External Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Venous Ulcers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Included RCTs.

Study	Location	Sample size; E/C	Age; E/C	Duration E/C; (months)	Duration of treatment; (weeks)	Main outcomes	Evaluation method	Outcome odds 95% CI; final pain measurement (95%)	ADs of experimental group	FUP; (months)
Cao et al., 2005 [20]	China	30/30	63.2/62.5	12.5/12.0	4	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area	4.50 1.09–18.50	NR	NR
Di 2009 [14]	China	32/32	57.75/56.59	44.64/44.16	4	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area	8.68 1.00–75.30	Two patients: contact dermatitis	1
Fang et al., 2012 [26]	China	69/63	59.5/60.5	NR	4	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area	15.71 0.87–284.88	NR	NR
Feng, 2009 [9]	China	82/82	NR	NR	8	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area	12.06 2.71–53.74	NR	NR
Huang et al., 2009 [19]	China	30/30	62	NR	4	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area; subjective evaluation of a researcher	5.80 0.63–53.01	NR	24
Jia and Li, 2011 [10]	China	32/30	55.7/56.6	17.8/17.9	4	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area	6.43 1.26–32.83	NR	NR
Jia, 2012 [15]	China	28/28	53.2	NR	3	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area; subjective evaluation of a researcher	10.47 0.54–204.32	None	NR
Li and Zhang, 2013 [11]	China	40/38	48.6/46.2	10.8/13.2	4	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area	3.34 0.33–33.63	Three patients: ecchymosis	6
Peng, 2014 [16]	China	30/30	65.9/66.4	81.6/82.44	4	TER, CR, IR, VRT	Verification of the area; subjective evaluation of a researcher; PPG	3.25 0.89–11.90	None	NR
Wang, 2013 [17]	China	30/30	63.23/63	126/120	4	TER, CR, IR, VRT, VP	Verification of the area; subjective evaluation of a researcher; PPG	4.50 1.09–18.50	None	NR
Xu, 2009 [21]	China	48/42	58/57.8	9.5/8.4	2	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area	2.03 0.45–9.05	NR	NR
Xu, 2012 [22]	China	30/30	52.5	NR	4	TER, CR, IR, pain	Verification of the area	1.00 0.23–4.43; E 0.62 (1.13); C 2.13 (1.45)	NR	NR
Zhang et al., 2007 [23]	China	60/45	66.7/65.9	11.3/14.9	4	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area; subjective evaluation of a researcher; photography	10.55 2.22–50.02	NR	NR
Zhang et al., 2008 [24]	China	30/30	NR	NR	4	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area; subjective evaluation of a researcher	5.35 0.25–116.31	NR	NR
Zhang et al., 2008 [18]	China	62/45	54.4/52.8	NR	6	TER, CR, IR	Verification of the area; subjective evaluation of a researcher	2.85 0.88–9.18	Two patients: contact dermatitis	NR
Zhang, 2013 [25]	China	27/24	59.78/60.05	6.44/7.24	4	TER, CR, IR, pain	Verification of the area; subjective evaluation of a researcher	10.71 1.21–94.96; E 1.76 (0.52); C 1.84 (0.49)	NR	NR

RCTs, randomized controlled trials; E, experimental group; C, control group; ADs, adverse events; FUP, follow-up period; NR, no report; TER, total effective rate; CR, curative ratio; IR, inefficiency rate; VRT, venous refill time; PPG, photoplethysmography; VP, venous pressure.