Assessment of the safety of Qin Kai Ling injection: a systematic review.

Objective: Qin Kai Ling (QKL) injection, which is based upon the traditional Chinese medicine formulation 'An Gong Niu Huang Wan', is widely used in treatment of many diseases. This review aims to assess the safety of QKL.

Methods: We searched Chinese databases CNKI and VIP for articles published between January 1987 and April 2009.

Comparative cost-effectiveness of three intrauterine devices: a multi-center randomized trial.

Objective: To determine the relative cost-effectiveness of three intrauterine devices (IUDs), MLCu375, TCu380A, and YuangongCu365.

Methods: Cost-effectiveness of three IUDs, namely MLCu375, TCu380A, and YuangongCu365, was analyzed from the provider's perspective by means of a randomized trial with one-year follow-up carried out in six centers in China.

Results: YuangongCu 365 had the lowest termination and pregnancy rates (4.

Shengmai (a traditional Chinese herbal medicine) for heart failure.

Background: Heart failure is a major public health problem worldwide. Shengmai (a traditional Chinese herbal medicine) has long been used as a complementary treatment for heart failure in China.

Objectives: To determine the effects (both benefits and harms) of Shengmai plus usual treatment versus usual treatment alone for heart failure.

Is routine indwelling catheterisation of the bladder for caesarean section necessary? A systematic review.

Background: Urinary catheterisation, which is associated with 80% of urinary tract infections (UTIs), is routinely performed prior to caesarean section without justification from the best available research evidence.

Objectives: To assess whether it is necessary to place indwelling urinary catheters routinely in caesarean section, and to determine the effects of this procedure on UTIs, urinary retention, intra-operative difficulties, operative complications, as well as other outcomes.

Search Strategy: MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, POPLINE, SCI, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China Academic Journals Full-Text Database and Chinese Scientific Journals Database were searched in all languages, together with reference lists of the retrieved papers.

Comparative safety and effectiveness of TCu380A versus MLCu375: a systematic review of randomized trials.

Objective: To compare the relative effectiveness and side effects of two intrauterine devices (IUDs), TCu380A and Multiload Cu375 (MLCu375).

Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, POPLINE, SCOPUS, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database in all languages, along with reference lists of retrieved papers. Randomized controlled trials comparing TCu380A with MLCu375 were included.

Randomized trials published in some Chinese journals: how many are randomized?

Background: The approximately 1100 medical journals now active in China are publishing a rapidly increasing number of research reports, including many studies identified by their authors as randomized controlled trials. It has been noticed that these reports mostly present positive results, and their quality and authenticity have consequently been called into question. We investigated the adequacy of randomization of clinical trials published in recent years in China to determine how many of them met acceptable standards for allocating participants to treatment groups.

Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections.

Aims: To review the evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews for the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) herbs for treating acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) and to discuss the limitations of current clinical trials of TCM.

Findings: Evidence from six Cochrane systematic reviews was weak owing to the lack of high-quality TCM trials. Limitations were usually due to biases that influenced the validity of results.

The reporting quality of meta-analyses improves: a random sampling study.

Objectives: To determine the overall quality of reporting of meta-analyses (QUOROMs) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) based on the QUOROM statement, to compare the reporting quality of paper-based articles and Cochrane reviews, and to determine whether compliance with the statement improves over time.

Study Design And Setting: A random sample of systematic reviews or meta-analyses of RCTs was selected from Medline (2000-2005).

Results: A total of 161 articles were included.

Manual versus electric vacuum aspiration for first-trimester abortion: a systematic review.

Background: As an alternative to electric vacuum aspirations (EVA), there is an increasing interest in using manual vacuum aspiration (MVA).

Objective: To compare the safety, efficacy and acceptability of MVA with those of EVA for first-trimester abortion.

Search Strategy: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Chinese Biomedical Database in all language, together with reference lists of retrieved papers.

Rifampicin plus pyrazinamide versus isoniazid for treating latent tuberculosis infection: a meta-analysis.

Setting: Six trials from Haiti, Mexico, the U.S.A.

Chinese medicinal herbs for acute bronchitis.

Background: Acute bronchitis is one of the most common diagnoses made by primary-care physicians. It is traditionally treated with antibiotics, (although the evidence for their effectiveness is weak and modest at best), and other even less effective treatments. Chinese medicinal herbs have been also used as treatment.