Effectiveness, Medication Patterns, and Adverse Events of Traditional Chinese Herbal Patches for Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review

Table 1

Characteristics of TCHPs versus diclofenac ointment or placebo for OA in included RCTs.

First author (year)	No. (M/F)	Age (yrs)	Disease duration	Comparisons	Outcome measures	AEs
Guan, 2010 [22]	T: 9/24; C: 6/23	T: 53.15±12.76; C: 54.28±11.12	T: 18.3±9.36; C: 17.5±10.22	Zhuang Gu Tong Bi patch versus diclofenac ointment for the treatment of 28 days	Global effectiveness rate	No AEs were identified
Liu, 2004 [28]	T: 12/18; C: 10/20	T: 46.8; C: 48.7	T: 8.2; C: 9.2	Self-prescribed herbal patch versus diclofenac ointment for the treatment of 42 days	Global effectiveness rate and function	One case exited because of lack of effect in treatment group (1/30; 3.33%); three cases of skin allergic reactions exited in control group (3/30; 10.00%)
Lin, 2006 [25]	T: 7/11; C: 5/13	T: 42~85; C: 46~81	Not reported	Shang Ke Xiao Yan patch versus diclofenac for the treatment of 28 days	Global effectiveness rate	Two patients exited in the medium term of treatment in diclofenac group due to AEs (2/18, 11.11%)
Long, 2006 [26]	T: 15/31; C: 16/27	42~67; (mean = 57.7); (for all)	Not reported.	Shang Ke Hei Yao patch versus diclofenac ointment for the treatment of 28 days	Global effectiveness rate	No AEs were identified
Wang, 2010 [21]	T: 4/26; C: 5/25	T: 57.20±8.10; C: 58.60±8.00	5 d~3 yrs (for all)	Huo Xue Hua Yu patch versus diclofenac ointment for the treatment of 14 days	Pain, range of motion (ROM), and flexion deformity	Not reported
Wang,  2012 [4]	T1: 7/53; T2: 4/56; C: 3/27	T1:58.5±7.7; T2: 59.6±6.1; C: 60.4±8.0	T1: 5.1±4.1; T2: 3.5±3.0; C: 4.6±3.0 (yrs)	Fu Fang Nan Xing Zhi Tong patch versus placebo; Shang Shi Zhi Tong patch versus placebo for the treatment of 7 days	Pain, stiffness, and physical function; TCM syndrome	Fu Fang Nan Xing Zhi Tong patch leading to one withdrawal; 4 cases of rash, itching, slightly damaged skin, or erythema in two patches, respectively; no AEs were identified in placebo
Wang, 2006 [58]	42/40; (for all)	45~70 (for all)	1~18 (median = 7) (for all)	Xiao Tong patch versus diclofenac ointment for the treatment of 7 days	Global effectiveness rate	One case of mild local inflammation in treatment group (1/41; 2.44%); three cases of local allergic dermatitis found in control group (3/41; 7.32%)
Zhang, 2008 [20]	80 (for all)	Not reported	Not reported	Zhi Tong Tou Gu patch versus diclofenac ointment for the treatment of 28 days	Global effectiveness rate	Six cases exited the trial because of local allergy (not reported in which group)
Zheng, 2006 [23]	T: 12/24; C: 9/27	T: 51.06±6.6; C: 52.78±7.1	6 m~7 yrs (for all)	Qing Peng patch versus diclofenac ointment for the treatment of 21 days	Global effectiveness rate and pain	No AEs were identified

Values are the number (frequency or percentage). T: intervention group; C: control group.