Objectives: To review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of Chinese herbal medicine for treating severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) systematically.
Design: Electronic and manual searches identified RCTs comparing Chinese medicine integrated to conventional medicine versus conventional medicine alone. Methodological quality of trials was assessed by generation of allocation sequence, allocation concealment, blinding, and intention-to-treat.
Results: Eight RCTs (488 patients with SARS) were included. The methodological quality was generally low. The combined therapy showed significant reduction of mortality (relative risk 0.32 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.12 to 0.91]), shortened duration of fever, symptom relief, reductions in chest radiograph abnormalities, and reductions in secondary fungal infections among patients receiving glucocorticoids. There were no significant effects on quality of life or glucocorticoid dosage.
Conclusion: Chinese herbal medicine combined with conventional medicine may have beneficial effects in patients with SARS. The evidence is insufficient because of the low methodological quality of the included trials.