Authors: Zhang Ao, Yan Xingke, Liu Anguo
Abstract [Download PDF] [Read Full Text]
Background
The conventional therapies for childhood amblyopia mainly include optometry, occluding therapy, atropine application, fine eyesight training, instrument or regular comprehensive therapy, but the clinical effectiveness of each method had its limitation.Chinese herbs have been used to the treatment of childhood amblyopia, however, their effects are still in controversy.
Objective
This study was to assess the evidence of efficacy of Chinese herbs combined with moderate
methods
for childhood amblyopia. Methods The published papers of randomized controlled trials (RCT) and controlled clinical trials (CCT) of Chinese herbs combined with moderate comprehensive therapy for childhood amblyopia from 2000 to 2015 were searched in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database and PubMed database with computer.The methodology quality of included papers was evaluated according to the criteria of Cochrane and advanced Jadad scale.Data synthesis was facilitated using Reviewer Manager 5.1 software.The overall effect, or odds ratio (OR) of the treatment was analyzed by fixed effective model.
Results
Thirty-three RCT or CCT papers meeting inclusion criteria were included with the total sample size 6 666, and matched demography was showed in 25 papers; referential diagnosis criteria and effective criteria were described in 29 papers and 30 papers, respectively.Advanced Jadad scale showed 6, 3 and 1-2 scores in 1, 2 and 30 papers, respectively.The evidence showed that the total effectiveness of treatment within the group receiving Chinese herbs combined with conventional methods was higher than that in conventional group, with a statistically significant difference between groups (polled fixed effects model [OR]=3.92, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.30-4.64, Z=15.74, P<0.01).
Conclusions
The total effectiveness rate of Chinese herbs combined with conventional methods for childhood amblyopia is superior to only conventional treatment, indicating that Chinese herbs is effective for childhood amblyopia.More well-designed RCTs are needed to confirm the effect.