GCP). In the phaseⅡ, a double-blind controlled trial involving 48 patients with common cold (Feng-Re syndrome) allocated by a random number table to receive LPG (n=24) or compound oral liquid of Shuanghuanglian (SHL) (n=24) as conducted; the other 80 patients included in the phase Ⅲ, multi-center randomized and controlled trial were divided into the LPG group (n=60) and SHL group (n=20) by a random number table. We didn’t evaluate the allocation concealment. LPG was administered as a dose of 8 g, three times a day, and SHL, as a dose of 10 ml, three times a day. The treatment duration for both groups was 3 days. All data were analyzed by using stata 7.0 for per-protocol population. Results In the Lianpu granule group, the good improvement rates were 90.00% (18/20) and 85.00% (51/60), and the improvement rates were 95.00% (19/20) and 98.33% (59/60); the good improvement rates for traditional Chinese medicine syndromes were 85.00% (17/20) and 85.00% (51/60), and the improvement rates were 95.00% (19/20) and 98.33% (59/60); the good improvement rates for fever were 85.00% (17/20) and 86.05% (37/43), and the improvement rates were 95.00% (19/20) and 95.35% (41/43) in the phase Ⅱ and Ⅲ respectively. Meanwhile for the compound oral liquid of SHL group, the good improvement rates were 85.71% (18/21) and 80.00% (16/20), and the improvement rates were 95.24% (20/21) and 95.00% (19/20); the good improvement rates for traditional Chinese medicine syndromes were 85.71% (18/21) and 80.00% (16/20), and the improvement rates were 95.24% (20/21) and 95.00% (19/20); the good improvement rates for fever were 85.71% (18/21) and 80.00% (12/15), and the improvement rates were 90.48% (19/21) and 93.33% (14/15) in the phase Ⅱ and Ⅲ respectively. No significant differences were seen between LPG and SHL groups on treatment duration, clinical effect and improvement rate for fever (all P ＞0.05). No adverse effects were seen in this study. Conclusion LPG has showed a definite clinical effect on common cold (Feng-Re syndrome) with no observed adverse effects.
Objective To systematically evaluate the efficacy of Houttuynia cordata Injection (HI) in treating respiratory system diseases, such as infection of the upper respiratory tract, pneumonia and respiratory tract infection, so as to provide references for revaluation after having access to market and its rational use. Methods The literatures concerning both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical control study of HI were searched in PUBMED, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedical Disc (CBMdisc), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Science and Technology Journal Full-text Database (VIP) from 1979 to December of 2010. The quality assessment and data extraction for RCTs were conducted by two reviewers independently. Meta-analyses were conducted with the Cochrane Collaboration’s RevMan 5.0 software. Results a) Fifty-three trials including 46 RCTs and 7 non-RCTs were included, the quality grade was generally lower from 2 to 6 scores: 24 trials scored 5, 11 trials scored 3, 7 trials scored 4, 2 trials scored 6, and the rest 9 trials scored 2; b) There were 7481 patients (2520 adult and 4961 children) with infection of the upper respiratory tract, pneumonia, or respiratory tract infection. The interventions in the treatment group were Houttuynia cordata Injection or the joint of Houttuynia cordata Injection and support measures. The control group included four categories: Antiviral, Antibiotics, the joint of Antiviral and Antibiotics, and Chinese medicine injection (CMI). Both the total effective rate and average defervescence days were regarded as the result indexes; c) In all adult trials, when HI was used alone to treat the infection of upper respiratory tract (compared with the control group of antiviral, antibiotics, and the joint of antiviral and antibiotics), the pneumonia (compared with the control group of antiviral, and antibiotics), and the respiratory tract infection (compared with the control group of antibiotics, and CMI), the differences between the treatment group and the control groups were significant different, and the total effective rate of the treatment groups was higher than that of the control groups. The average defervescence days of the treatment groups were one to one and a half days shorter than those of the control groups; and d) In children trials, compared with the three control groups of antiviral, antibiotics, and CMI for treating infection of upper respiratory tract, the pneumonia, and the respiratory tract infection, respectively, the total effective rate was similar in the treatment group without significant difference. The left groups corresponding to those in the adult trials also showed a certain effects. Conclusion Houttuynia cordata Injection for adult respiratory system diseases tends to have a good effect, and indicates the effect of rapid defeverscence, so it is still recommended in clinic with the cautions of rational use and ADR/AE supervision. There is no evidence to fully prove its safety and effectiveness although HI is widely used for children, so it is advisable to “stop using it for children”. It needs to carry out more new precise clinical trials to provide high-quality evidence.
Objective To assess the effectiveness and safety of Jiuweirougan granule in the treatment of chronic hepatitis with hepatic fibrosis. Methods A double-blind, double dummy and randomized controlled method was adopted. Forty-six patients were selected by using the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were randomizedly allocated to the treatment group (n=23, Jiuweirougan 10 g, twice a day) and the control group (n=23, treated with Biejiaruangan 4 pills, three times a day). The duration of treatment for both groups lasted for 6 months. Results Two patients in the treatment group dropped out halfway through the study, while one patient in the control group was withdrawal for irregular treatment. Analysis according to intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) was conducted. In the treatment group, the effective rates of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) on the syndrome were 82.61% (19/23) (ITT) and 90.48% (19/21) (PP), while in the control group, there were 86.96% (20/23) (ITT) and 86.36% (19/20) (PP). There was no significant difference between the two groups (P＞0.05). The improvement rate of serum parameters in the treatment group such as hyaluronic acid (HA), type Ⅲ procollagen (PCⅢ), type Ⅳ collagewn (CⅣ) and laminin (LN) were 28.57% (6/21), 23.81% (5/21), 28.57% (6/21) and 4.76% (1/21), respectively, while in control group, the rates were 36.37% (8/22),13.64% (3/22), 36.37% (8/22) and 9.09% (2/22), respectively. No significant difference was seen between the two groups (P＞0.05). ITT and PP analysis revealed similar results. No obvious adverse effects were noted. Conclusion Jiuweirougan granule may improve chronic hepatitis with fibrosis, and its effect is equal to that of Biejiaruangan. No obvious toxic-adverse effects were seen.
Objective To assess the effect and safety of Dalitong Granule in the treatment of the Piman syndrome (functional dyspepsia). Method The double-blind, double-dummy and randomized controlled method was adopted. 120 patients were randomized to the treatment group (n=90, Dalitong Granule 6 g, tid) and the control group (n=30, treated with cisapride 5 mg, tid). The therapeutic course for both groups was 2 weeks. Results All the results were analyzed on the basis of intention-to-treat and per-protocol population. In the treatment group, the markedly effective rates were 62.37% and 64.45% respectively. The effective rates were 99.55% and 96-67% respectively. In the control group, the markedly effective rates were 58-08% and 60.00% respectively. The effective rates were 90.33% and 93.33% respectively. There was no significant difference between two groups (Pgt;0.05). For effects on Piman syndrome, in the treatment group, the markedly effective rates were 53.76% and 55.56% respectively. The effective rates were 86.02% and 88.89% respectively. In the control group, the markedly effective rates were 48.38% and 50.00% respectively. The effective rates were 80.64% and 83.33% respectively. The results showed no statistical significance difference between two groups (Pgt;0.05). For effects on gastric emptying function (PP population), in the treatment group, the markedly effective rate and effective rate were 72.42% and 79.32%. In the control group those were 64.28% and 64.28%. There was no significant difference between the two groups (Pgt;0.05). ITT and PP analysis revealed similar results. No adverse effect was found in the observation. Conclusions Dalitong granule has the same clinical effect as cisapride with no obvious toxic-adverse effects.