Network Meta-analysis of the clinical efficacy and safety of kidney-tonifying and bone-strengthening therapies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with kidney deficiency type.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy and safety of different Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)-based kidney-tonifying and bone-strengthening therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

The current Bayesian network Meta-analysis compared different TCM-based kidney-tonifying and bone-strengthening therapies for RA. Eight electronic databases and two trial registration platforms were searched. RevMan 5.4 and Stata 16 software were employed.

RESULTS

A total of 42 studies involving 3779 cases were included. The results showed that the most effective intervention for improving efficacy was Wanbi decoction; Bushen Quhan Zhiwang decoction was superior in reducing the incidence of adverse reactions; and Qiwei Tongbi oral liquid effectively reduced C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels.

CONCLUSION

Combining TCMs with conventional Western Medicine can improve the clinical efficacy of RA treatments, reduce inflammatory indexes, and result in a higher safety profile. However, this conclusion needs to be verified by more high-quality randomized controlled trials.